Anyone hunted on Uwharrie gameland

Ol Copper

Twelve Pointer
Been hunting Uwharrie for about 40 years...hunted there today...
Absolutely worth it. Start scouting now to find where the deer are now, as they have moved and reacted to pressure as the season progressed. It helps to shorten your learning curve as the deer react next year, you will already know where to start looking.
 

CAP305

Six Pointer
Been hunting there for a few years now. I've seen a ton of deer and harvested several. I recommend getting the kmz plugin for google earth that the state makes available. It gives a good overview of areas to scout before you go. Also, get yourself a good hunting app on your phone so you can tag locations while you scout. It really helps if you're hiking in to hunt before light. There's a TON of diverse terrain ranging from high, big-timber ridges (hardest to access but my favorite) to swampy lowland. There may be some folks who disagree with me but I'm not a fan of the area just east of Badin Lake (by the shooting range). The block of land there is too busy for my taste. When it's time to hunt make sure your stand is light and portable and you have a good pair of boots. Hard to beat Uwharrie for the potential and beauty but the obvious downside is you're gonna be humping gear in and out each time.
 

nchawkeye

Old Mossy Horns
Have hunted the Uwharries since I moved to Randolph County in 1983...I enjoy it and think it is getting less pressure because a lot of hunters simply want to pour out corn and climb in their box stand...There are tracts that are busy but others that are not used much, especially during the week...Learn how to bone out deer, have a good backpack with what you need to bone deer, have a ratchet pulley for hanging, pack in plastic bags and bring the meat out...You can call the kill in with your cell phone...Also, learn to hunt from the ground so you don't need to haul in a climber...I do sometimes take a folding beach chair and sometime stash that under a brush pile for next time...

I've shown this picture on here a few times, here is the story...My first grandchild was turning 3, we were due in Charlotte for an afternoon birthday party so I had to be home by 11:00am...This was the first day of rifle season, I had already killed a nice doe at the same spot during muzzleloading season so I took my flinter and this fellow came by...I hung him, packed him out and met a guy with a 30-06 slam-a-matic dragging a button buck....He looked at my gun and said, will that thing kill a deer....I turned around, showing him my loaded backpack with the antlers tied to the back and simply said, yep...And continued on down the trail... :)

And....I rolled into the driveway at 10:30....Iced the meat down in the cooler, grabbed a shower and headed to my grandsons birthday party... ;)

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Ol Copper

Twelve Pointer
Agree with nchawkeye. Some spots are busy, some not. I also prefer to not hump gear in and out. I do have some sets in there that have never been bothered, but I also hunt from the ground a lot too. Sometimes I walk, sometimes I ride my bike....sometimes I can see the road from where I am, just depends are where the deer are. ??
 

np307

Ten Pointer
Put in the work and there's success to be had, just like most places. Plenty of ground to cover. I've enjoyed my time spent hunting Uwharrie.
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
Given your stated circumstances (16 no land, charlotte): the question would be to me:

Where else you gonna start? :)

Uwharrie is a no brainer considering your situation.
 

Charlotte hunter

Button Buck
Haha yeah I really don’t have anywhere else in mind or open to me just wondering what it’s like and if anyone had other public land in mind that might treat me well
 

hclaye25

Four Pointer
Google NC public hunting land and you will find the DNR site that gives you all the areas, regulations and maps. I would also pickup the hunting regulations and apply for some permit draws. They usually have some around the Charlotte area. If you are able / willing, you could always joint a hunt club.
 

Smitty

Six Pointer
Does Uwharrie require any other permit to hunt or does the Sportsmans license cover us?

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cheapdate

Eight Pointer
Can someone explain to me how draw hunts work?


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For deer, wait until after July 1, then go to commissions web site under permit hunts. Choose the hunts you want and either apply online or call the 1-800 number and apply and pay by phone. If you get drawn, they will mail you a permit. Make sure you sign it, and you're good to go.
 

Charlotte hunter

Button Buck
So as I understand permit hunts are an opportunity to hunt land you normally would not have access to?


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cheapdate

Eight Pointer
Correct. It is publicly owned/controlled land. The commission puts some game lands into the permit system to limit pressure and enhance hunting. If I was you, I'd apply for some turkey hunts to get a feel for how it works prior to deer season.
 

hclaye25

Four Pointer
So as I understand permit hunts are an opportunity to hunt land you normally would not have access to?


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Google the NC hunting regulations. There is a permit tab by species. You can see the areas that were available this past year. There are a couple places you can hunt in Meck. county. You just need to ensure you register before the deadline. I think the cost is $5.00 per draw. I have never done it but I have friends who do it each year and they have success.
 

timekiller13

Old Mossy Horns
You need to get out in the woods and scout NOW. January and February are the best times to scout. No leaves, no mosquitos, no snakes, its nice and cool, sign from past season is fresh. Grab a .22 or shotgun and walk the woods, shoot some squirrels, learn the land and look for deer sign and hunter sign. Finding hunter sign on public land is just as important as finding deer sign. If you know where others are hunting, you can avoid those areas and use the pressure to funnel deer to you.
 

appmtnhntr

Twelve Pointer
This deer was in Uwharrie for a while.
0D9CC274-E600-41D8-ACD9-5C19A0212D50.jpeg

Hunt where people don’t want or “know” to go, and the deer are there. Cover country outside of season and mark all your sign you find.

As a rule, I concentrate on the edges and centers of gamelands. Everyone else seems to just go in some random direction between 400-800 yards from the truck.

Hunt closer than 400 and over 800 and there’s no people and more deer.

Some of my favorite bow spots are close enough to GL parking areas to hear guys talking and getting ready.
 

timekiller13

Old Mossy Horns
This deer was in Uwharrie for a while.
View attachment 24156

Hunt where people don’t want or “know” to go, and the deer are there. Cover country outside of season and mark all your sign you find.

As a rule, I concentrate on the edges and centers of gamelands. Everyone else seems to just go in some random direction between 400-800 yards from the truck.

Hunt closer than 400 and over 800 and there’s no people and more deer.

Some of my favorite bow spots are close enough to GL parking areas to hear guys talking and getting ready.
You should listen to this guy. He has been known to kill the occasional deer on public.
 

hclaye25

Four Pointer
This deer was in Uwharrie for a while.
View attachment 24156

Hunt where people don’t want or “know” to go, and the deer are there. Cover country outside of season and mark all your sign you find.

As a rule, I concentrate on the edges and centers of gamelands. Everyone else seems to just go in some random direction between 400-800 yards from the truck.

Hunt closer than 400 and over 800 and there’s no people and more deer.

Some of my favorite bow spots are close enough to GL parking areas to hear guys talking and getting ready.
Nice deer.
 

Spence71

Button Buck
okay.. this thread did it. I was bouncing around between south mtn and UWH for a brief turkey morning this weekend.. UWH is where i'm headed. But going in blind.. low bar of expected success. we'll see. got a spot marked out, headed out that way. I'll post up if i get lucky. might be a turkey sandwich from the outpost. but turkey shall be had on that land this weekend. =)
 

appmtnhntr

Twelve Pointer
Good luck. Look for sheds...

Lol, and dead-heads that the “squirrel hunters” lost in there.....

Amazing how rampant the poaching is on URE considering how visible the access points are.

I guess it’s just too big to manage for that crush is people during rifle season...
 
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