mountain deer hunting

• Aug 6, 2017

• #1

amoore28

Senior Member

Hey guys, im not asking for anybodys honey hole. I was just wondering if anyone had any tips for hunting at blue ridge wma for deer or bear. Im just a south georgia plow boy and dont have much experience in the mountain hunting. I would like to go up this fall for one of their deer/bear hunts, All of my fathers family is western North Carolina in Buncombe county. Trying to get back to my mountain roots. Any help would be great.
Thanks

 

• Aug 6, 2017

• #2

tree cutter 08

Senior Member

Never been on blue ridge but hunt close enough to it. For bear I would plan for a bow hunt in archery season. Lots of info in the bear hunting section for finding sign and how to hunt. For deer I would plan for a November or December hunt. Bucks will be up on there feet good then and making tracks. Learn to read some topo maps, look for flats, saddles, benches, ridges and pick a few places to check out. You want to try to narrow down where to find a deer because lots of places are deerless for weeks and months at a time. Find the sign and you will find the deer. Finding it is the tough part sometimes.

 

• Aug 8, 2017

• #3

ripplerider

Senior Member

I hunt Blue Ridge every year. I killed the first buck I ever had mounted there on a muzzleloader hunt back when it was in late November. The M.L. hunt coincides with the statewide M.L. hunt now for some reason but that hunt would be a good chance for a bear. As far as hunting tactics goes stay off the valley floor. Pick a high ridge that connects to several other and climb it. Dress lightly and carry extra clothes in a daypack. Leave your stand at home at least for your first trip up till you know more about the area. Study topo maps of the areas your interested in. Good luck. Feel free to P.M. me for more detailed info. And kill every dad-blamed hog you see please!

 

• Aug 8, 2017

• #4

amoore28

Senior Member

Ill surely kill all the hogs. We have killed 53 on my farm in south georgia since febuary. I hate hogs. Im really excited about getting to go up there. Thanks for the advice

 

• Aug 8, 2017

• #5

PappyHoel

Senior Member

Rut is 2nd week in December. Bears will be hard to find in lower elevations like blueridge after the last part of October. You might luck up on one but definitely become scarce around then. Stay away when the surrounding National Forest has their one Doe Day. Every person in the surrounding counties will be there trying to kill the last remaining Doe in Lumpkin fannin and union counties.

 

• Aug 8, 2017

• #6

amoore28

Senior Member

how crowded does blue ridge get on their october check in hunt normally

 

• Aug 8, 2017

• #7

dixiecutter

Eye Devour ReeB

saddles and benches.

 

• Aug 11, 2017

• #8

ripplerider

Senior Member

PappyHoel said:

Rut is 2nd week in December. Bears will be hard to find in lower elevations like blueridge after the last part of October. You might luck up on one but definitely become scarce around then. Stay away when the surrounding National Forest has their one Doe Day. Every person in the surrounding counties will be there trying to kill the last remaining Doe in Lumpkin fannin and union counties.

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I think youre referring to the town of Blue Ridge not the WMA. Parts of the WMA are 4000' high. I have killed a bear there Thanksgiving though earlier is usually better for bears. Blue Ridge WMA is not crowded at all. Spend some time with a topo map before you drive up there.

 

• Aug 15, 2017

• #9

amoore28

Senior Member

ripplerider said:

I think youre referring to the town of Blue Ridge not the WMA. Parts of the WMA are 4000' high. I have killed a bear there Thanksgiving though earlier is usually better for bears. Blue Ridge WMA is not crowded at all. Spend some time with a topo map before you drive up there.

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Thanks man, I will do that. im really looking foward to it.

 

• Aug 15, 2017

• #10

K

kingfish

Senior Member

Make sure you post pics and tell the story when you are successful. Living in Florida, not much mountain where I like to hunt. I thoroughly enjoy the mountain buck success stories and pics of the terrain. Good luck to you.

 

• Aug 15, 2017

• #11

jigman29

Senior Member

Best advice I can give is to hunt early season and find a food source and stick on it. If you get lucky to fins a dependable early season food source such as a white oak dropping or the like the bears aren't hard to pattern. They are still bears so success isn't a sure thing at all.