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Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 28,984 Likes: 26
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 28,984 Likes: 26 |
Only public for me these days. Private access in the Eastern Panhandle of WV and nearby VA is very hard to come by. There’s a double plot consisting of over 1300 acres I can get to in 20 minutes, and another of 22,000 in less than an hour. Not prime, but pretty woods good enough for an old fat man to wander around in, and I usually scratch down a deer or two and sometimes a turkey. Gotten kind of lazy in my old age, but have lost nearly 30lbs in the last three months, with more to come, so I’m hoping it will liven me up some. It’ll soon be time to start scouting for turkeys Outstanding! 30lbs is a great accomplishment. Not easy to do that. Being in the woods certainly clears the mind & focuses the priorities we each have Actually, it's been easier than I could have imagined. For about half that time, I’ve been unable to user my rower because I’ve strained a knee again (apparently a Spring tradition for me), so it’s all been about what I eat, and some about when. I stay full on the keto stuff, and have given up bread, pasta, chips, ice cream, and beer. Seldom get hungry, and my well-controlled BP is dropping into the 115 over 70ish range. One thing I’ve learned is that an old man will kill himself trying to lose weight by exercising alone; you gotta change your diet. Woulda done this years ago if I’d known how easy it is.
What fresh Hell is this?
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Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 14,006 Likes: 6
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 14,006 Likes: 6 |
Any of you fellas Public land hunters? I love public land because I can move around to different units if needed. I sorta treat the East like a collection of game units anyhow - smaller country than the West and it’s easy to bounce around every 4-5 days.
I’m sure this is a dumb question - most of us are. Yes. Only public land for me. Mostly the Moshannon SF in PA
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Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 4,283 Likes: 9
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 4,283 Likes: 9 |
Up on the Blue Ridge in VA. Got an old Navy buddy that grew up there and we did some hunting on his grandmother's farm which butted right up against public land. Some really big deer there on the public stuff.
You get out of life what you are willing to accept. If you ain't happy, do something about it!
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Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 2,625
Campfire Regular
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OP
Campfire Regular
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 2,625 |
Only public for me these days. Private access in the Eastern Panhandle of WV and nearby VA is very hard to come by. There’s a double plot consisting of over 1300 acres I can get to in 20 minutes, and another of 22,000 in less than an hour. Not prime, but pretty woods good enough for an old fat man to wander around in, and I usually scratch down a deer or two and sometimes a turkey. Gotten kind of lazy in my old age, but have lost nearly 30lbs in the last three months, with more to come, so I’m hoping it will liven me up some. It’ll soon be time to start scouting for turkeys Outstanding! 30lbs is a great accomplishment. Not easy to do that. Being in the woods certainly clears the mind & focuses the priorities we each have Actually, it's been easier than I could have imagined. For about half that time, I’ve been unable to user my rower because I’ve strained a knee again (apparently a Spring tradition for me), so it’s all been about what I eat, and some about when. I stay full on the keto stuff, and have given up bread, pasta, chips, ice cream, and beer. Seldom get hungry, and my well-controlled BP is dropping into the 115 over 70ish range. One thing I’ve learned is that an old man will kill himself trying to lose weight by exercising alone; you gotta change your diet. Woulda done this years ago if I’d known how easy it is. I gotta say - this is good advice that I could apply to myself. Diet is 90% and if I’ve got a vice it’s slow BBQ chicken & whiskey old fashions. Your BP numbers have got to be giving you a nice smile!
Last edited by PintsofCraft; 03/20/22.
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Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 2,625
Campfire Regular
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OP
Campfire Regular
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 2,625 |
Up on the Blue Ridge in VA. Got an old Navy buddy that grew up there and we did some hunting on his grandmother's farm which butted right up against public land. Some really big deer there on the public stuff. Mac, I’ve heard the same thing - doing some research into that area over the next few days. I enjoy dialing in my Fall travels then moving onto gardening season without needed to think much about the Fall hunt stuff until it arrives. Thanks for your post.
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Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 2,625
Campfire Regular
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OP
Campfire Regular
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 2,625 |
Any of you fellas Public land hunters? I love public land because I can move around to different units if needed. I sorta treat the East like a collection of game units anyhow - smaller country than the West and it’s easy to bounce around every 4-5 days.
I’m sure this is a dumb question - most of us are. Yes. Only public land for me. Mostly the Moshannon SF in PA MM, Are the deer numbers as good as they once were there? Never hunted that region but always had a desire to.
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Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 28,984 Likes: 26
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 28,984 Likes: 26 |
Only public for me these days. Private access in the Eastern Panhandle of WV and nearby VA is very hard to come by. There’s a double plot consisting of over 1300 acres I can get to in 20 minutes, and another of 22,000 in less than an hour. Not prime, but pretty woods good enough for an old fat man to wander around in, and I usually scratch down a deer or two and sometimes a turkey. Gotten kind of lazy in my old age, but have lost nearly 30lbs in the last three months, with more to come, so I’m hoping it will liven me up some. It’ll soon be time to start scouting for turkeys Outstanding! 30lbs is a great accomplishment. Not easy to do that. Being in the woods certainly clears the mind & focuses the priorities we each have Actually, it's been easier than I could have imagined. For about half that time, I’ve been unable to user my rower because I’ve strained a knee again (apparently a Spring tradition for me), so it’s all been about what I eat, and some about when. I stay full on the keto stuff, and have given up bread, pasta, chips, ice cream, and beer. Seldom get hungry, and my well-controlled BP is dropping into the 115 over 70ish range. One thing I’ve learned is that an old man will kill himself trying to lose weight by exercising alone; you gotta change your diet. Woulda done this years ago if I’d known how easy it is. I gotta say - this is good advice that I could apply to myself. Diet is 90% and if I’ve got a vice it’s slow BBQ chicken & whiskey old fashions. Your BP numbers have got to be giving you a nice smile! BP was never really bad, just bad enough to show traces of protein in my pee. Still, like smoking and sugar, it makes everything else worse. Hope to get off the little pill, maybe next month🤞🏻 Ditto on those big Blue Ridge deer. I’ve seen some whopper bodies on Skyline Drive, huge does too. My son lived near Front Royal for a while, and killed a boomer on the little plot he lived on; 172 dressed and 12 points. Saw some huge, long-legged does in fields nearby. Public land in that immediate area gets a lot of pressure though, so weekdays are best, or farther West.
What fresh Hell is this?
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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 13,674 Likes: 2
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 13,674 Likes: 2 |
Couple of states I'd like to try my luck, are KY for the first couple weeks of archery season to try to get a velvet antlered buck. I'd also like to try Alabama if I could catch some of that January/February rut action.
You've not mentioned, Indiana, but there is quite a bit of public land to in the S/SW part of the state to hunt. Some of the more interesting are some of the old strip mines. Some of these were shallow mined a long time ago, making them a series of steep, low ridges. If one has a small boat, canoe it could really open up some areas around the reservoirs or smaller rivers that flow through public land.
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Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 14,006 Likes: 6
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 14,006 Likes: 6 |
Any of you fellas Public land hunters? I love public land because I can move around to different units if needed. I sorta treat the East like a collection of game units anyhow - smaller country than the West and it’s easy to bounce around every 4-5 days.
I’m sure this is a dumb question - most of us are. Yes. Only public land for me. Mostly the Moshannon SF in PA MM, Are the deer numbers as good as they once were there? Never hunted that region but always had a desire to. No. They are there but the numbers are thin
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Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 2,625
Campfire Regular
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OP
Campfire Regular
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 2,625 |
Any of you fellas Public land hunters? I love public land because I can move around to different units if needed. I sorta treat the East like a collection of game units anyhow - smaller country than the West and it’s easy to bounce around every 4-5 days.
I’m sure this is a dumb question - most of us are. Yes. Only public land for me. Mostly the Moshannon SF in PA MM, Are the deer numbers as good as they once were there? Never hunted that region but always had a desire to. No. They are there but the numbers are thin I’ve heard that from a few folks that still run their hunting camps down there. Traditions in that neck of the woods run very deep it seems.
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Joined: Feb 2022
Posts: 261
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Feb 2022
Posts: 261 |
I hunt Pa public land a lillte farther east than MM but its the same here numbers are down But we still do well
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Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 2,250
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 2,250 |
My heart's in the mountains, my heart is not here. My heart's in the mountains, chasing the deer.
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 4,276
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 4,276 |
Man I’ve seen some huge bucks in Georgia on some YouTube videos Not trying to stir up any trouble, but I look at the Georgia outdoor news quite often and as far as I can see, there are some damn nice deer shot there and not just a few. Also, it appears their fishing is outstanding. I have never been there to check for myself!
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Joined: Mar 2022
Posts: 172 Likes: 1
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Mar 2022
Posts: 172 Likes: 1 |
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Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 2,625
Campfire Regular
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OP
Campfire Regular
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 2,625 |
I’ve hunted the Big Woods plenty - I track here in the Greens and am looking for something a little different than the norm. I gotta say that The Jackman area is very special.
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Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 996
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 996 |
Lots of land open to the public. Great country if looking for scenery and exercise but not so great if looking for deer.
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Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 2,250
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 2,250 |
Lots of land open to the public. Great country if looking for scenery and exercise but not so great if looking for deer. Agreed. Though, I've hunted northern Maine for over 40 years and shot enough mature bucks there to keep me coming back. Its the vastness of the big woods that holds the allure for me, not pulling the trigger. I have plenty of other places and opportunities to fill the freezer during the year, both back east and out west.
My heart's in the mountains, my heart is not here. My heart's in the mountains, chasing the deer.
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Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 2,264
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 2,264 |
For the state of TN, East TN has the best deer hunting. Lol Solid advice if trophy pigmy deer are what you seek
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Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 14,006 Likes: 6
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 14,006 Likes: 6 |
Any of you fellas Public land hunters? I love public land because I can move around to different units if needed. I sorta treat the East like a collection of game units anyhow - smaller country than the West and it’s easy to bounce around every 4-5 days.
I’m sure this is a dumb question - most of us are. Yes. Only public land for me. Mostly the Moshannon SF in PA MM, Are the deer numbers as good as they once were there? Never hunted that region but always had a desire to. No. They are there but the numbers are thin I’ve heard that from a few folks that still run their hunting camps down there. Traditions in that neck of the woods run very deep it seems. The northern PA hunting Camp scene is all about tradition. Many of them are still hopping mad that Rifle season opens on Saturday instead of Monday
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Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 28,984 Likes: 26
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 28,984 Likes: 26 |
What fresh Hell is this?
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