# Ossabaw Island Archery Hunt, Oct 20



## triton63 (Sep 10, 2016)

Buddy and I were drawn for this hunt.  First time for both of us on the island.  Anyone else here planning the trip?  For those that have been on one of the early hunts, any tips on packing list is appreciated.


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## BThunder (Sep 11, 2016)

Here's a few things to consider: Thermacell, waterproofed Tent with a 100% waterproof ground mat, sleeping pad, battery operated tent fan,  pop up canopy or big tarp with ridge pole, fold out chair, flip flops for shower, Drinking water, camp table, camp stove, propane, 2 coolers - 1 for food -1 big one with just ice, lantern, headlamps, skinning knife and utensils, trash bags, bug spray for camp, saw and hatchet, good lighters, toiletries ( toilet paper provided), clothesline, game drag, small camp radio, good flashlights, batteries, firestarters, a GPS if applicable (you can get turned around in the areas in the dark and get lost!) Don't bother with bright eyes..they are already EVERYWHERE. Don't scout the first day..too far of a walk and you educate the animals too quick...one of the wardens who ran that island for many years (passed away) told me they collared the deer a few years to record movement...after day 1 of a hunt movement went down 50%, day 2 almost 70%, day 3 90%!!! Hunt hard and take the shot when presented early! This is a meat hunt as they will tell you in the meeting. Hot showers and phone chargers at skinning station. Camp close to the Warden's house next to the range...shorter walks and less bugs for sone reason. Enjoy...it's been our tradition for over 20 yrs. FYI ..you can take your own boat over there the evening before now. Get in line at the crack of dawn at the check station in the island to get the best spots. Hunt the pond edges, hunt the thick...look for pinches and hang there. Good luck!


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## deadbox (Sep 12, 2016)

If it is anything like Blackbeard may wanna invest in snake boots. I wear a bug tamer. Helps significantly with early morning and late evening attacks. Pre made meals like chili, stews, and such are best. Freeze them just take them out morning of and your good that night.


Bring your own Toilet Paper. Regardless


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## triton63 (Sep 12, 2016)

Thanks for the information.  We think we have the gear we need for the trip including snake boots, tents, tarps, cooking equipment, etc.  Now to figure out the best food to take for easy meals.  Still trying to decide on climbing stands or not.  We have a game carrier and rolling trashcan and cooler to haul the gear.  Lots of land to cover so may stick with the walk in areas the first day and see how the others do all over the island.


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## BThunder (Sep 12, 2016)

They have carts with wheels st the dock to roll your gear to your campground. Very efficient. Hardest part is walking your gear up the ramp at low tide from the dock. They assign areas to trucks with trailers with seats to take you to your area and pick you up. They drop you off right in front of your numbered area. My advice is to not hunt the walk in...the areas are huge and you still will be walking more unless you get the area closest to camp. Half to fun is on The trailers and seeing the island and the hunters you will get to know on those trailer rides and hearing the stories of everyone's success (hopefully).


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## BThunder (Sep 12, 2016)

Oh yeah..get elevated however you choose. We use lock on, but most guys use climbers. You may get lucky on the ground, but being in a stand is the way to go in my opinion. They really aren't to keen on stalking down there because your very likely to spoil another hunters hunt.


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## BowArrow (Sep 13, 2016)

We three old time bow hunters will be on the hunt. Our average age is 80.4 years so you can not miss us. We have enjoyed the island hunts for 48 years and all three of us got our first bow kill on Blackbeard Island in the 60's. Hope to get some more on Ossabaw. We say ever year that it will be our last island hunt because of the hassle getting over there and back. If you see three old folks struggling with camping gear, any help will be appriciated. We had to cancel last years trip because I was going thru radiation treatments. We do have on more priority point so if we can survive another year, you might see us next year.


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## triton63 (Sep 14, 2016)

BowArrow,  We look forward to meeting you on the island and hearing some great hunting stories!  What day are you planning to go to the island, Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday morning?  Will be happy to help you move your gear to the camping area.  Just the two of us and we are packing light so our game carts will be available to move gear as needed.


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## BowArrow (Sep 14, 2016)

We will probably go over on Tuesday as we are retired.


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## BowArrow (Sep 14, 2016)

Forgot to mention that we take block ice because it will last much longer. Block ice is hard to fine so freeze some blocks in your freezer.

























f


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## robert carter (Sep 14, 2016)

I`ve been 3 times. thats 9 days of hunting. I killed 4 deer and 5 hogs in those 9 days with a traditional bow.  A critter a day is good .
  I hunted the walk in area only my first two trips and never got on one of the trailers to go out. Come and go as you please like that.
The last time a Buddy and I picked two areas side by side and shared them. They were some of the early outs in the morning.I don`t mind getting picked up late but don`t want to get to the stand late. Something to think about when picking your area. If you have a group of guys sign out all areas touching and you will have a big block to share.
  I grunted a nice bucks that paid no attention but killed 2 bucks less that 3 minutes apart that walked straight to some tinks on a limb. That was my last trip there. On my first I killed a doe that did the same. 
  The first year I went there were wild donkeys on the place and I saw them a lot..

Here is a pick of my Buddy" Mudfeather " Keith Bruner and myself with 3 days tradbow kills. The two bucks ate the ones I killed 3 minutes apart and we each had two pigs.



some that were far away...



A mornings double


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## robert carter (Sep 14, 2016)

I did best when I could find a dropping water oak and camped out there. Deer would be moving at 3 in the afternoon. My first year there when the population was way to high I saw 21 deer from the stand one Morning and they were little deer. The last year not as many deer but much bigger than before. Good luck,RC.


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## CartyKid (Sep 15, 2016)

We will be there on the 19th, got a group of 6 or so if everyone goes. This will be our second trip to Ossabaw, and our 4th island hunt. Just be sure to pack easy meals, we normally freeze ours so they help the ice keep longer. Its a good time if the weather is right and the animals move. Last trip only three of us went and we ended up with 5 deer and plenty of opportunity on pigs we passed on.


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## triton63 (Sep 15, 2016)

Thanks for all the tips.  Cartykid,  I lived in Douglas many years ago. Short drive for you to Ossabaw.  We are excited about the trip.  Already planning our pre cooked meals so eating will be a joy, not a pain.  If only the rain will not be an issue....


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## HOGDOG76 (Sep 20, 2016)

My father, myself and two friends will be there but it is our first Ossabaw trip. Will climbers limit our stand choices too much ?


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## killabig1 (Sep 21, 2016)

Take cases of insect repellent and Thermacell refills!


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## mporter (Sep 25, 2016)

This will be my first trip.  Going it alone unfortunately but no one else in my group got drown. Heard to many goods things not to go.  Thinking about going over on the 19th. Have to be in Savannah first part of the week for work. Any tips are greatly appreciated.


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## HOGDOG76 (Sep 26, 2016)

mporter said:


> This will be my first trip.  Going it alone unfortunately but no one else in my group got drown. Heard to many goods things not to go.  Thinking about going over on the 19th. Have to be in Savannah first part of the week for work. Any tips are greatly appreciated.



Good to hear nobody drowned


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## HOGDOG76 (Sep 26, 2016)

mporter said:


> This will be my first trip.  Going it alone unfortunately but no one else in my group got drown. Heard to many goods things not to go.  Thinking about going over on the 19th. Have to be in Savannah first part of the week for work. Any tips are greatly appreciated.



Apply as a group next time so you get drawn together. Search the old Ossabaw threads on the forum. I have found a lot of useful info on them and see you there.


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## Preston00 (Oct 6, 2016)

*Group applications and wagon schedule*

I've never been to Ossabaw before, and I have been selected for the primitive weapons hunt November 3-5. I was just wondering -- if you apply as a group on the application -- does everyone in your group hunt in the same area -- or does everyone get their own area? Also -- will the wagons have everyone to their hunting areas well before daylight? I prefer to be settled when the sun comes up. Do they allow walking to stands if you want to go earlier? Does anyone know if the wagons go on the secondary roads as well? Do they have a launch at the dock to get to anchored boats? Thanks!


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## Danny Leigh (Oct 6, 2016)

Everyone gets to choose their own area.


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## Preston00 (Oct 6, 2016)

That's good -- so a group may be able to select several areas that are adjoining and share them.


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## triton63 (Oct 7, 2016)

I hope the storm surge doesn't wash all the deer and hogs off the island!   Seriously,  hope the coolers are still standing after Matthew passes through.


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## HOGDOG76 (Oct 10, 2016)

Has anyone heard whether this hunt will still be held and if so what the impacts of the storm were?


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## Preston00 (Oct 10, 2016)

Here is a copy of an e-mail I received from the foundation. A pig roast next week is cancelled. Buildings are fine, however there is no power, and trees are down on the roads everywhere. It will probably be a challenge for them to get all the trees cut off of the main roads prior to the hunts -- which may result in people having to walk to their areas if there is no wagon access. This would be a good time for them to accept volunteers with chain saws -- however I do not know what the quality of this year's hunts will be with the flooding, trees down, power out, and limited wagon access. Also having so much activity on the island with saws and all may have the animals holed up.                                                       The Ossabaw Island Foundation has postponed indefinitely the Ossabaw Island Pig Roast & Art Auction scheduled for this Saturday, October 15.  This is due to the impacts of Hurricane Matthew on Savannah and Ossabaw Island.

We hope to reschedule the Pig Roast in November, but that decision is several days away.  We do not yet have a tentative date.

Island conditions:  The initial report  is that all of the buildings on the North End (including the Main House, the Club House and the Boarding House) received little or no damage.  There is damage reported to some of the roads and causeways and too many trees down to count.  There is no power or running water.  We do not expect Ossabaw to be a high priority for reconnecting power.

Sandy West:  Sandy West and other residents of her assisted living facility evacuated to an Augusta assisted living facility on Thursday night. Sandy had visitors there on Saturday.  On Sunday, Robin Gunn visited her in Augusta and assisted her as she and other residents boarded a charter bus to return to their Savannah home.  Sandy was alert and justifiably cranky, and eager to be reunited with her dog Toby, who stayed behind in Ardsley Park with Sandy's friend Lisa White.  Sandy arrived back in Savannah on Sunday night; the facility's power is on and they are resuming normal life as best as possible.

Updates to come:  We will let you know as soon as we can what the plan is for the Pig Roast.  Hopefully we will know something by Monday, October 17.

All of our Ossabaw  friends are safe.  We hope and pray that all of you are safe as well.  We look forward to seeing each of you safe and sound and happy in the weeks ahead. 

  Thank you for your support of Ossabaw Island, and of each other.

Sincerely, 

Elizabeth DuBose                                                  
Ossabaw Island Foundation                                                  
ossabawisland.org
912-233-5104


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## HOGDOG76 (Oct 10, 2016)

Thank you for the update.


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## Preston00 (Oct 10, 2016)

If they still need to remove trees from the main roads for the hunt, then maybe everyone should bring a chainsaw. Maybe they will haul people around in the wagon on Tuesday and Wednesday to help cut trees.


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## Preston00 (Oct 14, 2016)

Blackbeard and Wassaw hunts have been cancelled by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. I haven't seen anything from the DNR WRD yet about Ossabaw, Sapelo, or Cumberland.


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## king killer delete (Oct 14, 2016)

Just a bit of info. The coast is hurting bad right now.


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## Preston00 (Oct 14, 2016)

Here are some pictures from Ossabaw


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## triton63 (Oct 14, 2016)

Has anyone here called DNR to find out if the hunt is still on?  I will call but just don't want 60-70 people calling to ask the same thing.  I would think DNR would put out something already if it was cancelled.


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## triton63 (Oct 14, 2016)

I just called the DNR office for McIntosh County.  The Archery Hunt for Ossabow is CANCELLED!  It will be rescheduled or we will get our priority points back.  The decision was made today and word should be emailed soon.  More details as soon as they let us know.  I am bummed.  Was really looking forward to that hunt.


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## Danny Leigh (Oct 14, 2016)

triton63 said:


> I just called the DNR office for McIntosh County.  The Archery Hunt for Ossabow is CANCELLED!  It will be rescheduled or we will get our priority points back.  The decision was made today and word should be emailed soon.  More details as soon as they let us know.  I am bummed.  Was really looking forward to that hunt.



Bummer!

They should give a rejection post in addition to any points wagered if the hunt is not rescheduled.


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## jkp (Oct 14, 2016)

They should add a hunt just for those selected on that hunt either later this year or give them a dedicated hunt next year to make it right.  They can't control mother nature but that sure is a bummer, they need to ask for help!!  Plenty of resources could come and assist all they have to do is ask.


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## Preston00 (Oct 14, 2016)

You can zoom in with this link to see what the coast looks like from the air after the storm.

http://storms.ngs.noaa.gov/storms/matthew/index.html


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