What did you do mountain related today?

[Whit90]

Keep at it @NCHillbilly
Thanks for the info.

 

[northgeorgiasportsman]

Anyone else been deer hunting in the mountains?

What's the report?

Are they starting to chase? Are there still acorns around for them? If not, what food sources are they targeting.

My hunting time has been minimal this year due to our first son, which I am so thankful for. Ive got a hunt planed in middle GA Dec17-19,, but Id like to get up in the mountains a couple times before the season is over.

Yes, they are chasing. Yes, there are plenty of acorns on the ground. Most of them are buried beneath 4-6 inches of dry leaves, though there were several red oaks that are still actively dropping.

We hiked 2 miles in and camped last week in the CNF at around 3500ft. Saw scattered feeding sign and a few fresh scrapes but saw no fresh rubs.

Came out and decided to hunt lower. Spent Saturday around 2700ft and there was plenty of buck sign. Acorns everywhere so feeding sign was scattered. It wasn't like finding a hot tree. They've just been grazing as they travel.

Had some chasing all around me on Saturday, but it was a spike dogging a poor doe till she was stumbling.

Helped a guy drag one out yesterday. He said it came to his rattling.

 

[Whit90]

Yes, they are chasing. Yes, there are plenty of acorns on the ground. Most of them are buried beneath 4-6 inches of dry leaves, though there were several red oaks that are still actively dropping.

We hiked 2 miles in and camped last week in the CNF at around 3500ft. Saw scattered feeding sign and a few fresh scrapes but saw no fresh rubs.

Came out and decided to hunt lower. Spent Saturday around 2700ft and there was plenty of buck sign. Acorns everywhere so feeding sign was scattered. It wasn't like finding a hot tree. They've just been grazing as they travel.

Had some chasing all around me on Saturday, but it was a spike dogging a poor doe till she was stumbling.

Helped a guy drag one out yesterday. He said it came to his rattling.

Good deal. Any time you get to hike in two miles and camp its a good time. Thanks for the info.

 

[northgeorgiasportsman]

Good deal. Any time you get to hike in two miles and camp its a good time. Thanks for the info.

It was a cold time, I'll tell you that much. Upper teens every morning.

 

[Whit90]

It was a cold time, I'll tell you that much. Upper teens every morning.

Yea that's a little chilly!

 

[splatek]

Yeah I was at about 2500(ish)

 

[Top of Georgia]

Any you mountain hunters flushing any grouse

 

[northgeorgiasportsman]

Any you mountain hunters flushing any grouse

Didn't see any, but did find some scratching up around 3700ft. Heard one drumming Saturday mid-day down around 2300ft.

 

[NCHillbilly]

Any you mountain hunters flushing any grouse

Very, very few.

 

[ddd-shooter]

Any you mountain hunters flushing any grouse

I've got one area where I see one or maybe two. Not nearly like there used to be when we didn't have many left, lol

 

[ddd-shooter]

Had some good encounters with bucks, seen several on roadsides. It's just getting prime time up here. I'll say scraping activity has practically went away where I've been, so I'd imagine they're on their first few hot does.
Bears are few and far between, but did manage to get one two weeks ago.

 

[Professor]

Anyone else been deer hunting in the mountains?

What's the report?

Are they starting to chase? Are there still acorns around for them? If not, what food sources are they targeting.

My hunting time has been minimal this year due to our first son, which I am so thankful for. Ive got a hunt planed in middle GA Dec17-19,, but Id like to get up in the mountains a couple times before the season is over.

Whit, in two days I saw none. I bumped one in the dark. I found good feeding sign on red oaks at 2500 feet. The same place I bumped one. I found two small scrapes and no rubs. My interpretation is that the local does were not yet in heat. They should be seeking/trailing about now and on the verge of some Olympic style chasing later in the week.

 

[chrislibby88]

Snuck out early this am to hit a spot on Nat'l Forest. It was about a mile walk in, mostly downhill to get to my spot. I had scouted this area in Spring, but hadn't been back since.

I got to the area I wanted to hunt about 45 minutes prior to first light, setup my treestand, and thought, "Dang! I forgot my pack frame and game bags!" "It's ok" I said to myself, not expecting to see anything with a nagging cough from the bronchitis the little one decided to catch and spread through the house.

About 15 minutes after legal shooting light a small bodied forkhorn walked down the finger ridge, just the I had hoped. I setup on the backside of the mountain and the wind was hitting me diagonally in the face, then sinking down a small drainage into what I can only imagine was a small cool creek. I ended up seeing three more deer, all does, alone, going in different directions. Then I saw a buck up on the ridge, but I couldn't make out if it had 4 points on one side or 15 inch spread. It disappeared over the ridge. Then about 90 minutes after first shooting light I saw a buck, counted 8 tines. This was a legal buck. He was moving fast and forced me to my weak, right side eye. He was far, about 100 yards. I waited about twenty minutes, but now he wasn't moving. I decided it was time. Put the crosshairs on him and then he stepped behind a big tree. I waited. He stepped out, and bang - I let a 30/06 round go. No bow today. It appeared he dropped right there, but I could not find him. I used maximum magnification on my scope (no binoculars) and I could not find him. I saw him fall so i knew I didn't miss. I waited. As I approached a big bodied doe trotted off so i think maybe he was scent checking her in her bed.

About 20-30 minutes passed I stood up to look again through my rifle scope. Nothing. I realized that the wind had changed and would force me to change locations anyhow, so I walked over and had a look. Nothing. Then a tine appeared. He had dropped, slid down the slope and was completely buried in dried leaves.

There are bigger deer in them hills, but this is my biggest deer to date.

View attachment 1119521

I thought I smelled something:

View attachment 1119522

No pack, I remembered. I drug him that mile back to the truck. It was mostly uphill, the only downhill spots were covered up with laurel, blow downs, and/or briar thickets. Talk about being whooped when you get to the truck!

Good day in the woods. I hope y'all had the same good luck!

Man that’s good stuff! Congrats on a good season man. If you need more bucks come hit these WMA bonus hunts.

 

[JonathanG2013]

Not today, but on Sunday my 8 year old son and I went horse back riding in the Chattahoochee National Forrest in Blairsville.

 

[Whit90]

Not today, but on Sunday my 8 year old son and I went horse back riding in the Chattahoochee National Forrest in Blairsville.

You guys see any deer, hogs, grouse, or bears?

 

[Professor]

You guys see any deer, hogs, grouse, or bears?

I saw turkeys. Nothing else. I did see a lot of fresh hog sign.

 

[JonathanG2013]

You guys see any deer, hogs, grouse, or bears?

Whit we saw 5 doe deer.

 

[splatek]

Horse back would be fun through them hills.

 

[splatek]

Man that’s good stuff! Congrats on a good season man. If you need more bucks come hit these WMA bonus hunts.

"If you need more bucks...."
Haha. Maybe not a need, but a want. I am going to try and hit one of them hunts

 

[Whit90]

I saw turkeys. Nothing else. I did see a lot of fresh hog sign.

Send coordinates please.