Moving back to atlanta

[ppdaazn]

This. ^ If you're willing to put in the boot leather time you can make Dawson pay for you.

I think McGraw Ford isn't too far? I might be confusing the name. The Corp does by permit hunts at Allatona and Lanier but it can be hard to get selected. Berry College supposed is overpopulated with deer, does quota hunts and might be open access for periods during archery. My understanding it's lots of little or skinnny deer? The many mouths to feed vs. available resources doesn't necessarily support many deer with mass.

Wilson Shoals has some open time as well, and a few pockets of land that one can have a shot at filling a tag with at least a doe. It's hit hard though.

There are pockets of woods in people's backyards. I have in-law's that put out corn in the ditch behind their house and their son shoots one or two each year from a stand at the top of the ditch each year. He could do it just as easily from the deck. It's not really hunting, it's more baiting in urban deer and killing a few to fill the freezer but it does fill the freezer.

I live the Atlanta 'burbs and it's hard to find anything good and easy access within an hour. I drive 2 hrs to my hunting club south of McDonough, and I have hit places out near Elberton on weekender's to a yurt camp with my wife, and I've taking a liking to the quota hunts at Clybel. It's about 1 1/2 hrs. I do prefer my hunting excursions to be leave Friday evening, maybe in time for a sit, hunt Saturday, maybe Sunday morning, then go home. The traffic is too bad to sit through for just a single evening sit then go home for the evening. I love the camp at our club simply for the logistics of staying at the property longer.

It is hard to have an easy hunting option living in Atlanta. Best of luck to you and welcome back.

Clybel has good deer hunting? Ive never been there but gonna try a couple of weekends to cover some distant there and dawson forest this summer

 

[Waddams]

Clybel has good deer hunting? Ive never been there but gonna try a couple of weekends to cover some distant there and dawson forest this summer

From what I can tell, Clybel is slow in archery season. I'm not sure if it's tough hunting in early season or just it's hot so not a lot of people in there, but the quota hunts can be quite active if the weather is right for it. Myself, I'm not a good archery hunter but I've had shot opportunities in September a few times (I keep missing) at doe's. I've been to the 2nd quota hunt 3 times. Got a doe once. The time I got one, the weather was chilly, deer were moving well. The skinning station in camp was busy all weekend. Several guys brought back nice bucks.

The other 2 times, it got hot up into the 70's. I had a quasi shot at a buck once, but he wouldn't step out from behind trees covering his vitals. If I were more confident at the time, his head and neck were sticking out enough for a neck shot and it was only 60-70 yards. It'd be a shot I'd make on a paper target every time but especially then (I was a very new hunter), with my pulse pounding, I couldn't get the crosshairs steady enough and chose to try to wait for him to step out more. Which he did not! The other hunt, I was so fried from a very stressful period at work that I didn't even hunt half the mornings or evenings. I slept in, enjoyed some time by the lakes and in the camp, and just hanging out with some hunting buddies. Obviously didn't kill one that trip, but I needed the downtime very badly, I look back on that one as the best quota hunt overall simply because of the escape from reality it gave me at that time!

The rangers there will tell you that Clybel has an absurdly high deer density (they've told me 50 to as many as 75 deer per sq mile). It's surrounded by agriculture and it's got a very good mix of habitat and thick stuff for cover. There are a few hogs, used to be more, but the rangers have reduced them a lot with a trapping program.

 

[lampern]

There are deer inside the city limits of Atlanta

I have seen them along Peachtree Creek and the neighborhoods there so I assume they are now everywhere north of I-85 inside the city all the way out to the suburbs

 

[Doc_Holliday23]

I've thought about taking this approach too. My issue with it is I enjoy the escape from MetroATL too much to make archery hunting urban pockets my preferred way to hunt. Hunting and the camp at our lease gives me a place to get away from the city and I think I enjoy that as much as hunting itself!

Like another poster, I can get up early and get on the road, then be at the lease early before traffic is bad (most of the time). That's how I usually do it actually. It isn't as convenient admittedly but it is worth it!

Exactly. Killing a deer is somewhere down the list of things I want in my hunting experience.

 

[transfixer]

There are deer inside the city limits of Atlanta

I have seen them along Peachtree Creek and the neighborhoods there so I assume they are now everywhere north of I-85 inside the city all the way out to the suburbs

Anywhere you have a section of woods, even a 1/4 acre that no one walks through there will be deer, we've built so many houses, businesses and parking lots the deer have no choice !

People get houses built in wooded areas and then complain because the deer eat their expensive landscaping ,, but yet think its terrible for someone to kill them , I think it serves the people right ,,, pretty stupid to spend money on landscaping in an animals backyard

 

[ppdaazn]

From what I can tell, Clybel is slow in archery season. I'm not sure if it's tough hunting in early season or just it's hot so not a lot of people in there, but the quota hunts can be quite active if the weather is right for it. Myself, I'm not a good archery hunter but I've had shot opportunities in September a few times (I keep missing) at doe's. I've been to the 2nd quota hunt 3 times. Got a doe once. The time I got one, the weather was chilly, deer were moving well. The skinning station in camp was busy all weekend. Several guys brought back nice bucks.

The other 2 times, it got hot up into the 70's. I had a quasi shot at a buck once, but he wouldn't step out from behind trees covering his vitals. If I were more confident at the time, his head and neck were sticking out enough for a neck shot and it was only 60-70 yards. It'd be a shot I'd make on a paper target every time but especially then (I was a very new hunter), with my pulse pounding, I couldn't get the crosshairs steady enough and chose to try to wait for him to step out more. Which he did not! The other hunt, I was so fried from a very stressful period at work that I didn't even hunt half the mornings or evenings. I slept in, enjoyed some time by the lakes and in the camp, and just hanging out with some hunting buddies. Obviously didn't kill one that trip, but I needed the downtime very badly, I look back on that one as the best quota hunt overall simply because of the escape from reality it gave me at that time!

The rangers there will tell you that Clybel has an absurdly high deer density (they've told me 50 to as many as 75 deer per sq mile). It's surrounded by agriculture and it's got a very good mix of habitat and thick stuff for cover. There are a few hogs, used to be more, but the rangers have reduced them a lot with a trapping program.

Suppose i can check out the area this summer and chat up some rangers there. Maybe they can point me to the right direction to scout it out

 

[Gbr5pb]

Used to kill a deer or 2 every year at DF on the archery hunt! Had too many people walk by and want to talk no matter where I went on the gun hunts

 

[specialk]

There are deer inside the city limits of Atlanta

I have seen them along Peachtree Creek and the neighborhoods there so I assume they are now everywhere north of I-85 inside the city all the way out to the suburbs

''Seek one'' and ye shall find.....lol....

 

[Jim Boyd]

This thread could go off the rails in a hurry….

 

[Blackston]

This thread could go off the rails in a hurry….

I been waiting on it

 

[Waddams]

Suppose i can check out the area this summer and chat up some rangers there. Maybe they can point me to the right direction to scout it out

I love the property. Took me to my 3rd quota hunt to kill a deer. I also did several other scouting trips. Like anywhere else, it takes some boot leather burning to get familiar with the place. I see deer in a few select spots Ive discovered now everytime though. Next step is now turn that into a decent buck kill.

No offense, I'll keep that knowledge to myself. It's worth more to figure it by one's self. Makes the successes so much sweeter!

 

[livinoutdoors]

You are gon have to drive. End of story. Aint nobody in Atlanta gon let you hunt their woodlot unless you get extremely lucky somehow. Go to Dawson forest.

 

[Professor]

If you’re looking for public land consider the national forest outside the WMAs. The hunts on the WMAs are very short. NF is open all season.

 

[elfiii]

There are deer inside the city limits of Atlanta

You mean like him?