I live in north west Arkansas, and have hunted the area for white tail with a rifle periodically over the years (mostly on private land and also some on easily accessible areas of public land). But I have recently become obsessed with shooting my bow (literally a few hundred arrows a week for the last few months) and I can’t shake the desire of wanting to backpack deep into some public land and spend time in the wilderness far from other hunters.
The issue is I don’t know anyone that does it, and haven’t found any threads about this specifically. It seems like backpack hunting, spotting and stalking, and on The ground bow hunting works great with Mule deer, Black tail and elk out west in those deep swaths of public land. But what about white tail? It seems like the Whitetail I see are either on farm land, private land or on public land that borders private. Do you guys see Whitetail in the backcountry in this region? Can backpacking in for Whitetail be a successful venture? Any info helps and any insight from more experienced hunters is deeply appreciated!
Also want to add that I am in no way bashing guys that prefer to hunt in other ways or in other areas. This is just what I’m looking for.
In 2018 I backpacked into land in North Central Arkansas for a rut hunt. I was successful and bagged a very very old 9 point that scored 118". I did a euro mount and the taxidermist said that the deer was one of the oldest deer he's ever worked with. So there's some food for thought. I bagged him on the second day.
What I learned on my solo DIY hunt.
1. I wasn't prepared.
2. My pack sucked for a overnight backpack hunt. I have a post in "long range whitetail pack" in the whitetail section. I packed in 4 miles and hunted about 500 yards the first day and packed 4 miles early the next morning to get setup. I was toast.
3. OnX maps is amazing. Download more than enough maps, and bring a paper map.
4. A layout plan for your pack and what you need.
5. Be prepared to quarter up and pack out a deer. This was the first time I've done it and now I prefer it.
6. Expect it to rain. It rained the day I took my buck. I was semi wet on the hunt. My shelter and sleeping bag was dry. If I wouldn't of tagged out on the second day the 3rd day would of gave me a whole new set of issues with a wet pack and hunting clothes. I used army wet weather gear, which worked somewhat.
7. Pack the best lightweight food you can get. I brought a few MRE's and a few canned foods. I actually cached some canned foods up in the mountains, therefore they should still good for this year.
8. Get a jetboil.
9. Have a plan for water. I used a life straw, but its not enough.
10. You need trekking poles. It's not a need its a absolutely must have.
11. Practice setting up your camp. This will give you an idea of what you need or don't need.
12. You need a big pack and a small pack. A big pack to get everything in and a little one to take your stand to your spot. I used a tree saddle and sticks. I'm looking at the Kifaru and exo packs that I can swap out big backs for little ones.
13. Solar charger for your phone.
14. Be physically ready, it isn't going to be easy.
15. Be mentally ready for isolation.
16. Bright flashlights
I want to add that the mental part is a big part of it. I was constantly telling myself this is getting dangerous, what if this happens, maybe you shouldn't go that far away, just hunt closer to the truck, this isn't worth it, you can't keep packing around these mountains in the dark, what if you slip down a bluff, what if you step on a snake, what if you step in a hole and break your leg, what if all your flashlights stop working, and etc. I was doing constant mental check ins and coming back to the reality that I'm okay.
I'm planning on a hunt this year in Arkansas and hopefully one in WV.
The take away of the adventure is I was able to achieve a heightened sense of awareness that I haven't been able to experience since I cam home from Iraq. Every step, you have to ensure your safety and avoid complacency. You could be dying in a matter of seconds if you decide to get careless with a knife or hurry through down the mountain. It's you, God, the mountain, and the beasts of the earth. The success of this trip wasn't measured by antlers and tape, it was measured by effort and grit. Once I left the mountain and returned from the trip I had a awesome sense of achievement. I felt alive. I earned my buck and conquered the mountain.
