Looking to Move to Western NC or SW VA - Need Advice

[KenLee]

I would stay away from Ashville...liberal politics have ruined that town...There are still some nices places around Asheville but downtown is your typical homeless, defund the police cess pool...Its a shame used to be a cool place. Also the cost of living is higher than the national average...much better places in the area you have described.

Truth. Downtown is a real shithole after dark

 

[KenLee]

Damascus VA is a cool lil town. No clue on hunting opportunities, but seemed like it would be a nice place to retire.

 

[KHNC]

Now. I said it was rough and you got to want it. You are correct about working hard. I’ll start scouting Jan 2. I keep getting closer to mature deer but these mount ghost deer are tough but awesome. Three years of chasing this dude View attachment 648494

It sure is steep. This ridge is 227 yards and gains 317’ elevation in the processView attachment 648495

Damn right its steep. Ive climbed all over them in the past. Id rather hike 7-8 miles a day in Wyoming at 9-10k ft chasing elk than I would 2 miles in Pisgah fighting FKN laurel thickets. People not from here just dont know. I stopped hunting that shit years ago. I hope the bucks keep getting bigger and bigger here. lol.

 

[Lowg08]

Damn right its steep. Ive climbed all over them in the past. Id rather hike 7-8 miles a day in Wyoming at 9-10k ft chasing elk than I would 2 miles in Pisgah fighting FKN laurel thickets. People not from here just dont know. I stopped hunting that shit years ago. I hope the bucks keep getting bigger and bigger here. lol.

You know what is backwards. I refuse to hunt anything else. My friends say I have a mental issue hunting like I do. I find the bigger deer on the steepest places with the thickest laurels. Just have to embrace the suck.

 

[KHNC]

You know what is backwards. I refuse to hunt anything else. My friends say I have a mental issue hunting like I do. I find the bigger deer on the steepest places with the thickest laurels. Just have to embrace the suck.

I embrace it year after year in elk country. And spent years doing it in pisgah. Plenty of military rucking too. Now when i hunt around here , I dont bother with it. I train all year for elk hunting. When i bowhunt whitetail around here, I like to spend my time actually seeing deer. Not stomping Laurel Thickets like the old days. lol

 

[Lowg08]

I embrace it year after year in elk country. And spent years doing it in pisgah. Plenty of military rucking too. Now when i hunt around here , I dont bother with it. I train all year for elk hunting. When i bowhunt whitetail around here, I like to spend my time actually seeing deer. Not stomping Laurel Thickets like the old days. lol

I can understand that. I’ve seen deer every sit but 3 this year but it’s took me years to get that kinda figured out. I’m in Nantahala mostly though. One day when I get more vacation time I’ll head out for something western. I’ve always wanted to do spot and stalk mule deer and antelope in Nebraska.

 

[ddd-shooter]

You know what is backwards. I refuse to hunt anything else. My friends say I have a mental issue hunting like I do. I find the bigger deer on the steepest places with the thickest laurels. Just have to embrace the suck.

I don’t refuse to hunt anything else, but Appalachian whitetails are far and away my favorite.
Way cooler than a flatland corn fed deer imo

 

[Lowg08]

I don’t refuse to hunt anything else, but Appalachian whitetails are far and away my favorite.
Way cooler than a flatland corn fed deer imo

I’m actually going to try them in Ohio mountains next year if that is what they call them there.

 

[ddd-shooter]

I’m actually going to try them in Ohio mountains next year if that is what they call them there.

“Foothills” lol
Good luck. Love the pic of the mountain Buck!

 

[Lowg08]

“Foothills” lol
Good luck. Love the pic of the mountain Buck!

Thanks. I’ve got a few really good deer on camera but these mountain deer are like a dang ghost. Well at least the mature ones

 

[tony]

I’m actually going to try them in Ohio mountains next year if that is what they call them there.

I'm from Ohio, there are no mountains there. Funny thing, the state is board flat. You hit south east Ohio and the hills start. Most people in Ohio refer to them as mountains thought.
Step over one state to WV, we have plenty of mini mountains here.

 

[Lowg08]

I'm from Ohio, there are no mountains there. Funny thing, the state is board flat. You hit south east Ohio and the hills start. Most people in Ohio refer to them as mountains thought.
Step over one state to WV, we have plenty of mini mountains here.

That’s what I figured. Going to Wayne national or Shawnee is what I’m told.

 

[Bolt]

Sounds like Asheville area may be what you are looking for.

Insane amounts of public land around, fantastic backpacking opportunities. Good fishing, you’ll have access to trout and bass all through the national forest (Pisgah or Nantahalas).

No shortage of land to hunt but it is necessarily high odds. Deer hunting from what I understand is tough, just low densities in the mountains. Can’t speak to turkeys.

Great restaurant scene and tons of little shops.

Haven’t spent much time at all in SW VA, but driving through it seems to be mostly small towns that aren’t going to have much in terms of restaurants and shops if that’s high on the list.

Area does seem to have way more deer just from what I could see driving the roads.

If high crime rates are what you are looking for Ashville is your place.

Look at Damascus, VA or Danville, VA. Danville area will have mostly private but there are clubs all around. Uwharrie National Forest is about 2 hours south and hunts much better than the Pisgah National Forest. Pisgah is a place you can go days without a deer sighting.

Good luck

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[Jwterry3]

I would stay away from Ashville...liberal politics have ruined that town...There are still some nices places around Asheville but downtown is your typical homeless, defund the police cess pool...Its a shame used to be a cool place. Also the cost of living is higher than the national average...much better places in the area you have described.

This….I live an hr from there…..great to visit for breweries and all that…but no way I would live there.

 

[trapperJ]

I live close to Mount Airy now. I’m about 40-45 minutes from Winston. I grew up in the same county as Winston but about 15 minutes North. I much prefer Surry County to what Forsyth has become. I can be fishing wild trout water in 25 minutes, musky and smallmouth on the New River in 40 minutes. Overall I think VA has better deer and bear hunting and better public. Our hunting is good as well just more congested with hunters. Sidenote, I’m a realtor if you’re looking at homes in my area.

I grew up just across he VA line from you in Claudeville/Dan Valley

 

[loganwayne]

Don't live in asheville it's a shit hole. The good thing is about 30 minutes in any directions is still "country", but is growing up fast. I live close to @Lowg08 and head into asheville everyday to work. If I were you I'd just plan lots of family trips to see your kids and hunt public there. NC also has some good permit only public land

 

[northernalpine]

Charlotte and the surrounding area is the best kept secret in the Carolinas. Tons of live music, good food, great shopping, US National Whitewater Center is awesome for family stuff, Lake Norman is right there, you’re within a stone throw of three of the bigger NF areas.

As others have said, Asheville is a train wreck with the largest single sector growth in the last five years is/has been methadone clinics and micro-breweries. One comes with manbuns and the other comes with elevated street crime and high insurance.

Edit: Boone is worth checking out and has awesome access to NF and trail systems, but it is significantly smaller despite Appalachian State being there.

 

[Swamp Fox]

I would stay away from Ashville...liberal politics have ruined that town...There are still some nices places around Asheville but downtown is your typical homeless, defund the police cess pool...Its a shame used to be a cool place. Also the cost of living is higher than the national average...much better places in the area you have

Asheville is great to visit, but it’s thoroughly infested with commies.

Don’t do Asheville unless your gender confused and love democratic politics and meth.

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[Swamp Fox]

"He's dead now ... And a lot of those people are dead now ..."

That's the problem.

 

[Oldbuff]

The Carolinas' best-kept secret is Charlotte and the surrounding area. Delicious cuisine and a ton of live music.