eastern wilderness areas

[VAspeedgoat]

I was curious if anyone out there has ever backpacked in and hunted any of the wilderness areas here in the east? I am in VA but have family in GA, so I am not tied to one spot. Just trying to get a western feeling hunt on years when I can't get to the west.

 

[mdunc8]

Yup. Lots of good spots here in Virginia. Don't think the hunting is necessarily great but the experience is much more enjoyable. If you get creative enough, you can find some good spots to get away from roads outside of the wilderness areas. Definitely helps that the average hunter around here is much less adventurous than out West.

 

[Cohutta]

Speedgoat, it's nice to see someone else interested in hunting eastern wildnerness areas. I see it as practice for western hunting. It's great to get out and test your gear, but it's not always a cakewalk like people make it out to be. I live in SE Tennessee near the NC and GA lines. I regularly hunt in Georgia in Chattahoochee National Forest land. My favorite wilderness area, hence my username, is the Cohutta Wilderness. Look it up. It is the largest designated wilderness area east of the Mississippi in the states. It is called Big Frog Wilderness in Tennessee. The hunting is very tough, especially due to terrain. But, the hunters willing to hike in and find good sign, are rewarded occasionally with old mature bucks. The past few years though, the deer hunting has slowed down quite a bit. You actually have better chances at harvesting a black bear or wild hogs than deer. But this is not the only place that I hunt in these parts. Sometimes, the best public land hunting I've found is on non-WMA sections of National Forest in pockets around private land, especially late in the season and years when the acorn crop was poor and it forces deer down low into the valleys where some agriculture is. PM me if you want to know more. If you ever make it down to this area, let me know. Here are a few pics of some of my wanderings on Cohutta and a deer I took in the Cherokee National Forest near my house in Tennessee.

 

[LCH]

I try to canoe into the Deam Wilderness here in southern Indiana at least once a year, whether for deer, turkey, or the fishing. Fishing has been the only "successful" trip in, but it's always a good time.

 

[LCH]

Cohutta - if a feller was to spend a few days wandering around down there, what are the odds of bumping into some hogs? We have a few around here, but they are few and far between and access is tough. I've been wanting to do a hunt like that for quite some time..

 

[skimerhorn]

What about the Jefferson national forest?

 

[L. I. Yankee]

I was curious if anyone out there has ever backpacked in and hunted any of the wilderness areas here in the east? I am in VA but have family in GA, so I am not tied to one spot. Just trying to get a western feeling hunt on years when I can't get to the west.

You can try to the high peaks region of Adirondack Park 6,000,000 acres of public ground. I hunted an area around Elk Lake , I believe it's in Essex County. Really nice and Really remote. You can rent cabins for hunting and head out on your own........

 

[VAspeedgoat]

Thanks so much for the suggestions. It is funny that you mention the cohutta, because it has been on my to do list for a couple of years. The only thing holding me back is to wait for my boys to get a little older. I am also happy to see thw Adirondacks as a suggestion. I have done some research about them too. I have hunted the big woods of Maine but found the deer density to be too sporadic to out of staters without scouting opportunities. I am glad I'm not the only one trying to hunt in the east but with a western feel.

 

[mdunc8]

What about the Jefferson national forest?

I grew up hunting the Jefferson. Lots of great country to hunt. Buck on the right came from there.

 

[skimerhorn]

What about the Jefferson national forest?

I've always wanted to try hunting it, just never found a good point to start from. I'd like to backpack in and camp there for a few days. Maybe this summer I'll get up and try to scout out a few spots?