Overlooked hunts in the east

[Adam Gibbs]

What state is Bankhead in? I’ve never heard of it.


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Northern Alabama

 

[NY16ga]

What happened to the prairie hunt being cancelled? A couple friends and I may chase some prairie chickens in Nebraska

@Sturgies That's exactly what I was considering, chickens in NE. I've never hunted them before and I've been obsessing about it since I couldn't go on any prairie hunts last year (did OK on sage grouse, sharpies, and Huns in 2018 though) I took a pretty big financial hit due to the pandemic this year and now I'm realizing my Wirehair might not be able to handle it anyway so I'm not sure it's in the cards. She's a tough old girl but at 12 y/o I just don't know if she can run around the prairie all day like she used to, especially if it's warm. Might just have to stick with half-day grouse and woodcock hunts here in the east for her now. Good luck to your group though, I'll probably get a new Wirehair pup pretty soon so hopefully I'll make it out there in the next couple seasons.

 

[Tradguy]

Arkansas has some really fun draw hunts for deer. You can't go wrong with any of them in the wildlife management areas throughout the state. Beautiful country, great camping and if you are in the right spot excellent fly fishing as well.

 

[ncstatehunter]

One of my hunting spots 20 minutes from my house here in SW North Carolina that I feel is overlooked by hunters at least. Grouse, deer, bear, turkeys all at some of the highest elevations on public land East of the Mississippi. That’s the view from the truck, I hunt downhill from it just because that’s the closest access to my house and it’s a shorter walk to where I hunt. We will see how worse the one or two .25 mile climbs that kick my ass every time are when loaded down with a deer in my pack.

 

[LIWolverine]

Arkansas for sure.

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[Raberd14]

If you wanna get way out of the box, Georgia gator hunting is pretty doable. Buddy of mine is doing the sikka this yr, we'll see how that goes before I try it...

 

[Seth]

Public land in the Blue Ridge Mountains of NC has some unique scenery and opportunities for deer and bear. Grouse is pretty good in some areas. I also like Missouri’s archery season and draw tags on various properties.

 

[AgentVenom]

PA super later season Traditional Muzzleloader season. Flint lock round ball only. Starts after Christmas goes through mid January. I live near the PA/ NY border and it can really get you out of the winter cabin fever blues. I don’t think there is another season like it.

plus gives you an excuse to buy a flint lock

 

[Robster]

Rabbits.


Beagles help.

Snowshoe Hare in North country NY

And yes, as Billy Goat said, beagles help

 

[eaglemountainman]

Some beautiful, big country for a guy to get lost backpacking in the Adirondacks for deer and bear.

 

[mitchellmountain]

I’ve done the Adirondacks deer/bear hunt 3 times. Big beautiful country and deceivingly thick cover. My one comment is to make it a hunt and not a hike you need snow. I’ll do it again someday but never without tracking snow.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Carolina coastal black bear has me interested. Apparently the largest black bears on record due to easily accessible ag forage and no hibernation to speak of. Not sure public land is a legit option and it is a bit pricey but it is on my list.

 

[Trial153]

Snowshoe hare with hounds in the Daks, Northern NH and VT, and Maine is must do. We run dogs every week from Dec to March.
Coyote hunting with dogs in western NY and northern Maine is fantastic as well.

 

[stump06]

N. Georgia bear. I keep hearing the numbers are up and there's quite a few killed every year. Theres tons of public between WMAs and NF up there. Great scenery for hiking or camping. Gonna try to head up a few times for a deer/hog/bear hunt

 

[menhaden_man]

Carolina coastal black bear has me interested. Apparently the largest black bears on record due to easily accessible ag forage and no hibernation to speak of. Not sure public land is a legit option and it is a bit pricey but it is on my list.

Hyde County! Big bruins... tundra swan hunts too.

 

[AgentVenom]

Coyote hunting with dogs in western NY and northern Maine is fantastic as well.

Yeah the ‘yotes around here are big and plentiful. It’s one thing we have over our Western compatriots, their coyotes look like big foxes by comparison.

 

[nrhoffman93]

Mississippi is also worth a look. Some parts of the state have very high deer densities and big deer for the south. There are not a lot of big woods areas though. Mostly smaller chunks broken up by roads.

Alabama has some fun hunts as well. Like Mississippi, most areas are broken up by roads so it's not easy to find true "back country" type hunts.

 

[hutty]

good luck to those coming to Maryland to hunt Sika, aka Marsh Ghosts. Wild terrain, great tasting mini elk. Any sika is a trophy!

 

[Cervid]

Relatively speaking it's a small population in a smaller geographic area with even less public land. There was a meateater episode glorifying it. He has a loyal following and the resulting surge was entirely predictable. Lots of respect for Rinella in general but that was an awfully shitty move to bring attention to such a limited huntery.

The way the MD locals talk on their own Internet forums about this, you’d think Steve Rinella personally extirpated every last one of the sika deer, but I can assure you that there are still enough for quality public land hunting experiences.

You are right though, it’s a small area and will always be pretty niche. I think after most of the meateater inspired out of staters strike out and tell their buddies, the craziness might die down a little.

 

[WJS23]

Running bears with hounds in Maine is fun, born and raised in New Hampshire. Also Jim shocky did a show about hunting sika deer almost 10 years ago so don’t blame meat eater