Pungo Information?

Lawnscaper

Eight Pointer
Contributor
Can someone tell me if the Campground that used to be Mr Livermans is still Open? I haven't been up that way in many years and was wondering where the closest Campground to the refuge is now?
 

wildcat3

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
The store is still open. They have snacks and a kitchen, food is excellent by the way. Campground looks to still be open though would not sweat to it. Skinned my first deer in that campground and a many of them after that. Always had some friends that would camp there but me and my dad stayed at the Port o Plymouth in town. I sure do miss the Western Sizzlin that was right beside the motel...
Good times and a fun place, I love that entire area.
 

Lawnscaper

Eight Pointer
Contributor
Thanks for the information. Yeah I learned to bowhunt there during its prime years when you would see 50 deer in one field and a handful of bears in the field next to it, Mr Liverman was some character back then always fun to talk with .Thinking about taking a trip up for a weekend and ride the Refuge, Sadly last time we went we saw very few deer but a good amount of bears still.
 

odie408

Twelve Pointer
There is campers there and the place is kept up nice if it's not. I don't know for sure. But riverside campground is about 5 miles further down 45.
 

jenkinsnb

Ten Pointer
Thanks for the information. Yeah I learned to bowhunt there during its prime years when you would see 50 deer in one field and a handful of bears in the field next to it, Mr Liverman was some character back then always fun to talk with .Thinking about taking a trip up for a weekend and ride the Refuge, Sadly last time we went we saw very few deer but a good amount of bears still.
I went for 4 days last year and I think I heard 5 shots total. And one of them was mine. I’m too stubborn to give it up because I still enjoy the bear and overall experience, but I don’t make the trip to kill deer anymore. If I can stomp one up that’s great, but there’s getting to be a limited amount of thickets that you can still walk and most of the dumb ones that walk out and look at you are gone
 

wildcat3

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
What do you guys attribute the decline to? I haven't been in probably 20 years. I would love to start hunting it again.
 

Redheadduck

Eight Pointer
Campground is open, I'm not sure who runs it now though. I hunt up that way 6-8 times a year. As said above the food at the store is good and the folks there are friendly.
 

Lawnscaper

Eight Pointer
Contributor
Many years ago when we hunted there you would also see Nutria in the ditches along the roads, not many years later when we were seeing collared Red Wolves on the Refuge and more coyotes around the Nutria sightings and seemed like the deer population began to decline, Maybe a coincident maybe not.
 

Woods and water

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
The store is still open. They have snacks and a kitchen, food is excellent by the way. Campground looks to still be open though would not sweat to it. Skinned my first deer in that campground and a many of them after that. Always had some friends that would camp there but me and my dad stayed at the Port o Plymouth in town. I sure do miss the Western Sizzlin that was right beside the motel...
Good times and a fun place, I love that entire area.
That brings back a lot of memories. Me and Dad use to stay in the port o Plymouth and eat at the western sizzlin. The greasy spoon also . The motel owner is probably still cussing us about that thousand crickets that go out in a room one night.
 

wildcat3

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
That brings back a lot of memories. Me and Dad use to stay in the port o Plymouth and eat at the western sizzlin. The greasy spoon also . The motel owner is probably still cussing us about that thousand crickets that go out in a room one night.

If you were down there anytime between say 1994 and early 2000s we very likely crossed paths. I believe I heard or possibly read on here that they did away with the draw system they used for years at Pungo. Id be curious to find out more information. Id love to make the trip again, wouldn't even important to see or kill deer. Just being there would check all the boxes. We drove by the store and part of Pungo this past year on our way to Belhaven, it was the first time I had seen either since we stopped hunting it in the early 2000s and also the first time seeing it since my dad died. When we rounded the curve and I saw the road my dad and I turned down to enter the refuge off the pavement my heart damn near skipped a beat. Turned my head, looked at it and smiled and kept getting it but man did the memories start to flow.
 

Woods and water

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
If you were down there anytime between say 1994 and early 2000s we very likely crossed paths. I believe I heard or possibly read on here that they did away with the draw system they used for years at Pungo. Id be curious to find out more information. Id love to make the trip again, wouldn't even important to see or kill deer. Just being there would check all the boxes. We drove by the store and part of Pungo this past year on our way to Belhaven, it was the first time I had seen either since we stopped hunting it in the early 2000s and also the first time seeing it since my dad died. When we rounded the curve and I saw the road my dad and I turned down to enter the refuge off the pavement my heart damn near skipped a beat. Turned my head, looked at it and smiled and kept getting it but man did the memories start to flow.
The late 80s is early 90s would have been when we were there a lot. We were there fishing. I have never hunted pungo but a few family members have back in the 90s . The motel and restaurants just jogged some found memories from those days..I remember catching a huge bass on a bream buster in conaby creek when I was around 10 yo . My dad had it mounted for me. Every time I walk in to the old clubhouse where it hangs I have a laugh and think " why the hell did my dad mount a four pound bass " 😂
 

jenkinsnb

Ten Pointer
If you were down there anytime between say 1994 and early 2000s we very likely crossed paths. I believe I heard or possibly read on here that they did away with the draw system they used for years at Pungo. Id be curious to find out more information. Id love to make the trip again, wouldn't even important to see or kill deer. Just being there would check all the boxes. We drove by the store and part of Pungo this past year on our way to Belhaven, it was the first time I had seen either since we stopped hunting it in the early 2000s and also the first time seeing it since my dad died. When we rounded the curve and I saw the road my dad and I turned down to enter the refuge off the pavement my heart damn near skipped a beat. Turned my head, looked at it and smiled and kept getting it but man did the memories start to flow.
Pay the $15.00 fee online and print off the permit/brochure and you’re ready to roll. I’ve kicked up many a deer(and bear) stomping those thickets. Running out of useable thickets down there, but memories are always made either way
 

Lawnscaper

Eight Pointer
Contributor
Maybe We need to maybe plan a hunt there this fall, beeb thinking about it the last year or two.
 

BigBow

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Don't forget your Thermacell. The skeeters will eat you alive. C.D. had a Chihuahua that made friends w/ my buddy's big fat Black Lab. Hilarious! Back in the 90's if you shot a deer the Black Bears would beat you to it if you did get to it fast. We hauled a small aluminum john boat in on a deer carrier to cross a canal to hunt. When we came back after the evening hunt a bear had turned the boat over & scattered our gear all over the place.
 
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odie408

Twelve Pointer
There is an acclamation pen on pungo now where they release woofs. I see more bear than deer now.
 

Mike Noles aka conman

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
There is an acclamation pen on pungo now where they release woofs. I see more bear than deer now.
There's at least two of the acclimation pens on the Pocosin Lakes/Pungo refuges. May be a couple more going in soon due to the new $$ allowed for reentry of more zoo animals. Deer are hard pressed due to the water being held on the Pocosin Lakes and the pseudo wolf placement on Pungo is wearing the fawn retention out.
 

high ridge archer

Four Pointer
Was down there last year and they were releasing some more wolves while we were there, I believe it was 14 trucks with each having a wolf in a cage in the bed it was neat to see, campground is still open. You’ll see as many photographers as bears now ( maybe more) and some of them can be very rude to say the least. A lot of roads on Pungo are being closed off and now no bicycles from November-July. A lot of changes being made the past couple years I’m guessing they are coming from the new boss lady over the refuge but who knows, it wont surprise me to see them cut the deer hunting out I know a lot of them photographers are Pushing for it, it will be a sad sad day but I’m afraid the day is coming but hopefully i am wrong!
 

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wildcat3

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Was down there last year and they were releasing some more wolves while we were there, I believe it was 14 trucks with each having a wolf in a cage in the bed it was neat to see, campground is still open. You’ll see as many photographers as bears now ( maybe more) and some of them can be very rude to say the least. A lot of roads on Pungo are being closed off and now no bicycles from November-July. A lot of changes being made the past couple years I’m guessing they are coming from the new boss lady over the refuge but who knows, it wont surprise me to see them cut the deer hunting out I know a lot of them photographers are Pushing for it, it will be a sad sad day but I’m afraid the day is coming but hopefully i am wrong!
Why no bikes I wonder?
 

high ridge archer

Four Pointer
Also seen they put this up at the gate on jones dyke, i reckon it’s for people to sit in and take pictures 🤷‍♂️
 

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high ridge archer

Four Pointer
Why no bikes I wonder?
I can’t say for sure, I hunt a couple weeks a year down there and my honest opinion is just the mass influx of the photographers the past 3-4 years. I know it has always been a place for photographers but since Covid it has been crazy. I’m talking 15-20 vehicles at a gate
 

wildcat3

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
I can’t say for sure, I hunt a couple weeks a year down there and my honest opinion is just the mass influx of the photographers the past 3-4 years. I know it has always been a place for photographers but since Covid it has been crazy. I’m talking 15-20 vehicles at a gate
Man this thread is making me want to hunt down there again.
 

cloningerba

Old Mossy Horns
Never stepped foot on the place...

My father says its miserable down there. He says if the bugs dont eat you to death the bears will.

I wouldnt mind checking it out come say December.

They use to waylay deer back in the late 80s-90s.

His best friend got bit by some unknown critter and my dad says whatever bit him almost killed him. They think it was a pigmy rattler but do to it being dark and walking into their stands they could identify what it was that bit him.
 

30/06

Old Mossy Horns
Me neither! Snakes, bugs, bears, wolves and low deer numbers doesn’t sound like a good time to this guy. Know people that used to go and loved the place but it has changed ALOT!
 
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