First GA deer hunt...what should I know?

[jimdickson]

Make sure you look out for Mollyhuggers...

I can't name my sources but was recently told they are expanding their range.. Originally they were just in middle Georgia - but with the lack of timber harvesting happening on govt. lands in the last 25 years (thanks dirty hippies!) the population has exploded. There's been tales of them as far north as Gilmer County and as far south as Ware County. Supposedly they will mainly stay up high in the big timber, but there are the occasional stories of someone going missing and never being recovered.. They usually just wipe it off the internet before it hits national news.

So yeah. Look out for Mollyhuggers.

 

[bfriendly]

Make sure you look out for Mollyhuggers...

I can't name my sources but was recently told they are expanding their range.. Originally they were just in middle Georgia - but with the lack of timber harvesting happening on govt. lands in the last 25 years (thanks dirty hippies!) the population has exploded. There's been tales of them as far north as Gilmer County and as far south as Ware County. Supposedly they will mainly stay up high in the big timber, but there are the occasional stories of someone going missing and never being recovered.. They usually just wipe it off the internet before it hits national news.

So yeah. Look out for Mollyhuggers.

 

[kmckinnie]

Make sure you look out for Mollyhuggers...

I can't name my sources but was recently told they are expanding their range.. Originally they were just in middle Georgia - but with the lack of timber harvesting happening on govt. lands in the last 25 years (thanks dirty hippies!) the population has exploded. There's been tales of them as far north as Gilmer County and as far south as Ware County. Supposedly they will mainly stay up high in the big timber, but there are the occasional stories of someone going missing and never being recovered.. They usually just wipe it off the internet before it hits national news.

So yeah. Look out for Mollyhuggers.

Mollyhugger what is that ?

 

[SemperFiDawg]

What advice would you give to someone exploring a WMA for the first time? What to avoid, what to watch out for, etc.

When gun season starts on the WMAs you have a couple of options:
1) Invest in a good set of full body armor with plates and a Kevlar helmet. Good medical kit with tourniquets, IV Fluids, and a couple of bags of Blood Cells for the ones that get through.
2) Don't invest and have a legal will and a good life insurance policy. (You're family will thank you)
3) Avoid them like the plague.

 

[gma1320]

When gun season starts on the WMAs you have a couple of options:
1) Invest in a good set of full body armor with plates and a Kevlar helmet. Good medical kit with tourniquets, IV Fluids, and a couple of bags of Blood Cells for the ones that get through.
2) Don't invest and have a legal will and a good life insurance policy. (You're family will thank you)
3) Avoid them like the plague.

I'm gonna have to say that I've hunted several pieces of public land over the years and the only time I've ever had an issue with people was at bf grant on a quota hunt and the last hunt I hunted at Paulding forest. Otherwise it is not that bad.

 

[gma1320]

Lot of good advice here @Lark Bunting. I recommend getting a paper copy and reading the regulations well. A lot can be missed trying to look at the online copy. Also thinking outside the box is good. And remember that outside the box is not alway walking as far from the truck as possible or crawling the nastiest jungle you can find to kill deer. Including the big ones. Good luck

 

[NCHillbilly]

When gun season starts on the WMAs you have a couple of options:
1) Invest in a good set of full body armor with plates and a Kevlar helmet. Good medical kit with tourniquets, IV Fluids, and a couple of bags of Blood Cells for the ones that get through.
2) Don't invest and have a legal will and a good life insurance policy. (You're family will thank you)
3) Avoid them like the plague.

I think you don't know how to hunt WMAs.

 

[Whitefeather]

Be where you want to hunt 2-3 hours before sunrise. Don’t be the guy that’s running late and plans to walk to your spot at daybreak. Your fellow hunters will not be happy if you do. Be considerate of others and they will be considerate to you and everyone will have a better hunt.

 

[NCHillbilly]

Food and funnels. Persimmons are good now, and acorns are starting to drop a little. Avoid anything that looks like a food plot like the plague. Ditto anywhere near parking areas. Burn some boot leather and find some little hidey-holes where nobody else goes.

 

[ucfireman]

All the folks talking about how bad WMAs are have either never hunted them or hunt them and are saying how bad they are to keep you away.

 

[SemperFiDawg]

I think you don't know how to hunt WMAs.

And you would be correct. I've been through some pretty harrowing scrapes in my life, but in not one of them was I as concerned for my life as the one time I hunted a WMA. I was glad to be able to make it back to my vehicle alive. I promised God if I lived to get to the vehicle I would never do it again. I've kept my word on that one, and there ain't a thing that's ever set a hoof on God's green earth that would make me reconsider it.

 

[Akerns]

Permethrin for ticks

Thermacell for everything else

 

[Raylander]

If you don’t know how. Learn to read a topo map. Scout heavily, review the topo map and all the pieces will fit together

 

[Blackston]

And you would be correct. I've been through some pretty harrowing scrapes in my life, but in not one of them was I as concerned for my life as the one time I hunted a WMA. I was glad to be able to make it back to my vehicle alive. I promised God if I lived to get to the vehicle I would never do it again. I've kept my word on that one, and there ain't a thing that's ever set a hoof on God's green earth that would make me reconsider it.

TELL US THE TALE

 

[connelmk192]

Make sure you look out for Mollyhuggers...

I can't name my sources but was recently told they are expanding their range.. Originally they were just in middle Georgia - but with the lack of timber harvesting happening on govt. lands in the last 25 years (thanks dirty hippies!) the population has exploded. There's been tales of them as far north as Gilmer County and as far south as Ware County. Supposedly they will mainly stay up high in the big timber, but there are the occasional stories of someone going missing and never being recovered.. They usually just wipe it off the internet before it hits national news.

So yeah. Look out for Mollyhuggers.

I never heard of a mollyhugger either. When I look it up all I am finding is the giant hellbender salamander. Is this another name for Sasquatch?

 

[HavocLover]

All the folks talking about how bad WMAs are have either never hunted them or hunt them and are saying how bad they are to keep you away.

THIS!!! It’s amazing how many folks will give input on something they know nothing about. The crowd, or lack there of, on a WMA or any public is NOTHING to worry about. I’ve been wearing out some public over the last few years and see little to no folks more times than not. Even drew for 3 quota hunts the last 3 consecutive years and hunted each and every day of said quota and while I feel like they stack folks in on those quotas,(just numbers alone. Acreage/hunters) I’ve still never felt like it was crowded and definitely never felt unsafe.

Just need to have 3-4 different back up plans with hunting public in case your first one is already a bust due to another Hunter being there.

Also, just as mentioned too, gotta weed through the sand baggers cause most aren’t gonna give you too much info and might bash a place online, that they know better about otherwise.

Got a question for the original poster, any chance you’re military? Just asking cause the move from CO to GA gave me that impression. If that’s the case, you have PLENTY of public at your fingertips.

 

[menhadenman]

2 miles from the road and 1 mile from a foot or horse trail is a recipe my buddy in Idaho swears by. Seems to work in north Ga. I rarely see another hunter.

 

[EDH]

And you would be correct. I've been through some pretty harrowing scrapes in my life, but in not one of them was I as concerned for my life as the one time I hunted a WMA. I was glad to be able to make it back to my vehicle alive. I promised God if I lived to get to the vehicle I would never do it again. I've kept my word on that one, and there ain't a thing that's ever set a hoof on God's green earth that would make me reconsider it.

Your experience is definitely the exception and not the norm. I love hunting public land. Especially in bow season when you can find places you’ll have all to yourself. Even better if you can break away during the week. I lease some property but can guarantee you I will hit the local wma and a special spot on ONF this year. Don’t let your 1st time fool you into what it’s really like or you’ll be missing out.

 

[NCHillbilly]

And you would be correct. I've been through some pretty harrowing scrapes in my life, but in not one of them was I as concerned for my life as the one time I hunted a WMA. I was glad to be able to make it back to my vehicle alive. I promised God if I lived to get to the vehicle I would never do it again. I've kept my word on that one, and there ain't a thing that's ever set a hoof on God's green earth that would make me reconsider it.

I've spend thousands of days hunting public land over the decades, have killed scads of deer on it, had lots of good times and made many good memories; and in 55 years, I have never so far encountered a situation remotely resembling that such as you describe.

 

[NCHillbilly]

I never heard of a mollyhugger either. When I look it up all I am finding is the giant hellbender salamander. Is this another name for Sasquatch?

On the SC side of the river, they call them Huggumollas. They stay up in the tops of the big old pines in the daytime, and come down after dark. Them tentacles don't play.