# ossabaw island results?



## xhunterx (Nov 26, 2007)

anyone heard how the kids did on the youth hunt thanksgiving?  whats the island like this year? planning on going down for the last firearms hunt next week.


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## Tiger Rag (Nov 26, 2007)

63 kids harvested
24 deer 
20 hogs

They were cursed with a full moon that lit the island up like a downtown street at night and fairly stiff winds during the day.

The populations on the island are lower than in the shooting gallery years and there is a lot of cover so you have to hunt hard.  There are still more animals than your typical tract of public land, but you have to hunt hard and be willing to get into the thick stuff to find them.


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## Minner (Nov 28, 2007)

Tiger Rag,

How's the drought affecting wildlife populations down there? When we went first in 2000, it was after a 5-year or so drought and deer number down as a result. 

Hunted several more times on hog-only hunts and once (four years later) on a deer/hog hunt and saw lots of critters on all the hunts.

We hope to get drawn for one of the hog-only hunts this winter and, good Lord willing, will definitely be down there next fall (got triple rejection notices for deer quota  hunts).

Thanks!


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## Spooner (Nov 28, 2007)

*Ossabaw Hunt- 28 Point Buck*

Had a great time camping with my 16 year old daughter. She loved the island. We only saw 1 doe. She really got excited but a shot never materialized. Get in the thickest stuff you can find. We had just left but I did hear that a 7 year old boy brought in a 28 point buck at lunchtime on Saturday. I hope to see a picture of that buck if anyone has it. Good Luckon the December Hunt.


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## Tiger Rag (Nov 28, 2007)

Minner said:


> Tiger Rag,
> 
> How's the drought affecting wildlife populations down there? When we went first in 2000, it was after a 5-year or so drought and deer number down as a result.



Minner,
There has not been much of a drought this year on the coast.  We did have a dry spring, but have had plenty of rain recently and still seem to have quite a few fawns on the ground.

Ossabaw did lose quite a few deer to EHD last year.

The biggest difference on the island now is that there are lower populations of pigs and deer than there were in the years before 2000.  This has allowed the vegetation to get thicker and the animals have figured out how to use it.  There is more than one bush for each animal to hide behind now and it makes you have to hunt harder.


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## Minner (Nov 28, 2007)

Thanks for the information, Tiger Rag. I appreciate it!

I hate to hear about the EHD, but at least you've had some rains so maybe the herd is recovering well. 

I never got to experience the days of old when populations of game were extremely high. However, we've been to Ossabaw 4 times since 2000 and never left without some meat in the cooler. I love that place!


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## Cwill15 (Nov 28, 2007)

I went down there in 98 I believe and saw countless number of deer, and a lot of hogs oh and those donkeys too. Heard it's not exactly like that anymore though. Signed up for the hog only for after the first of the year hoping to get drawn    That place is nice.


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## Mac (Nov 29, 2007)

Spooner said:


> . We had just left but I did hear that a 7 year old boy brought in a 28 point buck at lunchtime on Saturday. I hope to see a picture of that buck if anyone has it. .




Now I hope you typed that wrong.   28 point


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## jkcole (Nov 29, 2007)

My son got 2 good sized ossabaw 8 pointers on the kids hunt. We saw 4 pigs the whole time. We walk and don't sit much if any. Hunting is harder than usual. We saw alot of deer and few hogs. NOT normal, we usually kick up a bunch of hogs, not this time. I think the DNR snipers are doing alot more than there letting on. Shotgun shells laying everywhere with alot of bones laying. Hog numbers way down. Weather and moon did impact the hunt. There was another young man kill an 8 & 9 pointer also. Island is alot thicker and hunting is harder. Got to keep moving to hunt down there, getting tough for the younguns to hunt. Still a great hunt and fun to be at. Quality of game is getting better. Son killed a 3.5 year old  8 pointer, and a 6.5 yr. old 8 pointer, 3.5 year old was a bigger buck. Good Luck to all on up comming hunts. 
God Bless
JOHN


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## jkcole (Nov 29, 2007)

Oh, and by the way. We left Sat. after the morning hunt. We did not see or hear of any 28 point being killed.
God Bless,
JOHN


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## Danny Leigh (Nov 30, 2007)

Good to hear from you John and congratulations to your son on the two 8 pointers!


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## Tiger Rag (Nov 30, 2007)

jkcole said:


> I think the DNR snipers are doing alot more than there letting on. Shotgun shells laying everywhere with alot of bones laying. Hog numbers way down.



I love the image of snipers with shotguns.

The problem with hog control is that even if there are just a few hogs, they have the reproductive potential to explode at any given time.

This is an example generated by a former DNR biologist that simply boggles the mind.  It all starts with 3 sows and a boar.

I also love the idea of 2.5 and 3.5 yo 8 pointers on Ossabaw with 13-14 inch spreads.


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## Chuck Martin (Dec 3, 2007)

The hogs are there you just have to know where they are and be willing to get back there with them, same with the deer. I agree it's not like the late 90's when you could walk down the road and see more than you could count, but the island is in much better shape overall and the quality of the deer reflect that as well as the understory of the forest coming back. If you hunted down there back in the 80's or early ninties you'll remember seeing no new tree growth at all........way above the carrying capacity of the land. 

Now I can't say I've agreed with every tool that DNR has used over the years down there but overall they have done a great job of restoring the island to what it should be.

TigerRag and they guys do a good job, just my .02 worth.


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## Danny Leigh (Dec 3, 2007)

I agree Chuck! I only started hunting at Ossabaw once before the populations took a decline. The woods were fairly open with not too many grasses under the mature oaks and no new oaks growing. Now when you go down there the grasses are growing everywhere and there are little oaks growing everywhere. Under one live oak there must have been hundreds of little trees growing.


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## Mac (Dec 3, 2007)

Chuck Martin said:


> The hogs are there you just have to know where they are and be willing to get back there with them, same with the deer.
> 
> Now I can't say I've agreed with every tool that DNR has used over the years down there but overall they have done a great job of restoring the island to what it should be.
> 
> TigerRag and they guys do a good job, just my .02 worth.




Agree with Chuck  on both statements,

But  IMO, 
Your area selection sure is alot more important now than it was a few years ago.
I have hunted just about all over the island and think I know some hard to get to spots that will hold animals.

But so do you, Danny and alot more people.  My last trip, a youth hunt,  I beat the first Killkenny boat over and still didn't get one of my top 6 picks and those guys didn't give it up the whole hunt.  My kid did get a nice deer and shot a couple pigs that got into the water and we did not find them.

My point some of the areas sure would be very tough to produce now.   Especially for the first time hunter to the island.  I sure can see where they would be flustrated.


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## Danny Leigh (Dec 3, 2007)

Mac, I certainly understand that especially for the a/c hunt things have to work out just right to first... see the animals, and then second to try and get the youngster to get the crosshairs on the animal. There are still alot of animals on the island, but if they are not moving much then it can be hard to see the animals. We hunted last year on the a/c hunt and the last day the animals in our area were sticking to the thickets. We would catch glimpses of them or hear them, but get one in the crosshair was tough.

With most things in life animal populations go in cycles and I imagine that with the increased thickets the deer and hog populations should both increase. Of course that is also determined by the amount of water and/or disease that affects the animals. 

Will the populations ever be as high as they used to? Who knows, but I think for the health of the island and the health of the animal populations I don't think we want the populations that high again.


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## Tiger Rag (Dec 4, 2007)

Chuck and Danny,

Your checks are in the mail.


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## Mac (Dec 4, 2007)

Tiger Rag said:


> Chuck and Danny,
> 
> Your checks are in the mail.



Now I agreed with them???


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## Danny Leigh (Dec 4, 2007)

Tiger Rag said:


> Chuck and Danny,
> 
> Your checks are in the mail.



Dang, I was hoping to pick it up on the island tomorrow.


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## xhunterx (Dec 4, 2007)

there will be 2  extra spots on the island this week. my bro-in-law/hunting partner got hurt at work friday afternoon, has to have an mri thursday, so we'll be unable to use our ticket this year. after waiting 3 years this is a big time disappointment. good luck to everyone going though. i'll be there in 3 or 4 years i hope


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## robert carter (Dec 4, 2007)

I went last year on the archery hunt. Killes a six pt and spike plus two hogs with my longbow.My buddy Keith Bruner killed two pigs with his recurve also.


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## Cwill15 (Dec 5, 2007)

not trying to steal the thread but does anyone know when they make the hog quota selections?


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## badcompany (Dec 5, 2007)

Area selection was every thing on the A/C hunt this year. First year my boys have been drawn. We ended up being the last boat over so we had last selection. Between the 3 groups we had there we only saw 4 does. Never able to get the kids on something they could connect with. People that got the "better" areas stayed in them. All the areas we had hunted before, and shared info with Mac and Danny, were producing as usual. But you cant blame anyone for not wanting to come out of them. People were at Killkenny by 2am waiting to get on the boats, we got there a little later 8am. Still hope the boys enjoyed it enough to want to go again someday.


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## Mac (Dec 5, 2007)

Cwill15 said:


> not trying to steal the thread but does anyone know when they make the hog quota selections?




I think you should know by the 15th.  from what I remember in the past.


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## Mac (Dec 5, 2007)

badcompany said:


> Area selection was every thing on the A/C hunt this year. First year my boys have been drawn. We ended up being the last boat over so we had last selection. Between the 3 groups we had there we only saw 4 does. Never able to get the kids on something they could connect with. People that got the "better" areas stayed in them. All the areas we had hunted before, and shared info with Mac and Danny, were producing as usual. But you cant blame anyone for not wanting to come out of them. People were at Killkenny by 2am waiting to get on the boats, we got there a little later 8am. Still hope the boys enjoyed it enough to want to go again someday.



hate to hear that !!!!,  

The last time I used Killkenny people started lining up at 10PM the night before.  My last trip, I used another charter, but there was already a half dozen private boats at the dock when I got there at 8 AM.  They must have come over in the dark.  Several of them already had camp set up.

The prime areas the people were sitting tight and everyone else were bounching around like rubber balls.
The people that say all the areas are good,  must have not been in a few years.

IMO,  about a dozen areas now are much more huntable than the rest. 
Therefore the people that know those and draw them will be much more successful.

My next trip, if those prime dozen are taken, I will just hunt the walkin area.  I know a couple pretty good spots on it, but it is a long walk.


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## Chuck Martin (Dec 7, 2007)

Some may disagree with me but there isn't a bad spot on the island, some just better than others. Some of the areas that always produce are prime travel paths between marsh and feeding areas. One of the things that alot of folks don't consider is you have to hunt islands and swamp/marsh different than the mainland. Most folks see a good oak flat with some cover near and think they're in business. Look for small points out into the marsh or a small high spot between two swampy areas on the hamocks, these usually produce when the tides move in and out. Know when your tide schedule is and hunt the edges accordingly. The deer and hogs move with the tides. Don't be scared to get out on the tidal flats at low tide, hogs and deer move out there to feed as well. Don't set up in the open, set up back in the edge of the thick stuff near the open feeding areas. There's a spot I know ofthat has the prettiest oak glade you've ever seen. years ago you sat up in the oaks now you need to set up across a little slough about 30 yards out of the oaks and it still produces like it use to. Bottom line is you get your block then scout the pressure travel areas and you'll do fine.

Jim, instead of the check can you just send me my hog hunt permit.......I know where some are at


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## Tiger Rag (Dec 8, 2007)

Chuck Martin said:


> Some of the areas that always produce are prime travel paths between marsh and feeding areas. One of the things that alot of folks don't consider is you have to hunt islands and swamp/marsh different than the mainland. Most folks see a good oak flat with some cover near and think they're in business. Look for small points out into the marsh or a small high spot between two swampy areas on the hamocks, these usually produce when the tides move in and out. Know when your tide schedule is and hunt the edges accordingly. The deer and hogs move with the tides. Don't be scared to get out on the tidal flats at low tide, hogs and deer move out there to feed as well. Don't set up in the open, set up back in the edge of the thick stuff near the open feeding areas. There's a spot I know ofthat has the prettiest oak glade you've ever seen. years ago you sat up in the oaks now you need to set up across a little slough about 30 yards out of the oaks and it still produces like it use to. Bottom line is you get your block then scout the pressure travel areas and you'll do fine.
> 
> Jim, instead of the check can you just send me my hog hunt permit.......I know where some are at





Good post Chuck and good information.  If this was the Ossabaw forum, it should be a sticky

Stand selection is more important now than it used to be, but you can overcome that by following the advice above.  I had hunters go into what I would have considered a biological desert yesterday afternoon and come out with a 1.5 yo pie bald and a 4.5 yo, 105 pound, 8-pointer.

That area had not produced a single animal for the entire season.  Across the road at a stand that is one of my most productive, they have not brought out an animal.


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## badcompany (Dec 12, 2007)

"Look for small points out into the marsh or a small high spot between two swampy areas on the hamocks, these usually produce when the tides move in and out. Know when your tide schedule is and hunt the edges accordingly. The deer and hogs move with the tides. Don't be scared to get out on the tidal flats at low tide, hogs and deer move out there to feed as well. Don't set up in the open,"
That was what I was refering to exactly. Normally we have hunted areas like you discribed. We always hunted the tides as you could bet something would be pushed out with the tide. We were just unfortunate in that we got there to late to get areas that are effected by tide.
The last day of the A/C hunt all 6 of us went out in the walk-in area on the south end  of the road. My son and myself went all the way down the road till we got to the marsh at 28. The other 2 groups dropped off along the way. There was a very high tide that morning , the reason for that choice. This is when we saw the two does, and the other two groups saw one a piece.


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