Virginia public land.

[OXN939]

well turns out 99% of Virginians don’t get more than a few hundred yards from the road. Even hunting opening days I have not seen a single hunter actually out in the woods while I was out...

True this. However, when a hunt club turns a pack of their dogs out on a parcel of public and then guns down every moving animal they see, that area has effectively been made worthless for fair chase hunters from that point on; everything leaves. My family used to own 450 acres of some very good habitat that was almost not even worth hunting because just about all activity was nocturnal after neighboring hunt clubs started running their dogs. For the first five years I hunted whitetail, I actually thought that rut activity was a myth made up by outdoor writers and filmed on select high fence ranches to get attention. There is a reason deer hunting with dogs is illegal in 42 out of 50 states.

 

[Wvroach]

Grew up a portion of my childhood in Highland and Bath counties. Beautiful areas, once got lost in the GWNF muzzleloader hunting as a kid walked the whole way to deerfield from sugar tree for those that are familiar with the area.
By the time I got back home I had a search party out looking for me, what a hike!
Use to live right at the coursey springs fish hatchery before they put in the concrete silos. Caught 20+ inch rainbows on that part of the river on the regular. They were locked from most access other than our house unless someone was willing to walk a mile, great fishing.

 

[willfrye027]

True this. However, when a hunt club turns a pack of their dogs out on a parcel of public and then guns down every moving animal they see, that area has effectively been made worthless for fair chase hunters from that point on; everything leaves. My family used to own 450 acres of some very good habitat that was almost not even worth hunting because just about all activity was nocturnal after neighboring hunt clubs started running their dogs. For the first five years I hunted whitetail, I actually thought that rut activity was a myth made up by outdoor writers and filmed on select high fence ranches to get attention. There is a reason deer hunting with dogs is illegal in 42 out of 50 states.

I can see that. Depending on the terrain that could be bad. I hunted in a swampy area with lots of clubs and killed the two biggest bucks of my life deep in the thick swampy stuff where nobody would hunt those bucks even if the dogs ran through

 

[Shupe88]

This is an old thread but as someone moving from the west to VA it makes me feel a lot better about hunting opportunity. Thanks all for posting up here.

What part of the state did you relocate to? I’m from the south west part. If you need any tips I will help you the best I can.


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[OXN939]

I can see that. Depending on the terrain that could be bad. I hunted in a swampy area with lots of clubs and killed the two biggest bucks of my life deep in the thick swampy stuff where nobody would hunt those bucks even if the dogs ran through

For sure. The mature bucks usually run circles around the dogs anyway. Just wanted to put out a safety item that it's realistically good to be aware of- when I say that general firearms season is a circus, I mean that these guys literally kill one or several of their friends each year here. Sad to see one of the victims was a kid this time.

 

[Traveler]

Thanks everyone for the input and offers. I will be living in northern VA, but hunting wherever it is decent that is not northern VA. West is most likely easiest for me to get to. I have some contacts in Pulaski area so may check that out as well. I am not great at sitting, so will be trying to find places where either spot and stalk or still hunting is an option. Probably a lot harder with whitetails and forests with leaves in the ground. So far looking to find public land sandwiched in between ag land where bucks may go to bed and hide out. Other than that I haven’t called/rattled whitetails but guess it’s time to learn!

 

[OXN939]

Thanks everyone for the input and offers. I will be living in northern VA, but hunting wherever it is decent that is not northern VA. West is most likely easiest for me to get to. I have some contacts in Pulaski area so may check that out as well. I am not great at sitting, so will be trying to find places where either spot and stalk or still hunting is an option. Probably a lot harder with whitetails and forests with leaves in the ground. So far looking to find public land sandwiched in between ag land where bucks may go to bed and hide out. Other than that I haven’t called/rattled whitetails but guess it’s time to learn!

I'd pull the string on those Pulaski connections. Much more likely to find productive opportunities on public in that part of the state, with fractions of the hunter density you'd find in Northern VA. Still wouldn't discount finding yourself a nice ultralight treestand to pack in, though. Easy way to increase your chances of success by quite a bit.

 

[CarlTuesday]

Thanks everyone for the input and offers. I will be living in northern VA, but hunting wherever it is decent that is not northern VA. West is most likely easiest for me to get to. I have some contacts in Pulaski area so may check that out as well. I am not great at sitting, so will be trying to find places where either spot and stalk or still hunting is an option. Probably a lot harder with whitetails and forests with leaves in the ground. So far looking to find public land sandwiched in between ag land where bucks may go to bed and hide out. Other than that I haven’t called/rattled whitetails but guess it’s time to learn!

I'm generally hunting east of you, but also transitioning to whitetail after being out west.

I'll just say that the need to sit and be still is pretty rough, vs being able to more or less outwork your competition and find animals thru suffering and glass. My advice is to try and keep that positive mindset as you sit there and wonder if there are any deer at all in your patch of the woods...and realistic expectations is part of that since not being able to just go pop over the next ridge when things are dead is hard for me at least.

That said, I haven't hunted larger tracts like GWNF, so maybe it is possible. Please report back, since lots of pressure and lots of sitting amidst that pressure on small public land tracts has me thinking about where I might be able to go spend a week but still be in general driving range.

I have heard of some folks spot/stalk bear hunting in that area - low success rates due to difficulty and density, but it is possible if you've got lots of time.

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[Traveler]

Will do, will take some scouting to know what I’m really going to do and where. @OXN939 - I have started looking at ultralites and saddles for stand/sitting. I know that is effective, just new to me and I’m stubborn. I’ll probably get there eventually, ha.

 

[Shupe88]

Thanks everyone for the input and offers. I will be living in northern VA, but hunting wherever it is decent that is not northern VA. West is most likely easiest for me to get to. I have some contacts in Pulaski area so may check that out as well. I am not great at sitting, so will be trying to find places where either spot and stalk or still hunting is an option. Probably a lot harder with whitetails and forests with leaves in the ground. So far looking to find public land sandwiched in between ag land where bucks may go to bed and hide out. Other than that I haven’t called/rattled whitetails but guess it’s time to learn!

Pulaski is only 45 min from me. There is some good public land. Look at Gate wood lake and Miller’s creek areas. Tons of game in there. Good luck.


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[Chordeiles]

There’s a pile of National Forest, between NOVA and Pulaski, on both sides of the I-81 corridor. Most of it is not too far from the interstate, if you wanted to do a side trip for scouting during your back and forth travels.

 

[Traveler]

Pulaski is only 45 min from me. There is some good public land. Look at Gate wood lake and Miller’s creek areas. Tons of game in there. Good luck.


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Will do, thanks!

 

[AlleghenyMountain]

Grew up a portion of my childhood in Highland and Bath counties. Beautiful areas, once got lost in the GWNF muzzleloader hunting as a kid walked the whole way to deerfield from sugar tree for those that are familiar with the area.
By the time I got back home I had a search party out looking for me, what a hike!
Use to live right at the coursey springs fish hatchery before they put in the concrete silos. Caught 20+ inch rainbows on that part of the river on the regular. They were locked from most access other than our house unless someone was willing to walk a mile, great fishing.

You walked from Sugar Tree to Deerfield? Holy cow.

 

[Wvroach]

You walked from Sugar Tree to Deerfield? Holy cow.

Yeah sugar tree road on the GWNF off scotchtown draft. was supposed to meet my dad at the truck at 11am. I got a ride once I hit the pavement and got home at 9 that night. I was around 15 at the time. I was to far in at the point I realized I was going the wrong way to turn around.

 

[540-Virginian]

Can you shoot does on NF in Virginia during Early Archery (October). I thought you could never take either sex tags on NF, but this past years DWF regs confused me as it didn't clearly say only bucks on NF. I am only after bucks on NF as I'm fortunate to have a farm that is overrun with does (3 of us bagged 7 last day of the season this year).

 

[Chordeiles]

If it’s during archery season and you’re using archery tackle, you can kill does in the early and late seasons on NF.

 

[Chordeiles]

It seems a little vague because they don’t specifically mention NF, but that’s how Va works. If it wasn’t legal on NF then they would make an exception for NF.

 

[Billy Goat]

Yeah sugar tree road on the GWNF off scotchtown draft. was supposed to meet my dad at the truck at 11am. I got a ride once I hit the pavement and got home at 9 that night. I was around 15 at the time. I was to far in at the point I realized I was going the wrong way to turn around.

We call that the 14 mile road, depends on where you started it's a hell of a hike to Deerfield, long ways even from the Deerfield end.

 

[pjh360]

Hunted public land in Bath County during early muzzleloader season. Didn’t see another hunter the whole 2 weeks. Saw deer but no shooters.

 

[OXN939]

It seems a little vague because they don’t specifically mention NF, but that’s how Va works. If it wasn’t legal on NF then they would make an exception for NF.

DWR's website is home to some of the most vague and confusing explanations about regs I've ever read. They truly should start from scratch, IMO.