VA mountain hunters..

[TheArdentOutdoorsman]

I'm heading out for Thanksgiving break for my second trip into the appalachians, first time going to the national forest of VA (previously hunted WV). Have been looking around Bath county but was curious if anyone could help me out a little more. Just hoping someone can give me some feedback, tips, etc. I'm not an appalachian expert but we plan to hike in a ways, have camp and hunt southern facing slopes with cover. Will have a bear and deer tag. Thanks!

 

[WESTERN VA HUNTER]

Sounds like you have a good plan. Just remember that the wind and thermals are going to be a big factor, in how it swirls and changes directions in the mountains. (Milkweed is good to get a visual of what the wind is doing)

A decent set of binoculars will help also. Be prepared to pack out a deer in your backpack because it is tough dragging them most of the time. I carry a small 1st aid kit just incase. Also pack your outer layers in your backpack and put them on when you sit. This is just some things that I do, someone else may give you better info because I'm no expert.

Don't get discouraged or give up! Hunting these mountains ain't for everyone, but can be very rewarding.

 

[strattonje2020]

I'm planning on switching to mountain bucks. im not saying its easy to kill the flat land deer, but shooting one sitting 100 yards from the road isnt very rewarding for me anymore. i try to hunt montana every year and i think the mountain deer will give me the same feeling.

how do you hunt them. mostly walk or saddle hunt or just sit on the ground when you find a promising area?

 

[WESTERN VA HUNTER]

I'm planning on switching to mountain bucks. im not saying its easy to kill the flat land deer, but shooting one sitting 100 yards from the road isnt very rewarding for me anymore. i try to hunt montana every year and i think the mountain deer will give me the same feeling.

how do you hunt them. mostly walk or saddle hunt or just sit on the ground when you find a promising area?

All depends on the wind, weather and acess. If it's really windy, raining or snow then I like to still hunt. I carry my saddle with me but don't always use it. I sit on the ground a good bit also.

 

[pjh360]

I hunt primarily public land in Bath Co. My experience this year has been that Black Oaks have been the main acorn producers. Find you some Black Oaks and you should see some feeding sign - then saddle up!

 

[Rokbar]

Find the acorns, find the does, and the bucks will be there. The rut should be kicking off there if not already.

 

[Glendon Mullins]

your right in my back door, if i hd seen this sooner i could have helped lol btu been out of commission a few days thanks to shoulder surgery

 

[FLATHEAD]

I'm 4.5 hrs from the NF I grew up 15 minutes from.
I really miss it.
Saddles, Benches, Creek crossings.

 

[FLATHEAD]

I cant take it anymore. Gonna make the drive back home to the foothills and sleep in the bed of my truck.
Headed out in the morning. Supposed to be 26'F Sat. morning.

 

[TheArdentOutdoorsman]

Reporting back. Tough go in the mountains. 3 days, 28 miles, covered elevations from the valley floor to around 3400 and never laid eyes on an animal. Found many scattered rubs and scrapes but tag soup in the end.

 

[WESTERN VA HUNTER]

Reporting back. Tough go in the mountains. 3 days, 28 miles, covered elevations from the valley floor to around 3400 and never laid eyes on an animal. Found many scattered rubs and scrapes but tag soup in the end.

It can be tough!

 

[Billy Goat]

Reporting back. Tough go in the mountains. 3 days, 28 miles, covered elevations from the valley floor to around 3400 and never laid eyes on an animal. Found many scattered rubs and scrapes but tag soup in the end.

It gets humbling.

Bucks don't come easy in the mountains.

 

[WESTERN VA HUNTER]

It gets humbling.

Bucks don't come easy in the mountains.

But when you do punch that tag,it's no better feeling to know you got it done in the mountains!

 

[AlleghenyMountain]

I hunted a spot for two years (not daily) before I saw a deer. National Forest. So yeah, it can be tough. Be glad you could at least go, with all my family stuff going on I've hunted 2 hours total.

 

[AlleghenyMountain]

Oh yeah, some snow during late muzzleloading can give you some ideas on where those deer are.

 

[EdP]

I have done it 4 of the last 5 years in Grayson Co Va. Elev typically 5000 ft and 3 miles in. I've had opportunities that I passed and some close encounters, but have yet to tag a deer.

3 days and 28 miles is more than 9 miles a day so it sounds to me that you covered too much ground too fast. I hunt from a single campsite in an area that I have scouted and know holds some deer. Once I've made the 3 mile trek in and gotten set up, I rarely cover more than 2 miles in an entire day and some of that is at hiking speed in the dark. I'll find a couple of spots where there is good sign and spend some time each day sitting a while, and the rest of the time I still hunt. In the future I'm going to take some camo netting for a little better cover at my sit locations.

 

[Gman12]

I have done it 4 of the last 5 years in Grayson Co Va. Elev typically 5000 ft and 3 miles in. I've had opportunities that I passed and some close encounters, but have yet to tag a deer.

3 days and 28 miles is more than 9 miles a day so it sounds to me that you covered too much ground too fast. I hunt from a single campsite in an area that I have scouted and know holds some deer. Once I've made the 3 mile trek in and gotten set up, I rarely cover more than 2 miles in an entire day and some of that is at hiking speed in the dark. I'll find a couple of spots where there is good sign and spend some time each day sitting a while, and the rest of the time I still hunt. In the future I'm going to take some camo netting for a little better cover at my sit locations.

I agree. I would suggest researching and scouting new areas. Once you find the deer sit tight and hunt over a food source or a travel corridor. 9 miles a day is a lot for wide open western hunting where you are trying to cover a lot of ground and glassing hundreds of acres at a time.

 

[WESTERN VA HUNTER]

Getting ready for late muzzy opener tomorrow. I have 1 more buck tag to punch

 

[TheArdentOutdoorsman]

I agree. I would suggest researching and scouting new areas. Once you find the deer sit tight and hunt over a food source or a travel corridor. 9 miles a day is a lot for wide open western hunting where you are trying to cover a lot of ground and glassing hundreds of acres at a time.

I had never been to the area so I had to cover alot of ground to find sign and get to know the lay of the land plus the heavy winds all 3 days had me still hunting nearly all day. My legs were still fresh from Colorado but the appalachians challenged me