Archery Hunts on WMA’s

[Fletch_W]

I think it’s garbage that they only open gates for deer hunters. .

I was told this was to keep the mud boggers out, and that mud boggers are only really a problem during small game season, as it were.

 

[chrisn1818]

I was told this was to keep the mud boggers out, and that mud boggers are only really a problem during small game season, as it were.

Oh Lord!!!!

Those mud bogging rabbit and squirrel hunters ?

I know that the off roaders are the problem with leaving the gates open but they do the same thing at night during the deer hunts on our local WMA’s. I guess they will never be able to make us all happy. It’s ok my big butt can use the walking anyways ??

 

[Bowhunter0829]

Deer season is plenty long enough. If you haven't had enough time to kill some deer by now you need a new hobby. Zones in wma's are a terrible idea. Why not just swap over to hunting pigs with your bow until small game is out?

Well small game is plenty long enough to if you want to make that argument.... august-February. Small game dates compared to bow hunting dates for reference... looks like plenty of time to small game hunt

 

[Bowhunter0829]

Hunting only public is your choice. You can deer hunt on 5 acres or less and be successful. I'd wager the average hunter in ga drives an hour or more to deer hunt. I don't know where you live but there are archery only public land spots open all year near me. Plus you can apply for quotas and hunt the gun hunts with your bow if you choose.

your statement of hunting public is your choice is **. Not all guys can afford private or gain access to private. So your comment is absolutely invalid

 

[Bowhunter0829]

I was told this was to keep the mud boggers out, and that mud boggers are only really a problem during small game season, as it were.

This is also false, have you seen the mud ruts during turkey season?

 

[Long Cut]

Oh Lord!!!!

Those mud bogging rabbit and squirrel hunters ?

I know that the off roaders are the problem with leaving the gates open but they do the same thing at night during the deer hunts on our local WMA’s. I guess they will never be able to make us all happy. It’s ok my big butt can use the walking anyways ??

That’s because small game seasons are open significantly longer than deer seasons. More time for roads to get torn up, it can happen during deer or squirrel season. But an August through February season is a lot of time for things to happen.

 

[Long Cut]

your statement of hunting public is your choice is **. Not all guys can afford private or gain access to private. So your comment is absolutely invalid

Dudes just trolling and ignorant. When his leases get bought out and permission land sold, he’ll be on here whining.

Some folks don’t realize hunting private land is a privilege, not a right. Land is not cheap.

 

[Dbender]

I may be ignorant but I'm not a troll. You do realize there is a search feature on here right?

 

[Long Cut]

I may be ignorant but I'm not a troll. You do realize there is a search feature on here right?

See how that post is from September 2020.

Hear me out, maybe I hunted nothing but public land up until 2 years ago? I couldn’t afford leases, had no family land and only private land I could hunt was through invite only- which was 1-2x per year.

That 1 suburban tract was permission granted through a client of mine, which I began hunting in 2019.

Aside from that, I’ve cut my teeth on every Region 4,5 &6 WMA I could find the time to drive out to.

To date, I only have access to a combined total of 167 acres of private ground to hunt. That’s split amongst 3 tracts. That’s not a lot of land, so yes I still rely heavily on public land to hunt and not overhung the places I worked so hard to get.

 

[trad bow]

Let’s try to get back on track. The discussion has led to several issues that go into setting seasons and whether overlapping seasons are a problem or not. There are some valid points made by bow hunters and small game hunters alike. The issue is one I hope between us hunters and DNR we could find a solution but allowing additional days for harvesting deer off of WMA’s for bow hunting will probably reduce the days for other types of deer hunting. There is a limited supply of animals available.

 

[strothershwacker]

I bow hunt a couple of WMA'S in areas where guys are running beagles sometimes. I love hearing the dogs run. If your set up in the right spot you'll be glad them rabbit hunters pushed that buck out of his bed. One of my biggest 8 pointers was pushed out by dogs. Why fight a man over something neither one of you own?

 

[Dennis]

I'm usually sitting in a tree and here the dogs and wishing I was rabbit hunting. Them dogs sure sound like there having fun

 

[Long Cut]

Let’s try to get back on track. The discussion has led to several issues that go into setting seasons and whether overlapping seasons are a problem or not. There are some valid points made by bow hunters and small game hunters alike. The issue is one I hope between us hunters and DNR we could find a solution but allowing additional days for harvesting deer off of WMA’s for bow hunting will probably reduce the days for other types of deer hunting. There is a limited supply of animals available.

I don’t see why bowhunters and small game hunters alike could no coexist in peace where the deer herds can support the extended hunting dates. Without reducing the small game hunting dates any.

 

[TurkeyH90]

Actually it is on Flat Creek. I was there before the jackleg that wanted to fight with me. I would NOT have hunted in there had he been there first. Imagi e you feed dogs for 12 months then have 2 1/2 months it might be cold enough to run them IF it aint deer season on a WMA. Cause private land to run a dog is rare. Guess why?

Deer season on private land is plenty long, but for some hunting public land is all we got.

I deer hunted public land for 8 years straight, where I live there’s 2 WMA’s within 30 minutes, but they’re both only open for 2-4 weeks for the ENTIRE season.

After that I’d have to drive 1-1.5 hours each way to hunt other tracts that are open for longer durations.

Imagine the only place you can legally hunt is a 2-3 hour round trip drive away. When there’s thousands of acres of public land half the distance away.

Deer season for public land bow hunters isn’t September to January. Don’t kid yourself.

 

[Dbender]

I don’t see why bowhunters and small game hunters alike could no coexist in peace where the deer herds can support the extended hunting dates. Without reducing the small game hunting dates any.

Really! You can't see where a conflict may arise?
You can't even consider an opposing opinion on the computer without resorting to name calling.
I can temper my response on the computer. Face to face, my personality wouldn't allow me to be so civil.
Sadly, small game hunting is slowly being phased out. Internet experts who spend way to much time watching online hunting videos, and adopting others uninformed opinions as their own, instead of actually getting outside and spending a little time in the woods is the number one source of the problem.

 

[Long Cut]

Really! You can't see where a conflict may arise?
You can't even consider an opposing opinion on the computer without resorting to name calling.
I can temper my response on the computer. Face to face, my personality wouldn't allow me to be so civil.
Sadly, small game hunting is slowly being phased out. Internet experts who spend way to much time watching online hunting videos, and adopting others uninformed opinions as their own, instead of actually getting outside and spending a little time in the woods is the number one source of the problem.

Buddy I got better things to do on Christmas Eve,
Merry Christmas.

 

[Long Cut]

Actually it is on Flat Creek. I was there before the jackleg that wanted to fight with me. I would NOT have hunted in there had he been there first. Imagi e you feed dogs for 12 months then have 2 1/2 months it might be cold enough to run them IF it aint deer season on a WMA. Cause private land to run a dog is rare. Guess why?

Same goes for you.
Spend time with your family.
Merry Christmas.

 

[sportsman94]

Actually it is on Flat Creek. I was there before the jackleg that wanted to fight with me. I would NOT have hunted in there had he been there first. Imagi e you feed dogs for 12 months then have 2 1/2 months it might be cold enough to run them IF it aint deer season on a WMA. Cause private land to run a dog is rare. Guess why?

next time you’re going to run dogs at flat creek during deer season let me know! I want to be set up so some deer get pushed to me!

 

[Hillbilly stalker]

I made a post regarding the limited bow hunting dates on larger WMA’s (Chickesawhatchee, Cedar Creek, etc..) and was encouraged to post here to get small game hunters opinions regarding extending archery hunts on WMA’s.

I’m curious if there would be any contest to open bow hunts for longer durations on tracts of lands that can support the deer harvest.

In no way am I advocating to reduce or take away small game hunting dates on any WMA. Like most other hunters, I’d like to see hunters provided as many opportunities as possible.

I believe there will always be a conflict with those 2 types of hunting when held concurrently, and here is why. Bow hunting is 99.9% stationary. Small game hunting, with or without dogs is more mobile and accompanied by shooting firearms and possibly barking or treeing dogs. It’s normal for me to make a 4 mile loop or circle and shoot a .22 rifle or a shotgun maybe a dozen times or more. Or for there to be 3-4 hunters together laughing talking and having a good time. There’s very few if any bow hunters who would understand or like that. You get there an hour before daylight, hike way in there to hunt some sign you had previously scouted out, climb a tree...and an hour later I come by with a dog and shoot every ten minutes, your not gonna like it. Nobodies fault, but not an ideal situation. If I see your truck parked somewhere I don’t know if your small game hunting, bow hunting, hiking or scouting. Even if I drive to the next spot, I don’t know where your headed, but considering the ground we’ve both covered there is a good chance our paths may cross, or my shooting or treeing dog influences your hunt. I don’t want to ruin your hunt for you....but I’m gonna hunt. I bow hunt and small game hunt both. I usually deer hunt until the leaves fall, the temperature drops, the wobbles leave and the snakes go under. Then I’m almost strictly small game unless I take someone else deer hunting. I try my best to avoid other hunters and be courteous when we meet, but that’s a hard one to figure out.

 

[across the river]

Dudes just trolling and ignorant. When his leases get bought out and permission land sold, he’ll be on here whining.

Some folks don’t realize hunting private land is a privilege, not a right. Land is not cheap.

You've got it backwards. Private property rights are granted by the constitution. If someone works hard, builds a business, saves money, invests, etc.... to aquire land that isn't a privilege. Paying a few bucks to have access to thousands of acres of land that is available because it is largely being subsidized by other people who don't hunt that property is a privilege. The guy hunting private not only paid for the "right" to hunt his own place, but has also contributed fees and tax money to give you the privilege to hunt the pubic land.