# WMA or national forest?



## dana (May 31, 2007)

I have another novice question.  Is there any real pros or cons to deer hunting on WMA or national forests?  I think I understand how it works on a WMA but how does it work on national forest?  Is there a station to check in with?  Is there special weeks and dates to hunt in?  Any extra rules or any thin with the national forests?  More or less hunters or deer in either one?


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## Wetzel (May 31, 2007)

Most National Forest land is open the entire season which helps spread out hunting pressure while the WMA's are generally opened for four day hunts which concentrates the hunting pressure.  Guess everyone there at the same time gets some of the game moving, but I'd rather be alone than in a crowd.


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## R G (Jun 1, 2007)

National Forest land is usually controlled by the state game regulations.  This means that any game with an open season can be taken.

On several WMAs when there is a deer hunt, you can only hunt deer or hogs and when there is no deer hunt you can only hunt small game and hogs.

You have to get a copy of the state regulations and be sure of the rules for a particular WMA.

Then you can also hunt the National Wildlife Refuges which are coverd by their own set of rules.


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## dana (Jun 1, 2007)

It looks like national forests are would have all the advantages.  Why would anyone hunt the WMAs?  Is it a good thing to have the deer pressured from all the hunters and be moving around?


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## 7Mag Hunter (Jun 1, 2007)

I hunted the Oconee Natl Forest around Eatonton and
Monticello for 20 years, and if you are willing to scout
and have a good truck you can find VERY remote spots
where you will be alone....
If you use the typical hunter scenario, where you spot a
creek and walk 200-300 yards down the creek, you WILL
have company come daylight....
You cannot use ATVs to access hunting areas...Many foot
travel only trails allow access to some areas...Again, if you
use these trails, as other hunters do , you will have visitors
...If you study maps, and are willing and able to walk, you 
can find remote areas where lazier hunters do not venture..
If you want to give it a try send me a PM, and get a ONF
map, and I will steer you toward some areas where I
know are good....


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## gadeerwoman (Jun 1, 2007)

The advantages to WMA over Natl Forest can be that most times little is done on Natl Forest land as far as planted openings and with Natl Forest being available the entire regular state season, they can get the deer wise in a hurry. WMA's that have only certain short seasons for deer can be excellent but as stated, make sure you can walk and get away from the 'easy to get to spots'. Some Natl forest lands are operated under WMA regs by the state. Some of the state WMA's have excellent management plans in place, some don't seem to have any managment plan to speak of at all....or just poor managers.


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## Marlin_444 (Jun 5, 2007)

*WMA or National Forest Land*

Public Land by nature is public...  So as others have said, scouting the "Rough Spots" to get in and out of; you'll do fine.

Go in the low trafic times too (Mid-Week) and Non-Holidays...  Some Forestry Land have WMA's as part of it's make up (Cedar Creek etc.)

Get your Maps and start scouting!  Take up 7Mags offer (or I will )

My .02...


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## Eddy M. (Jun 5, 2007)

I may just need 7MM Mag's advice for this year looks like it may be a Public land season this fall for me     eddy


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## Fishin & Hunting (Jun 5, 2007)

I have a lease that border the Oconee National Forest.  Last year I did not see one person while hunting the NFS land.  The year before that I only saw one other person.  Now my lease is small, but it buts up to some remote NFS land, and that is why I lease it.  

Caution:

NFS land has a break from deer hunting after around the first of December till after Christmas.  

NFS land has buck only days at the beginning of the season. 

Make sure you read the rules.

You can find some areas you will be by yourself on NFS land, you just have to find them.


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## SWbowhunter (Jun 5, 2007)

Fishin & Hunting said:


> I have a lease that border the Oconee National Forest.  Last year I did not see one person while hunting the NFS land.  The year before that I only saw one other person.  Now my lease is small, but it buts up to some remote NFS land, and that is why I lease it.
> 
> Caution:
> 
> ...



Make sure you read the rules. There is no break on Chattahoochee National Forest in December only on Oconee. FS lands outside of WMA's on the Chattahoochee follow state wide season for the county in which it lies.


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## Fishin & Hunting (Jun 5, 2007)

SW

Thanks for keeping me straight.  Didn't know that they were different.

I do know that the Redlands WMA usualy has the same rules as the Oconee NFS land, just run by the state.  Even though it is part of the NFS.  Had a friend that was hunting it.  Said he thought it was odd that he hadn't seen many deer hunters in a few weeks while he was hunting.  And he had the woods all to himself except the small game hunters were out.  He was hunting in the middle of December when deer hunting was closed on it.

So like you said, know the rules as to where you are hunting.

Thanks


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## redowl (Jun 9, 2007)

Oconee Natl Forest has it's own Game rules it's in the hunting regulation's.


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## Paymaster (Jun 12, 2007)

dana said:


> It looks like national forests are would have all the advantages.  Why would anyone hunt the WMAs?  Is it a good thing to have the deer pressured from all the hunters and be moving around?



Nat Forest lands are open every day of the season thus can be and are hunted everyday. WMA's are more restricted and are managed more intensly. Most WMAs have several hunts separated by weeks of inactivity which creates multple opening day situations on that area. I am a big time WMA fan and have been since the 70's. I hunt as many as possible. Half the deer I have taken in my life have come from public land and the bulk of those from WMAs. People are what make a WMA hunt. Get back in there and let people move the deer to ya.


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## ejs1980 (Jul 21, 2007)

One big advantage to a wma is during check in hunts your harvest doesn't go against your limit for the year. If you have a wma near you I would scout them both and hunt the best place you find. It's hard to say if alot of hunting pressure is better. I hunt at grand bay wma in valdosta and that first couple of weekends is when the harvest will be the highest when there are alot of people the deer seem to move more for a couple of weekends but then they stop moving all together. After that stop looking for places with good deer sign and try to find a place with no boot prints.


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