Military Bases

Gunner46

Gunner46

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Dec 6, 2003
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Location
Frigid Ohio
I have spent a good bit of time hunting on military bases, here in the SE, but have not heard any mention of fellow HT members doing so in western states. Are any of you aware of hunting opportunities on the other side of the Mississippi ? It's usually just a matter of passing a safety course and arranging permission to access the base (a sponsor). We retired vets usually don't have that last requirement. :D
 
On Carson here is what you have to do: 1st, attend range safety and info briefing (given once a month) and get range card; 2nd, put in for(and pay) the CO draw for the species you want to hunt in the GMU (591 I believe) except for the OTC WT doe tags available this year; IF drawn then you must attend the Carson safety/hunter info course and pay for your Carson hunting license (in addition to the state fees) THEN you can hunt as the ranges are available. Tried it my first year out here and won't do it again probably.
 
since 9/11 hunting bases has been made ridiculous so I don't even bother anymore
 
Hunting Camp Ripley is fairly popular and it produces monster deer. There is one spot I am aware of and if you are looking for details let me know. It is supposed to have some ok hunting.
 
I spent two of the coldest weeks of my life doing Cold Weather Survival at Ripley. (I survived, but barely). Camp Lejeune, in N. Carolina has about as many whitetails as skitters, but very small. Ft. Stewart, Ga, has hogs as well.

I know to most it seems like a lot of extra work just to hunt on base, but then again, I always felt like I was hunting on a semi-private preserve. Limited access, controlled game management, and generally a better trained outdoorsman in the field.
 
I used to hunt Moody AFB Ga back in the late 80's. Small deer but you could get 5 of them if I remember right. Beale AFB here in California has hunts available but I have never looked into it. Hunter Ligget also has hunts available.
 
Ft Carson was great before 9-11, but after that they grew the base population from 11k to over 25k troops. Haven't set foot on the place in years now. Plus the Army will treat you like a 4 year old :rolleyes:
 
Fort Hunter Liggett in the California Central Coast. I have seen deer, elk, turkey, hogs and lots of other things roaming around. Spent a lot of time there training the last two years, and it is on my future hunt list now.
 
Ft Carson is a pain but the still kill some monster elk and mule deer every year..that being said the locals say its trophy potential has gone way down
 
Never hunted on military land; I am not military.

But. I lived in San Antonio in 1980-1983. I remember a newspaper article of a massive buck taken on Bullis. I am not sure it was poached, killied leagally. or found dead. I do remember that it was one of the most rememberable headgear on a deer that I have ever seen.
 
Before I got married I owned house about a half hour south of there...place called the Tug Hill Plateau.....man did we get a Lot of snow and cold,but good hunting.....:cool:
 
I drew a shotgun doe hunt on the Radford Army Ammunition Plant property last fall, had a great time and in 3 years or so I should draw a buck tag there. A few years ago I drew a muzzleloader hunt on a VA WMA that backs up to Quantico, had a fun hunt and tagged a turkey and a coyote in the same morning, no legal bucks seen though. Some great opportunities if you're willing to put up with a few headaches.
 
A co-worker of mine arrowed this buck in 2010 or 2011 at a naval base here in southern Indiana I work at. 15 scoreable points, grossed 199.



Another co-worker arrowed this buck in 2012. Grossed mid 170's.



I was able to hunt on base for the first 2 years I was here, but never did shoot anything. Then they changed the rules to where contractors could not hunt on base. It's a bummer.
 
My brother (non military) has hunted several bases in the D.C. Area including Quantico with good success for whitetails. Having to be off base by "dark" loses most of the later " magical hour" of deer hunting. One if his favorite "blinds" is actually a machine gun pill box.
 
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