Virginia public land.

[Glendon Mullins]

Any of ya'll turkey hunt VA public lands? Looking to possibly hunt there this spring. Don't post the info in here, but if you feeling generous, send me a PM.

yes sure do

 

[AncientHistory]

When I was a kid SW VA National forest was pretty crowded during rifle season. We never grouse hunted during that time out of concern for our dogs

 

[vabowhunter81]

I live in Scott co. My family used to go to Smyth county every year and hunt NF. I went back a couple years ago. The deer density seems really low now

 

[boonez40]

My dad and his brothers would go camp for a week back in the day. In a area around Covington. Said there where tons of other hunters camping. Always seemed to see game and fill a few tags. One of them usually killed a decent buck each year. Wish I could have been old enough at the time to go. Can’t really find anyone that is willing to travel to new locations and camp. Most of my buddy’s hunt private land. It just feels more rewarding to kill even a decent buck on NF. Especially with a bow. IMO anyways.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My step grandpa and grandma was from Covington, along with my step dad.
Grandpa and my step dad have passed away along with an Aunt.
But grandma and another Aunt is still kicking.
There last name is Robinsons.


Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

 

[ArrowForester]

Things are about to get interesting in SW. Shouldn't be tremendous impact on public land except for a limited area. Hopefully it stays limited.

 

[Clintopher]

New guy here living in Tidewater area. Been many moons since I’ve been in the woods. Hoping I can find some decent public spots. Only problem is I never really learned how to hunt. It was always sitting in front of bait or being put in a spot by someone else. Is there a tactics/strategy thread for Virginia hunters?

 

[Glendon Mullins]

New guy here living in Tidewater area. Been many moons since I’ve been in the woods. Hoping I can find some decent public spots. Only problem is I never really learned how to hunt. It was always sitting in front of bait or being put in a spot by someone else. Is there a tactics/strategy thread for Virginia hunters?

Well #1 baiting is illegal in Virginia, make sure u dont do that here.

I dont know that there is a specific thread on here for virginia tactics but generally find any of the eastern threads about tactics it should be about the same if u ignore most of the tactics for swamps etc. that we dont have in virginia.

 

[RMP]

The hound hunting for deer and the disrepectful hunt clubs have gotten out of hand in eastern Va.

I've been hunting east of Richmond since the mid 70s. Particularly in Charles City and New Kent Counties. Dealing with hunt clubs and their dogs, and lack of respect for other hunters and private property rights, is nothing new. I've hunted Chickahominy WMA since the 80s and have had modest success with deer and turkey. It's a great place for small game, particularly before and after deer season. Even during deer season, on WEEKDAYS, it's easy to be one of only 2 or 3 people on the whole WMA. But weekends and holidays it can get busy, with mulytiple vehicle in many of the parking areas.

I made the mistake of hunting there on Friday, New Years Eve. I guess far too many business were closed because the place was crowded like I've never seen it before. And it was almost all hunt clubs.

I got into the woods an hour before daylight and set up my blind on a hill overlooking a ravine. 2 other hunters appeared on the other side of the ravine and set up right across from me, together. They appeared to be clubbers. One of their cell phones kept ringing. They were talking in normal tones, peppered with F bombs about every other word. All that while they were using a bleat call and laughing yelling "Here deery deer." I think they may have been with one of the several hunt clubs on the WMA. They were approached a little later by two other hunters and they appeared to start arguing with one yelling "I'll kill you" to one of the others. Then the two new comers left leaving the other two guys, neither of whom could sit still, speak softly, or resist repeatedly tipping over a bleat call. After an hour I had a enough and decided to leave. But not before one of these guys decided to chop down a tree about 8 inches in diameter, for reasons unknown.

As I was leaving, there were hounds running all over. I got out to the parking area and a hunt club truck was blocking vehicles properly parked. I asked the driver to move and I got the eye like he owned the place. There was a gut pile laying beside the kiosk. Driving out, there were hunt clubbers lining the roads. I saw two shoot from the road (not from a vehicle) at something, but didn't appear to be anything. These guys will literally shoot ANYTHING, legal or not, their dogs chase out onto the roads.

In 40+ years of hunting Charles City County, and 30+ years of hunting Chickahominy, I've never seen the disgusting spectacle I saw yesterday.

In years past, I never really minded the dogs, as on more than one occassion they would push deer past me. But I am now firmly against hound hunting for deer, and organized drives on public land. These hunt clubs are filled with slob hunters with zero respect for anyone else. They've destroyed hunt quality on public lands.

I'm not sure what laws were actually broken, but the chopping of the tree was a crime so when I started driving out I called DWR to report it and was told a wildlife officer would call me. I got that call two hours later and was told he was the only DWR officer between Hampton and Charles City County - about a 30 mile stretch of land.

 

[Priority 4]

I hunt private and public on both sides of the parkway. My experience with public has been mixed. But, most of the time, pressure is extremely light during bow, light-to-moderate during muzzleloader, and pretty heavy during rifle.

Even during the moderate to heavy hunting pressure, you can find solitude if you put the work in.

My problem is, if I see a vehicle parked, I hate to start anywhere close as I don't want to walk in on the other hunter.

 

[vthokee]

Originally from VA and just got stationed back east for the first time in over 10years. Planning to start making some trips up this fall to hunt my old NF stomping grounds.
I didn’t see anyone mention hunting up at the Radford Arsenal. Does the game and fish still offer that lottery hunt? There used to be some giants taken off that property.

 

[EdP]

Public land in Virginia has changed a lot in the last 20 years. National Forest used to be covered with camps during hunting season. Lots of things have changed. The Forests are ageing and don't have the year round habitat and food like they used to.

This is spot on. Back in the 80s and 90s I was living in SC and used to come to Va to backpack in the NF (Mt Rogers NRA). Thanksgiving week was deer season and every pulloff and parking area had home made campers with wood stoves. The NF campgrounds were full of hunters and everywhere you went in the backcountry you could see a half dozen orange vests. I moved here in 2015 and it is totally changed. Large sections of the nearby NF have been designated "Wilderness" and are no longer managed for a diversified habitat. I see a lot of beech stands, especially at the higher elevations. They are pure stands of beech which is typical because beech choke out other species. Without clear cutting or fires, they continue to expand. There are not near the numbers of deer or of hunters, but the deer do get a chance to grow and some good ones can be had. The decline of deer populations in the NF is recognized and discussed in the state "Deer Management Plan." There are plain statements regarding their inability to manage the NF in a manner more favorable to deer and the situation is not expected to improve.

 

[Priority 4]

I didn’t see anyone mention hunting up at the Radford Arsenal. Does the game and fish still offer that lottery hunt? There used to be some giants taken off that property.

They actually suspended the hunt in 2020 due to covid. They reopened the hunt in 2021, still under a quota hunt with the normal heavy restrictions. I anticipate the same for 2022. But you're right... There are some monsters there!

 

[vthokee]

Looks like VA passed the bill allowing Sunday hunting on public lands.

 

[163bc]

if so its long overdue

 

[vthokee]

if so its long overdue

Maybe now I’ll go back to my hometown and hunt since I was only getting one maybe two days out of a season. With Sundays I can get at least an extra half day before heading back to SC.

 

[chanson_roland]

I think the VA Sun hunting laws go effective mid-summer. I'm curious as to how this is going to change behavior on some public lands where there are mountain bikers/runners/etc on Sundays.

 

[doc holiday13]

I run my dog for squirrel and coon on public but its generally an all day affair because the closest public land is about 75-90 minutes of driving

 

[Wildbillvmi]

Hello all, signed up to the forum because of this thread. Recently moved back to VA. I want to hunt public land this year but not sure where to start. Has anyone hunted Goshen WMA with any success? I grew up fishing that area but never hunted there. Not looking for a trophy just want to get meat in the fridge. Thanks

 

[163bc]

Hello all, signed up to the forum because of this thread. Recently moved back to VA. I want to hunt public land this year but not sure where to start. Has anyone hunted Goshen WMA with any success? I grew up fishing that area but never hunted there. Not looking for a trophy just want to get meat in the fridge. Thanks

Welcome to the forum and welcome back to Va. That area of Va. has lots of public hunting land and good opportunities are there for those willing to put in the effort and time. Best of luck to you.

 

[Wildbillvmi]

Welcome to the forum and welcome back to Va. That area of Va. has lots of public hunting land and good opportunities are there for those willing to put in the effort and time. Best of luck to you.

Thanks, we drove up there to mess around in the river today. I saw a hunter access trail next to the wma. Next time I come up I'll hike that trail and see what it's like.