# Ossabaw Island Hunt



## abacer86 (Sep 7, 2016)

Hey everyone, I've been selected for a hunt on Ossabaw Island Dec 8-10 , I've already got a ride out to the Island but was wondering what areas are best to hunt on the island. I'm very Familiar with Sapelo but Ossabaw is a whole new ball game . Any help is appreciated.


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## Redman54 (Sep 9, 2016)

Congrats! It's an amazing place to hunt. Don't forget your camera.


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## Preston00 (Oct 2, 2016)

I'm new to Ossabaw as well. I was selected for the Nov 3-5 primitive weapons hunt. I was wondering if anyone knew what times that the wagon runs to pick us up and drop us off -- and what the stand hours and game pick up times are. If you get a deer or a hog and want to continue hunting -- can you tag it to go into the cooler, or do you have to ride back to camp to clean it? Does the wagon stop at each hunting spot, or is there a walk from specific drop points? Does the wagon run on secondary roads as well? Are hunters allowed to walk on the roads outside of stand hours? Is hunting allowed on the roads? I was also wondering if there were many areas where tree climbers are practical to use. I've hunted Blackbeard and there's not many good trees there for climbers! What is the earliest that you can arrive at the island before the hunt starts? Thanks!


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## NorthGeorgiaHunter (Oct 3, 2016)

The hunting areas are divided into many sections.  You will pick a section to hunt.  It will be yours, you will not be able to roam around outside of your chosen area.  There will be a meeting to discuss times for going out and coming back in on the wagons.  You can't hunt the roads.  Plenty of trees for climbing.  You will have to deal with any game, you can't send it back and expect someone to put it in the cooler for you.  You can go to the island the day before the hunt, maybe earlier, but I recall the ferry only running the day before.


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## Mark R (Oct 3, 2016)

Public Access chapter of this forum has lots of info .


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## Preston00 (Oct 3, 2016)

*Thanks!*

Thanks for the information! Is there a launch at the dock for those that bring their own boat? Can you bring more than one stand (morning/evening) or one to hang in the walk-in area?


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## sea trout (Oct 3, 2016)

IDK but post some pictures please I would like to do that in the near future with my son


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## Danny Leigh (Oct 5, 2016)

Preston00 said:


> I'm new to Ossabaw as well. I was selected for the Nov 3-5 primitive weapons hunt. I was wondering if anyone knew what times that the wagon runs to pick us up and drop us off -- and what the stand hours and game pick up times are. If you get a deer or a hog and want to continue hunting -- can you tag it to go into the cooler, or do you have to ride back to camp to clean it? Does the wagon stop at each hunting spot, or is there a walk from specific drop points? Does the wagon run on secondary roads as well? Are hunters allowed to walk on the roads outside of stand hours? Is hunting allowed on the roads? I was also wondering if there were many areas where tree climbers are practical to use. I've hunted Blackbeard and there's not many good trees there for climbers! What is the earliest that you can arrive at the island before the hunt starts? Thanks!



A few of the areas have woods roads but they don't drive down them. Those roads you can hunt on. The route roads that they drive on you cannot have a loaded weapon within 50 yards of the road. Last year on the PW hunt there was a rash of people not unloading their guns. Not only did they have them loaded at the road, but they also kept them loaded on the trailer. A ML is considered loaded if the cap/primer is in/on the gun. The area manager basically gave a warning to everyone the first day and then called in law enforcement to make sure people were following the rules. 

There are no stand hours for Ossabaw. They usually take a poll at the meeting to see what times the trucks start picking up and they take them out at 2PM. There are a few all day stands, but you can hunt all day if you choose. Though, if it's hot, you'll want to get any game taken in the morning in the cooler.


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## Preston00 (Oct 6, 2016)

*Thanks for the info*

Thanks Danny Leigh! I wasn't sure about the secondary roads. I was wondering about the morning wagon ride -- will they have everyone to their stand areas well before daylight? I like to be settled before daybreak. Also, will they allow walking to the stand areas if you wish to get settled earlier? Can you pick an area to hunt on Tuesday if you can make it that early?
Thanks!


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## jkp (Oct 6, 2016)

PM sent with answers.


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## Danny Leigh (Oct 6, 2016)

Preston00 said:


> Thanks Danny Leigh! I wasn't sure about the secondary roads. I was wondering about the morning wagon ride -- will they have everyone to their stand areas well before daylight? I like to be settled before daybreak. Also, will they allow walking to the stand areas if you wish to get settled earlier? Can you pick an area to hunt on Tuesday if you can make it that early?
> Thanks!



Most of the areas you will get to before daylight but the closer to camp the sooner you are dropped off. The only area you can hunt by walking to it is the walk-in area which roughly goes a mile out from camp. You can get on the island on Tuesday, but you can't sign up for areas until you check in which is Wed morning.


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## Preston00 (Oct 6, 2016)

OK -- Thanks for all the good information! I'll try to get to the island on Tuesday just to take a good walk to get an idea about the different areas. It looks like sunset will be about 1835 for the hunt. That would potentially leave 6 or 7 hours of daylight to explore on Tuesday and Wednesday. Looks like it would be about 8-10 miles a day of walking though, which would take about 5 hours each day. That would be rough hauling a stand in on Wednesday. Just trying to get a game plan -- hopefully this hurricane won't be too bad for the island!


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## Danny Leigh (Oct 7, 2016)

Preston00 said:


> OK -- Thanks for all the good information! I'll try to get to the island on Tuesday just to take a good walk to get an idea about the different areas. It looks like sunset will be about 1835 for the hunt. That would potentially leave 6 or 7 hours of daylight to explore on Tuesday and Wednesday. Looks like it would be about 8-10 miles a day of walking though, which would take about 5 hours each day. That would be rough hauling a stand in on Wednesday. Just trying to get a game plan -- hopefully this hurricane won't be too bad for the island!



It's enough work getting all your gear to the island to kill yourself putting up a stand before the first day of the hunt. 

Also, I would advise not walking through any areas you are not signed up for. I know I wouldn't be too happy knowing someone had already tromped through the area. Traditionally, the first day is the best day because the animals are not disturbed. As the hunt goes on, the success rate and animal sightings usually drop off.


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## futbolwest (Oct 7, 2016)

If you want to walk, wait until Wednesday after you have signed up for your hunting area then have at it. You are only screwing up your hunting area and no one else's area. I walked to area 52 back on a pig only hunt a few years ago, a little over 6 miles traveled that day. I didn't carry a stand , just a bottle of water and my GPS.


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## Preston00 (Oct 7, 2016)

I've got to know what kind of area I'm dealing with before committing to an area and hauling a stand in. 
There's no sense in hauling a climber if there are no trees to put it on. I mostly want to walk the roads to see the island and get a feel for what each area holds. 
I've at least got to know which areas are flooded out from the storm and where the high ground is. Those flooded areas are already screwed to begin with.
I've got an idea of which areas I want to check based on Google Earth and the area map -- just need to check the water level and locate some decent trees/shooting lanes.
If scouting is not allowed then there is no reason to allow anyone on the island on Tuesday.


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