appmtnhntr
Twelve Pointer
I didn't get to hunt as much as I'd like this year, but I wasn't really amp'd about season after all the ground I covered in deer and small game seasons and not finding nearly as many birds or sign as years past.
And these are BIG areas in the mountains that don't have crazy pressure.
I got lucky and called an afternoon bird in on opening day up on a NW gameland.
We really on a walkabout to find deer sign from the fall. Hadn't seen ANY sign fresher than a month old, and it was super windy and hot.
2 miles from the car, I stopped to take a leak. Wind laid for a second and I heard scratching in the woods. Called twice and he rolled out in the logging road full strut and ended up killing him at 4 steps. Double beard 10-1/2" and 4-1/2".
2nd day of season called up my buddy's first bird ever. Another double beard. But that was in Rockingham Co. Think I heard 13 different birds that morning.
Other than those 2 hunts and my buddy that froze on a bird at Shocco Creek, it's been super slow and birds havent wanted to work.
Walked 8 miles in Pisgah on Sat, covered 3 different mountains in 2 counties and never heard a bird all day. Only called in 1 hen (and a 200# bear)
These are places where you can normally holler at daylight and have your pick of 5+ birds, even later in season...
And I'd have to agree with the guys on here talking about Caswell. I walked 14 miles total on Caswell gameland one weekend in Feb. during the permit hog hunt and never bumped a bird, or even saw any sign... Couldn't believe it...
And these are BIG areas in the mountains that don't have crazy pressure.
I got lucky and called an afternoon bird in on opening day up on a NW gameland.
We really on a walkabout to find deer sign from the fall. Hadn't seen ANY sign fresher than a month old, and it was super windy and hot.
2 miles from the car, I stopped to take a leak. Wind laid for a second and I heard scratching in the woods. Called twice and he rolled out in the logging road full strut and ended up killing him at 4 steps. Double beard 10-1/2" and 4-1/2".
2nd day of season called up my buddy's first bird ever. Another double beard. But that was in Rockingham Co. Think I heard 13 different birds that morning.
Other than those 2 hunts and my buddy that froze on a bird at Shocco Creek, it's been super slow and birds havent wanted to work.
Walked 8 miles in Pisgah on Sat, covered 3 different mountains in 2 counties and never heard a bird all day. Only called in 1 hen (and a 200# bear)
These are places where you can normally holler at daylight and have your pick of 5+ birds, even later in season...
And I'd have to agree with the guys on here talking about Caswell. I walked 14 miles total on Caswell gameland one weekend in Feb. during the permit hog hunt and never bumped a bird, or even saw any sign... Couldn't believe it...