I live in SOWEGA, a long way from the mountains, but I enjoy reading the bear hunting thread. With so much information available, and so many folks interested in bear hunting are the mountains getting crowded? I know the terrain and a hunter's ability to walk/climb farther and higher would provide separation, but with a limited number of access points, trails, ridges, etc. is it possible to hunt w/o seeing other hunters?
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MOUNTAINS CROWDED?
- Thread starter oldguy
- Start date
gobbleinwoods
Keeper of the Magic Word
Yes.
1eyefishing
...just joking, seriously.
8 or 10 years ago, I found a graded roadbed (grown over) that runs at least two and a half miles along and up a long lead into the wilderness. It is situated very close to a popular hiking trail and a nearby camping area.
I didn't hunt there again till this past season. It was my main point of entry during most of my hunting this year and I was sure I would see people using but never saw a soul! In my limited hunting in other spots in the area, never saw anybody in the woods. Only once did I have a place in mind to hunt and when I drove there, found another truck parked there.
I would have to say to any other novice bear hunters out there that preseason scouting is invaluable. And lots of it. You need to find places park, to hunt, and to camp or lodge. Just like other public hunting areas, you can never tell when you scouted a place out if you come back to hunt there will there be somebody else parked there. You need to have options...
Most places just alongside the road are either straight up or straight down.
All this makes for a process that can be undertaken year round. Come join the fun!
I didn't hunt there again till this past season. It was my main point of entry during most of my hunting this year and I was sure I would see people using but never saw a soul! In my limited hunting in other spots in the area, never saw anybody in the woods. Only once did I have a place in mind to hunt and when I drove there, found another truck parked there.
I would have to say to any other novice bear hunters out there that preseason scouting is invaluable. And lots of it. You need to find places park, to hunt, and to camp or lodge. Just like other public hunting areas, you can never tell when you scouted a place out if you come back to hunt there will there be somebody else parked there. You need to have options...
Most places just alongside the road are either straight up or straight down.
All this makes for a process that can be undertaken year round. Come join the fun!
Rabun
Senior Member
I did not encounter another hunter while in the woods all season. The WMA managed hunts can get busy,, but the CNF has plenty of land with little pressure which is where I spend my time. Small game and fur bearer is still open if want to come up and explore. Be in shape is my primary advice.
jbogg
Senior Member
When I started hunting NF in the mountains a couple of years ago I had the same concerns. You can hike a couple of miles in to insure you are off of the beaten path, but in all likelihood you don’t have to go that far in, and you still have to account for getting the deer/bear/hog out of the woods if you are successful. I never run in to other hunters unless I am on a WMA hunt. It’s hard work, but very rewarding. Like others have said, scouting is key.
Timberman
Senior Member
I had one spot that another hunter would be there on occasion. Simple enough I would hit another place I knew or go scout/hunt an area I’d been thinking might be good to add to the list. If I was dead set on hunting that spot I just made sure to get there early.
FMBear
Senior Member
I only hunt for bear during the archery season. I can tell you in my 9 years of pursuing bear with a bow, I've never come across another hunter on the WMAs I frequent.
Most of my spots are 1 to 1.5 miles up and in.
Most of my spots are 1 to 1.5 miles up and in.
The mtn man
Senior Member
Some of the wmas can be busy during a check in hunt, otherwise no. 25 years ago, there were lots of hunters in the mountains. Now I might see one hunter occasionally parked somewhere, that's about it. Most locals don't really care for bear hunting. With the deer numbers as low as they are now, most don't bother hunting the mountains if they have limited time off from work, most have a lease further south.
strothershwacker
Senior Member
When the mtns get crowded. I'm gonna jump off the bluff!
Joe Brandon
Senior Member
I hunt during the week. The only people I have ever run into are friends that I have planned on meeting that day. Not crowded and tons of land. Come on up and hunt!!! Its beautiful and you will at least leave with some story's and some lessons learned.
I am from central georgia and would just love to come up to the mountains to squirrel hunt. I have a feist squirrel dog and we kill plenty down here in the center of the state. During the spring and summer months, the wife and I go camping around the Vogel Park area and every time we go up that way, I mention to her that I sure would like to go squirrel hunting up that way some winter but would have no idea where to go. I am 72 years old but a very young 72, I hunt with friends and cousins that are a lot younger than me. So, I can hang with the best of them. Can someone who hunts a lot in the mountains give me some idea of where to go. Be as specific as you can because I know nothing about the mountain roads other than the major highways leading to towns and park areas, Any advice will be greatly appreciated. Sure don't want to get off on someone's private land. HAPPY NEW YEAR and, thank you
Bearhunter06
Member
If you want to get a bear join a club near the Okefenokee good bear hunt
in
chrislibby88
Senior Member
Ive seen a handful of other trucks and hunters on northern WMAs, but most hit the easy access food plots. I rarely see folks over 100 yards off the open access roads. Theres a lot more acerage up north than down south. I’m from middle GA, and a few other hunters is nothing compared to the hundreds of hunters I bump into or see on my local WMAs.
strothershwacker
Senior Member
A lot of land doesn't equal a lot of animals. There's a reason it's not crowded. Hiking 3 or 4 miles and getting excited because you found a rub cuts way down on the crowds.
Buckman18
Senior Member
Killing the buck that made the rub 3 or 4 miles in there and needing help getting it out really cuts down on your number of friends!
chrislibby88
Senior Member
I know this first hand. I like the hard huting, keeps the lazy dudes at home. My point with the land is if you put 100 hunters on a 10000 acre mid state WMA you’re gonna bump into 20 of them in one morning. You could put the same number of hunters on a 30000 acre north GA WMA and you aren’t gonna see a soul except on the access road.
