Pocosin lakes nwr.

Lucky Clucker

Old Mossy Horns
Planning on going to plnwr the second weekend of muzzleloader season. My sons are old enough to go and a good friend of mine who has been as much as I have . To anyone who has been there recently,asking about camping and roads condition.I heard some of them are better than they were years ago. It's going to be a meat hunt I don't plan on punching a buck tag unless it's a good one and for down there not expecting to see one over a foot tall or wide.lol We lost a great friend this year and we all used to go down and hunt it a week or so and not been down in several years. I'm going to start hunting some of the old places we used to. And make.more.memories with old and new friends and my boys. Any of you guys hunt it any?
 

Helium

Old Mossy Horns
Been many years since I deer hunted it BUT we use to have a blast!! Last time we went for several day’s we killed some deer BUT not like it used to be… mainly because the new managers keep the property basically flooded.

the place has always had lots of bears BUT last time it was ridiculous. I don’t mind them BUT they are losing there fear of humans it seems.
 

Wanchese

Twelve Pointer
Most of the refuge is flooded. Places we used to hunt have standing water basically year round now. The roads that they let you drive on Pocosin are rocked now. The roads on Pungo are dirt/mud. You can’t drive some of the roads that used to be open to vehicles.


More bears than there’s ever been but that’s part of it. Dealing with them is about the only thing guaranteed to happen.
 

Mike Noles aka conman

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
Bears are to the point that if you shoot something, you better retrieve it QUICK!! Hunting the west end and Pungo is dealing with a lot of water. Evans rd and east is more huntable, but it's mostly roads. Not a lot mowed due to employee shortage and the western fires pulling the firefighters off of the refuge staff.

Got two newbie LEOs, so make sure you're staying on the roads marked for vehicle use, not parking in any access points and wearing plenty of orange.
 

darenative

Twelve Pointer
We hunted, scouted it first of the week. Like mike said, nothing is mowed..at all. The bear count for the day was in the upper 20's. The deer count was 5 or 6 total for the day. Littleman stalked one tall 4pt that was going to the ditch to drink about mid day. Fighter jet came over us real low and spooked the buck when littleman had em dead to rights at 30 yards. Deer ended up swimming the creek instead of coming back to the firelane.
Skeeters are not bad, but the seed ticks and chiggers are off the charts, so take some permethrin.
We ended up wade fishing the lake. The bass fishin was definitely better than the hunting that day..fww
 

Lucky Clucker

Old Mossy Horns
Sounds alot different than it was last I hunted in 2003. It is going to be my self and 2 sons and 2 friends. my sons are worried about the bears.and snakes, The trip is for the experience,and old times. Sure don't have to drive 4 hours to kill a deer. I'll check with my friends and see if they still interested.
 

YanceyGreenhorn

Still Not a Moderator
I would be, but you would stand a better chance of getting a raving good review out of PC than slipping a bear out of there. Those places are a wardens bread an butter. LMAO
Hahah I bet. Do they ever do a permit hunt opportunity for that sanctuary? They do em out here. We’ve got a couple real good ones. Tried to convince some guys to put in for it and they seemed to act like I was luring them into a trap lol
 

darenative

Twelve Pointer
Sounds alot different than it was last I hunted in 2003. It is going to be my self and 2 sons and 2 friends. my sons are worried about the bears.and snakes, The trip is for the experience,and old times. Sure don't have to drive 4 hours to kill a deer. I'll check with my friends and see if they still interested.
I wasn't trying to get ya to change your plans based on my trip/s.
We've logged some hours over there in the past 2 weeks and have yet to kill a deer. Passed up plenty of little stuff.
The snakes have not been an issue so far this year. I wouldnt try it without snake boots, but they are not as thick as they usually are.
It's Is definitely different than it was 20 years ago.
 

nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Hahah I bet. Do they ever do a permit hunt opportunity for that sanctuary? They do em out here. We’ve got a couple real good ones. Tried to convince some guys to put in for it and they seemed to act like I was luring them into a trap lol
I am not up to date on it. They used to not allow ANY bear harvest on any sanctuary’s. I remember when they allowed the first up there. As many as there are down there they should if they don’t.
 

Wanchese

Twelve Pointer
Hahah I bet. Do they ever do a permit hunt opportunity for that sanctuary? They do em out here. We’ve got a couple real good ones. Tried to convince some guys to put in for it and they seemed to act like I was luring them into a trap lol
No permit bear hunts on any of the refuges here.
 

rageslinger

Four Pointer
I use to love going down there. Seems like now they charge 15 for us to hunt and maintenance has went down hill drastically. It's almost not even worth it anymore. They did cut most of the roads last year a little into gun season but I'm sure they are completely grown up by now if not cut again.
 

turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
Hahah I bet. Do they ever do a permit hunt opportunity for that sanctuary? They do em out here. We’ve got a couple real good ones. Tried to convince some guys to put in for it and they seemed to act like I was luring them into a trap lol
Only 2 bear sanctuary in state allow permit hunts and both in mtns not far from you we'll be in one next week😁. At least as far as I can remember I don't think Dare is considered a sanctuary but I could be wrong don't keep up with east as much
 

Wanchese

Twelve Pointer
I use to love going down there. Seems like now they charge 15 for us to hunt and maintenance has went down hill drastically. It's almost not even worth it anymore. They did cut most of the roads last year a little into gun season but I'm sure they are completely grown up by now if not cut again.
Nothing has been mowed yet this year. Most of the paths are chest deep grass.
 

YanceyGreenhorn

Still Not a Moderator
Only 2 bear sanctuary in state allow permit hunts and both in mtns not far from you we'll be in one next week😁. At least as far as I can remember I don't think Dare is considered a sanctuary but I could be wrong don't keep up with east as much
Yep I wish I coulda talked them guys into putting in for it. Especially since I worked for state parks and it bordered one of em. Got a lot of good bear on trail cam along the boundary lines
 

Lucky Clucker

Old Mossy Horns
Looks.like a good chance of rain later this week. Still finalizing the trip as a friend is + but vaccinated. I got get some new tires.
 

Lucky Clucker

Old Mossy Horns
Yeah.dont understand why.never shot one during deer season. They can't let stuff go.lol. Might cancel my trip this weekend.lookslike a washout coming. I don't hunt in the rain much and sure not in a swamp and mzl.
 

Tipmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
Yeah.dont understand why.never shot one during deer season. They can't let stuff go.lol. Might cancel my trip this weekend.lookslike a washout coming. I don't hunt in the rain much and sure not in a swamp and mzl.
We give you chit about it for the same reason we give @Justin chit about the two does he didn't recover. Because if there's chit to be talked, its gotta roll. ;)
 
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