# Fants Grove WMA, SC????



## Huntinfool (Apr 9, 2010)

Anybody know anything about Fants Grove?  I have absolutely no knowledge of it other than I'm tagged out in GA and I'm trying to find somewhere I can legally hunt turkeys.

Google maps says it's about 45 minutes from my parents house on lake Hartwell.  So I'm considering the possibility of buying tags and heading up there for a couple of weekends to see if I can get on a bird.  

Anybody know if there are turkeys there?  Is it worth the effort?


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## gwyatt202 (Apr 9, 2010)

There are turkeys there. My friend who introduced me to turkey hunting and lives in SC goes there every now and then. You'd probably have a better chance of finding birds at Keowee, but that's archery only.

Fants Grove will probably be about like any other WMA in middle GA. If you're already tagged out in GA, I'm sure you have what it takes to find and call in a public land gobbler.

You wouldn't happen to know of any suicidal gobblers left here in GA, would you? Some folks like me haven't even gotten their first bird yet!


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## Huntinfool (Apr 9, 2010)

I do....but they are all on my private land....and over at Piedmont which is quota only man.

I'd love to point ya in the right direction.  I actually thought about Keowee.  But if I'm gonna pay $200+ for a license and tags, I'm probably gonna want to carry the shotgun.

Though I will say that your odds of calling one in are greatly improved on an archery only WMA.


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## Tlajoe (Apr 9, 2010)

Hunted there for 4.5 years when I was at Clemson. There are plenty of birds on Fants. Hunting is tough as is on any public land. A lot of birds roost along the shoreline of lake Hartwell. But getting on the birds who roost along the lake is one of the toughest things I have ever tried. You will hear one gobble only to find out that he is across a cove from you. He wont fly across and you may have to walk a mile or more to the back of the cove to get around to him. If I had the time and money I would definately go back. Some of the prettiest property I have ever seen. I would highly recomend it!


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## DBrannon (Apr 9, 2010)

I also hunted there while I was at Clemson.  I would try going there during the week because it gets pretty packed during the weekend.  There are birds there, a pretty good bit as I can remember and from word of mouth.  Like said above a lot of the birds are hard to get too.  Got to walk a good bit but its probably worth it.  I would try Watershed Rd. my turkey hunting instructor at Clemson always hinted us to go there.  Good bit of birds in that direction, but I would try and hit that during the week if you can. Also, Fants Grove is a BIG WMA.  Lots of land to be covered there, good luck man there are birds there!!!


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## klemsontigers7 (Apr 9, 2010)

There are birds... but like others have said, there are lots of people there.  I went this morning to a little place that others must not think about going.  I got on a bird but he wouldn't cooperate.


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## Ryanbig (Apr 10, 2010)

I live 10min from there...this year has been horrible. More hunters than I have ever seen in the woods. And only heard one bird gobble this whole season and he was killed or shot at after the 5th gobble.


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## Tlajoe (Apr 12, 2010)

DBrannon said:


> I also hunted there while I was at Clemson.  I would try going there during the week because it gets pretty packed during the weekend.  There are birds there, a pretty good bit as I can remember and from word of mouth.  Like said above a lot of the birds are hard to get too.  Got to walk a good bit but its probably worth it.  I would try Watershed Rd. my turkey hunting instructor at Clemson always hinted us to go there.  Good bit of birds in that direction, but I would try and hit that during the week if you can. Also, Fants Grove is a BIG WMA.  Lots of land to be covered there, good luck man there are birds there!!!



Are you referring to ol Webb Smathers?


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## weathermantrey (Apr 12, 2010)

Tlajoe said:


> Are you referring to ol Webb Smathers?



Dr.  Smathers was one of my favorite professors.  A great guy!

I bet he was refering to Dr. Nix though.


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## DBrannon (Apr 12, 2010)

Tlajoe said:


> Are you referring to ol Webb Smathers?



Nah, I took a class under Leisure Skills with Rick Willey.  He was teaching it at the time. Good guy who knew a good bit, I believe he worked out of the Forestry dept or something to do with Natural Resources.

Webb Smathers haha. I had a bunch of classes with ole Webb. I graduated in Ag Economics so I know Webb pretty good. That man sure does love to turkey hunt. Gah, I wish I was still in school.


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