# Chattahoochee WMA Gun Hunt



## jbogg

I was planning on taking some time off to camp/hunt for 4-5 days on Chattahoochee during the first week of bow season.  I just realized there is a week long gun hunt at the end of September and am wondering if that might be the time to go.  I haven't been able to find any 2015 data on the gun hunt, but was curious if some of you guys went on that hunt last year.  The question is do I hunt less pressured bears early with my Xbow, or wait for the gun hunt?  My time off for an extended camp/hunt is limited, so any advice is appreciated.  

P.S.   Please excuse my frequent posts in the bear forum.  Can you tell I am a tad bit excited for the opener.


----------



## Joe Brandon

I will tell you this, if your going bow opener you will have much more fun going the Monday of opening week thru Thurs rather than going Sat for opening day. The place gets packed, I mean people start heading up that Mon and Tues to establish camp sites. The following week will provide much less pressure. That's just my experience.


----------



## jbogg

Thanks Joe.  I had already decided that if I go opening week of bow season I would hunt regular NF on Saturday and then move to the WMA on Monday.  Any idea how many people signed in during last years opener?  Sounds like I will be adding to an already crowded field.


----------



## tree cutter 08

I went last year but it was during one of the many monsoon's we had.  I got soaked but ended up shooting a huge boar hog. I don't remember it being packed but there was a few folks up. I think it would be a good chance for a bear since its still early season and you would have a little better advantage with a boom stick over a bow, or at least I would.


----------



## Joe Brandon

jbogg said:


> Thanks Joe.  I had already decided that if I go opening week of bow season I would hunt regular NF on Saturday and then move to the WMA on Monday.  Any idea how many people signed in during last years opener?  Sounds like I will be adding to an already crowded field.



When I got there the Friday before opening day there was a page and a half of names signed in. I think it was like 40 or 50 people. Last year on opening weekend it got really windy, that first week only 2 bears were killed, one guy who used to be very active on here harvested one of those. But like I said and Cutter said, the weather was windy and ruff last year opening weekend. High winds Sat and lots of rain Sun if I recall correctly. Also remember that we are talking 25,000 acres, so I guess 40-50 people is not large in comparison. I also called the Gainesville DNR location and asked to speak to the biologist in that region. He called me back within 15 minutes and gave me a lot of great information about what was planted in the varies food plots and where he had been seeing the best bear activity. I would suggest anyone hunting WMAs to call the local biologist, he gave me a wealth of information and was very friendly.


----------



## Buckman18

Joe Brandon said:


> When I got there the Friday before opening day there was a page and a half of names signed in. I think it was like 40 or 50 people. Last year on opening weekend it got really windy, that first week only 2 bears were killed, one guy who used to be very active on here harvested one of those. But like I said and Cutter said, the weather was windy and ruff last year opening weekend. High winds Sat and lots of rain Sun if I recall correctly. Also remember that we are talking 25,000 acres, so I guess 40-50 people is not large in comparison. I also called the Gainesville DNR location and asked to speak to the biologist in that region. He called me back within 15 minutes and gave me a lot of great information about what was planted in the varies food plots and where he had been seeing the best bear activity. I would suggest anyone hunting WMAs to call the local biologist, he gave me a wealth of information and was very friendly.



That guy was me in my alter ego.


----------



## Joe Brandon

Buckman18 said:


> That guy was me in my alter ego.



My brother hey man!!! Okay okay got ya! Glad to see you active and well!!! Shoot you a pm soon brother!


----------



## 35 Whelen

According to this there were only 108 hunters signed in for the firearms hunt Sept.26 - Oct. 3, 2015.  It says "Hog Only" however that hunt included bear, no bear harvest information is posted on these hunt results, only deer and hogs.  My brother and nephew were there 2 days but as noted the weather was a wash out and they did not see any bear or hogs.

http://www1.gadnr.org/dnr/deer/public


----------



## jbogg

35 Whelen said:


> According to this there were only 108 hunters signed in for the firearms hunt Sept.26 - Oct. 3, 2015.  It says "Hog Only" however that hunt included bear, no bear harvest information is posted on these hunt results, only deer and hogs.  My brother and nephew were there 2 days but as noted the weather was a wash out and they did not see any bear or hogs.
> 
> http://www1.gadnr.org/dnr/deer/public



That's not many hunters on 25,000 acres, but I'm sure the weather put a damper on things.  Thanks for the link.


----------



## Buckman18

jbogg said:


> That's not many hunters on 25,000 acres, but I'm sure the weather put a damper on things.  Thanks for the link.



Yeah the weather was nasty last year. I killed a bear the week before the hunt with my bow, and took my (then) 8 yr old daughter to try and shoot one on the gun hunt. Unfortunately, when a bear came by, she couldn't hold still on it long enough before it saw us, 'wuffed,' and spooked. Here's a pic of her on Chattahoochee sitting in the rain... She is ready to try it again.


----------



## jbogg

Buckman18 said:


> Yeah the weather was nasty last year. I killed a bear the week before the hunt with my bow, and took my (then) 8 yr old daughter to try and shoot one on the gun hunt. Unfortunately, when a bear came by, she couldn't hold still on it long enough before it saw us, 'wuffed,' and spooked. Here's a pic of her on Chattahoochee sitting in the rain... She is ready to try it again.



Congrats Buckman!  Sounds like you were on the bear last year.  Your girl was a trooper hunting in that weather.  I hope she has another opportunity this year.  This will be my first try for a bear, as well as my first time hunting public ground in the mountains.  I am excited to be trying something new.  I haven't been this fired up for the season to open in a long time.


----------



## Buckman18

jbogg said:


> Congrats Buckman!  Sounds like you were on the bear last year.  Your girl was a trooper hunting in that weather.  I hope she has another opportunity this year.  This will be my first try for a bear, as well as my first time hunting public ground in the mountains.  I am excited to be trying something new.  I haven't been this fired up for the season to open in a long time.



I certainly wish you luck! I've read your post, and admire how much time you're putting into learning the mountains and learning bears. I have no doubt you'll be successful! Chattahoochee is a good WMA, but so is Swallow Creek - don't overlook that one. Also, make sure you've got some places on the national forest outside of WMA's scouted out. Folks, me included, get so tied up in the 'brand' associated with a WMA, and we sometimes forget there are 100's of 1000's of acres NOT tied up and are open land for the majority of the season. And, often, this land is untouched or nearly so, and a heckuva lot better hunting in many cases. Let me know if I can help. I'll be putting up the fishing pole and will start scouting in the next few weeks.


----------



## Buckman18

Joe Brandon said:


> My brother hey man!!! Okay okay got ya! Glad to see you active and well!!! Shoot you a pm soon brother!



10-4 good buddy! It's getting to be 'about that time' again! Look forward to hearing from you!


----------



## ripplerider

Hunting the adjoining open Forest service tracts when a WMA hunt is on can be very productive. Local guy I know had a wall full of trophies many of which were taken using this approach.


----------



## jbogg

Buckman18 said:


> I certainly wish you luck! I've read your post, and admire how much time you're putting into learning the mountains and learning bears. I have no doubt you'll be successful! Chattahoochee is a good WMA, but so is Swallow Creek - don't overlook that one. Also, make sure you've got some places on the national forest outside of WMA's scouted out. Folks, me included, get so tied up in the 'brand' associated with a WMA, and we sometimes forget there are 100's of 1000's of acres NOT tied up and are open land for the majority of the season. And, often, this land is untouched or nearly so, and a heckuva lot better hunting in many cases. Let me know if I can help. I'll be putting up the fishing pole and will start scouting in the next few weeks.



Thanks for the sound advice.  Several other guys on here had given me the same recomendation regarding NF back in January.   As a result 90% of my scouting has been on NF since I don't want to be constrained by the limited WMA dates especially during gun season.  I was pleased to find several areas on NF with more deer sign than I had ever seen on my old lease.  I will definitely check out Swallow Creek at some point.  As it is, it will already take me a couple of years to hunt all of the likely spots I have found so far.  Great problem to have after hunting a small lease for so long.  Wish I had checked out the mountains much sooner.


----------



## jbogg

ripplerider said:


> Hunting the adjoining open Forest service tracts when a WMA hunt is on can be very productive. Local guy I know had a wall full of trophies many of which were taken using this approach.



Hey ripple!  Hunting the NF fringes of a pressured WMA hunt sounds like a great strategy.


----------



## T-N-T

I took off work and went to the early rifle hunt last year.
Left early because my 2 pairs of boots were soaked, my multiple pairs of pants were soaked.  My shirts were soaked.  My camper had water beads on the walls.
I went to Stone Mountain to camp for 2 nights before I had to return to work.

I will be there this year as well.  Low Gap Creek campground.  Shoot me a PM if you plan on camping.  We can drink beer and eat good food around a campfire.


----------



## jbogg

TopherAndTick said:


> I took off work and went to the early rifle hunt last year.
> Left early because my 2 pairs of boots were soaked, my multiple pairs of pants were soaked.  My shirts were soaked.  My camper had water beads on the walls.
> I went to Stone Mountain to camp for 2 nights before I had to return to work.
> 
> I will be there this year as well.  Low Gap Creek campground.  Shoot me a PM if you plan on camping.  We can drink beer and eat good food around a campfire.



Good company around the campfire sounds good to me.  Hoping to spend at least spend two nights camping.  I will definitely shoot you a PM as we get closer.


----------



## Gerrik

I'll be there for the weekend. Hope the weather isnt awful this year.


----------



## Flaustin1

What are the dates for this years early rifle hunt?  Also is it limited to Chat. WMA?


----------



## Gerrik

Flaustin1 said:


> What are the dates for this years early rifle hunt?  Also is it limited to Chat. WMA?





Last week of September. And, yes, it's just the WMA.


----------



## Buckman18

It's going to be super crowded I bet. Especially if the weather is decent.


----------



## 35 Whelen

Flaustin1 said:


> What are the dates for this years early rifle hunt?  Also is it limited to Chat. WMA?



Chattahoochee WMA - September 24 - October 1

Warwoman WMA also has an early bear and hog rifle hunt - October 22 - 30


----------



## Joe Brandon

I hope some of you have success on the early rifle hunt! I know they must really need some thinning out to be doing one. Good luck guys!


----------



## Flaustin1

Thanks fellas, anybody gonna be up during the week?  Of course, the opening weekend is my weekend to work.


----------



## jbogg

I am hoping to hunt Saturday-Tuesday.  I will be watching the weather as we get close and will change my plans to hunt the best weather window if neccessary.  Not sure yet where I will be camping.  May do a backpack hunt along the AT.


----------



## Flaustin1

that would be an awesome hunt!


----------



## Tio Hey Seuss

Don't let bad weather discourage you dude. The bears will be out in the rain and most other hunters won't. If you're willing to get a little wet it's way easier to sneak in close if you like still hunting. I took a bear and a hog during that early gun hunt last year and saw several more over the course of 3 days. All in the rain. Also had good success on pretty windy days.


----------



## jbogg

Tio Hey Seuss said:


> Don't let bad weather discourage you dude. The bears will be out in the rain and most other hunters won't. If you're willing to get a little wet it's way easier to sneak in close if you like still hunting. I took a bear and a hog during that early gun hunt last year and saw several more over the course of 3 days. All in the rain. Also had good success on pretty windy days.



Glad to hear the bear activity doesn't slow down due to rain.  Over time I became a fair weather hunter when deer hunting since I only hunted out of stands and never saw much moving during rain storms.  Still hunting seems much better than sitting in one spot getting wet.  I am looking forward to giving it a try.


----------



## Jason C

We will be there hope to see one .


----------



## Buckman18

Jason C said:


> We will be there hope to see one .



You better bring your own rock to sit on. A friend and I hunted Chattahoochee this weekend 2 miles from the truck. He had 4 different hunters walk up on him. I was 3.5 miles from the truck and had a hunter walk up on me. Why a hunter would be walking at 9 am on opening day of bow season on a WMA is beyond me, but that gun hunt is going to be a mad house!


----------



## tree cutter 08

That would be my guess as well. Chattahoochee is one of the most pressured WMAs for early season bear. Chestatee is also having a early gun hunt for bear in October and my guess is it will be half as crowded.


----------



## ripplerider

I was just looking at the wma bowhunting summary in the new GON. Doesnt list bears but does show numbers of hunters. Chattahoochee had triple the amount of hunters than Chestatee and Swallows Creek.


----------



## Jason C

I have had it happen twice in the past 8 years where someone came up since I have been going for the bear.


----------



## Killer Kyle

Yeah, I'm curious how many people are going to be there for the early rifle this year. I hope I can find some place to park!  Lots of the food plots are in great shape this year. Seeing lots of great clover fields, sorghum/pea/wheat fields. I just with Chattahoochee would plant some corn fields sometime. I have never seen one there, but boy, you could straight murder some bears in a cornfield.


----------



## Gerrik

Yeah, couple of those sorghum/clover fields are looking good. Of course, those will be covered up with orange vests next weekend.


----------



## Killer Kyle

True indeed!!


----------



## T-N-T

A better bet would be to adjacent to a field.
Not the field.

I saw once on the Chat hunt, a ground blind on a food plot.  I stopped my truck at the guys parked truck on the road.  Looked at the food plot, which could be seen fully from his parked truck and 100 yards worth of road.  
So, in review, pop your blind where you can watch the field, and your truck, and see the GW drive up....
Recipe for success!


----------



## Killer Kyle

TopherAndTick said:


> A better bet would be to adjacent to a field.
> Not the field.
> 
> I saw once on the Chat hunt, a ground blind on a food plot.  I stopped my truck at the guys parked truck on the road.  Looked at the food plot, which could be seen fully from his parked truck and 100 yards worth of road.
> So, in review, pop your blind where you can watch the field, and your truck, and see the GW drive up....
> Recipe for success!



I was hunting a food plot the year before last and was set back in the trees. This was bow season. A guy walked in the field, hung some doe urine on one side, then walked straight to me to hang some right where I was sitting. I stopped him at about fifteen yards, said "hey!", and waved at him. He said "oh, oh my god, so sorry!" Keep in mind this was after 9:00 a.m. He was wearing blue jeans, a brown shirt, and had some sort of pack on. He left. About five minutes later, I hear a loud zipping sound. I packed up, and walked to my left to have a look. He was setting up a giant ground blind just 40 yards to my left, and SMACK in the middle of the deer trail where the deer ALWAYS come from, and right on the edge of the field. I looked at him, said "you have GOT to be kidding me!", and threw my hands up. He just looked at me, shrugged, and kept on a zippin'. The only time that has ever happened to me, but boy was I upset. Some folks have no tact, and no finesse!


----------



## T-N-T

Killer Kyle said:


> I was hunting a food plot the year before last and was set back in the trees. This was bow season. A guy walked in the field, hung some doe urine on one side, then walked straight to me to hang some right where I was sitting. I stopped him at about fifteen yards, said "hey!", and waved at him. He said "oh, oh my god, so sorry!" Keep in mind this was after 9:00 a.m. He was wearing blue jeans, a brown shirt, and had some sort of pack on. He left. About five minutes later, I hear a loud zipping sound. I packed up, and walked to my left to have a look. He was setting up a giant ground blind just 40 yards to my left, and SMACK in the middle of the deer trail where the deer ALWAYS come from, and right on the edge of the field. I looked at him, said "you have GOT to be kidding me!", and threw my hands up. He just looked at me, shrugged, and kept on a zippin'. The only time that has ever happened to me, but boy was I upset. Some folks are stoopid]



Fixed it for ya


----------



## Killer Kyle

Hahaha thanks for fixing that typo for me C!


----------



## jbogg

The weather looks fantastic for this weekend. I am on injured reserve with a bum Achilles,  but planning on pounding the Vitamin I between now and then and pushing through.  Pros play hurt.  I would appreciate a couple of you guys pushing a bear my way out of those laurel thickets.  I will be sitting against that real big oak tree up on that ridge.


----------



## Gerrik

*Just don't miss*

when  I push one to ya. I'll be stalking the ridges, and trying to catch 'em moving away from people. But, I'm quick on the draw, so you might not get a shot!


----------



## PappyHoel

Buckman18 said:


> You better bring your own rock to sit on. A friend and I hunted Chattahoochee this weekend 2 miles from the truck. He had 4 different hunters walk up on him. I was 3.5 miles from the truck and had a hunter walk up on me. Why a hunter would be walking at 9 am on opening day of bow season on a WMA is beyond me, but that gun hunt is going to be a mad house!



This has been my experience on every wma or public land hunt that I have ever been on.  No matter how far you walk some yahoo will walk up on you.


----------



## Flaustin1

anybody going to be there mon-wed?


----------



## humdandy

Hunted there in bow season for the past 3 years and have never ran into another hunter.  Guess I'm hunting the wrong places.

Opening weekend there were 25 people signed in.......of course that does not count the number of folks who didn't sign in or signed in online.


----------



## Gerrik

I walked in with one guy opening morning. Met a couple more on the hike out. Just get away from the roads, and you don't see people. Or, since that's the general advice, maybe hunt near a road. That'll throw the bears off their game.


----------



## Buckman18

humdandy said:


> Hunted there in bow season for the past 3 years and have never ran into another hunter.  Guess I'm hunting the wrong places.
> 
> Opening weekend there were 25 people signed in.......of course that does not count the number of folks who didn't sign in or signed in online.



Did you have any luck?


----------



## humdandy

Buckman18 said:


> Did you have any luck?



First year I saw hogs, deer a sow with cubs.
Second year I saw hogs and a sow with 3 cubs........the saw was standing 9 ft from me........I was on the ground!
This past year I saw one nice bear Friday before season opened.


----------



## Hammer Spank

humdandy said:


> First year I saw hogs, deer a sow with cubs.
> Second year I saw hogs and a sow with 3 cubs........the saw was standing 9 ft from me........I was on the ground!
> This past year I saw one nice bear Friday before season opened.



You must have one heck of a knowledgeable guide!


----------



## T-N-T

Flaustin1 said:


> anybody going to be there mon-wed?



I'm camping in Low Gap Creek campground Friday night through Wed morning.  Coleman travel trailer with white ram 2500 4 door.

Y'all swing in and drank a beer.



I have walked up on other hunters very little.  And only on roads as I was headed somewhere else.  
People tend to hunt the same places there.  Easy to get to places.  I mean like the "I don't want to walk on hills that make my smokers lungs have a fit" places.
People hunt stupid lazy these days


----------



## humdandy

Hammer Spank said:


> You must have one heck of a knowledgeable guide!



I will say this, what he lacks in knowledge (which is a bunch) he makes up in dedication and hardwork.


----------



## Hammer Spank

humdandy said:


> I will say this, what he lacks in knowledge (which is a bunch) he makes up in dedication and hardwork.



I doubt he lacks anything except social tact


----------



## Flaustin1

TopherAndTick said:


> I'm camping in Low Gap Creek campground Friday night through Wed morning.  Coleman travel trailer with white ram 2500 4 door.
> 
> Y'all swing in and drank a beer.
> 
> 
> 
> I have walked up on other hunters very little.  And only on roads as I was headed somewhere else.
> People tend to hunt the same places there.  Easy to get to places.  I mean like the "I don't want to walk on hills that make my smokers lungs have a fit" places.
> People hunt stupid lazy these days



I doubt youll have service to see this but keep an eye out for me Monday.  Green Toyota Tundra.


----------



## Hammer Spank

This hunt on top of the unbelievable amount of pressure they have already gotten on that wma is going to push them north into the completely roadless NF areas and NE into swallows. Swallows is going to be loaded with bears come October. Bears are not like deer. They dont accept humans all of a sudden if there is food to be found elsewhere.


----------



## O-Country

Dang it's to hot to hunt but I did find some good sign if it will cool off a little. Bad dry a creek I have been crossing sense I was 9 with my pop and it is only the 2nd time it was dried up in all the years. Come on cool and rain.


----------



## jbogg

O-Country said:


> Dang it's to hot to hunt but I did find some good sign if it will cool off a little. Bad dry a creek I have been crossing sense I was 9 with my pop and it is only the 2nd time it was dried up in all the years. Come on cool and rain.



I went last week and didn't pack as much water as I normally do since I knew I would be able to refill my water bottles on my way out at a spring that I have never seen go dry.  Wrong!  Thanks to Joe Brandon for bailing me out with the last of his water.  I won't be making that mistake again.


----------



## Joe Brandon

jbogg said:


> I went last week and didn't pack as much water as I normally do since I knew I would be able to refill my water bottles on my way out at a spring that I have never seen go dry.  Wrong!  Thanks to Joe Brandon for bailing me out with the last of his water.  I won't be making that mistake again.



Hey brother that's what we do. I had never been there so I didn't anticipate the  water source, if I had I wouldn't have bought all the water I did either. Nature is unforgiving!


----------



## Killer Kyle

O-Country said:


> Dang it's to hot to hunt but I did find some good sign if it will cool off a little. Bad dry a creek I have been crossing sense I was 9 with my pop and it is only the 2nd time it was dried up in all the years. Come on cool and rain.



Hey O, we hunted up near you this evening. Saw your nephew and his boy on the way out and talked for a minute. We sat in a big white oak Grove with lots of acorns near an ivy thicket and some feeding sign, and we didn't see squat! Any luck your way?


----------



## O-Country

Had a deer wind me about daylight that was it.


----------



## T-N-T

I have service on top.  
I'm camped in the first spot on the left in Low Gap campground.

I have found good "few day old" sign.  No right now sign.  The acorns are droping like rain.  Bears can hunker into any area they like and not move for days right now.  

This place gets more pass through sight seers and campers than most places.  The traffic can't affect them that much?


----------



## Gerrik

I shot one yestartday afternoon. Looked for about 3 hours & couldn't find it. Went back this morning, & still couldn't find it. 

Followed you guys advice, found some fresh sign, and sat on a ridge leading to a saddle. Listened to trucks pass the entire time. Those animals are used to people. If I told you were I was, you wouldn't believe me. But, I' will say that I was only about 300yrds from where I parked.


----------



## Hammer Spank

Call in a dog ASAP. Bears are notoriously bad bleeders but they usually die very quickly, just in terrible places. There are several blood dogs in that area. Ive probably been down 30 or more bear blood trails. Often times the perfect double lung shots leave absolutely zero blood


----------



## Gerrik

Had a dog with me this morning. Blood was sporadic for the first hundred yards or so. Ranged out hundreds of yards in every direction. No dice. Given where I was, think it tried to cross the river.


----------



## tree cutter 08

Went yesterday evening and this evening. Didn't see anything but acorns. There will be tons and tons that will rot this year. Where we went this evening a bear had layed down looked like last night and just gorged himself on white oaks. I guess he be back tonight sometime to do it again. Buck Berry's and Ivy's so thick can't see but 15 or 20 yards but that's were there using good.


----------



## Hammer Spank

Big bear?  Gut shot?


----------



## Gerrik

Hammer Spank said:


> Big bear?  Gut shot?



I've never shotbine before, so I'm not a good judge of size. It was bigger than my dog, and she weighs about 90lbs. 

Downward angle, quartering away, across a ravine. I think I might have hit 'no mans land'.


----------



## T-N-T

That sucks man. 
Very exciting and then very disappointing.


----------



## T-N-T

Me and killer Kyle just had a guy look at us through his rifle scope!!!
At 50 yards tops!  

Saw our orange, stopped for 2 minutes and then scoped us to see who we were.
Then called out Josh?
We were waving orange and shaking head no.

My God man.  If you read this, you came super close to getting two scopes on you.  And a maybe a nice 3 round burst in you general direction.  

SMH.


----------



## Gerrik

Glad I didn't have that experience. I only saw people when I was driving in & out. Be careful out there.


----------



## Buckman18

TopherAndTick said:


> Me and killer Kyle just had a guy look at us through his rifle scope!!!
> At 50 yards tops!
> 
> Saw our orange, stopped for 2 minutes and then scoped us to see who we were.
> Then called out Josh?
> We were waving orange and shaking head no.
> 
> My God man.  If you read this, you came super close to getting two scopes on you.  And a maybe a nice 3 round burst in you general direction.
> 
> SMH.



I hope you walked over to him and slapped him and told him to go back home.


----------



## T-N-T

Buckman18 said:


> I hope you walked over to him and slapped him and told him to go back home.



Aren't you glad I didn't treat you like that Saturday morning.


----------



## Killer Kyle

We insulted his mother, the gave him a swift kick in the rear. First time I have ever been scoped in the woods that I know of.


----------



## T-N-T

Said him momma only gave live birth to idiots.


----------



## T-N-T

He was wearing shorts and a tee shirt.

If you see him, run.


----------



## Joe Brandon

Guy I know got shot last year on cohutta. Glad you two are okay. Just to hear that scares the tar outta me. I will be praying for all on the early gun hunt.


----------



## T-N-T

Joe Brandon said:


> Guy I know got shot last year on cohutta. Glad you two are okay. Just to hear that scares the tar outta me. I will be praying for all on the early gun hunt.



Unacceptable.
A man should never be shot even when he is wearing a fur coat


----------



## Joe Brandon

TopherAndTick said:


> Unacceptable.
> A man should never be shot even when he is wearing a fur coat



100% correct. Him and his son saw the guy and they were both waving orange as well. First thing the old man taught me was to never point a firearm unless you are going to fire it. They are not binos!!!


----------



## O-Country

TopherAndTick said:


> He was wearing shorts and a tee shirt.
> 
> If you see him, run.



I seen one at the check station yesterday dressed like that. I've been scoped before and hollered at him so he knew then it was somebody and he took off. Can't fix stupid. Binos I always use them.

Found some sign only thing that came through this morning was a coyote.


----------



## Buckman18

TopherAndTick said:


> Aren't you glad I didn't treat you like that Saturday morning.



Ha! I had my daughter for back up if I needed her! 

This guy wasn't dressed like a clown was he?


----------



## T-N-T

Buckman18 said:


> Ha! I had my daughter for back up if I needed her!
> 
> This guy wasn't dressed like a clown was he?



I don't mess with no girls toting guns.  Ever.

Clowns get shot


----------



## jbogg

What's the word on the gun hunt?  How many have been checked in?  I hunted Sunday morning from daylight until noon and did not hear a single shot.  Hoping to go again on Friday morning.  Supposed to be much cooler than last weekend.


----------



## T-N-T

jbogg said:


> What's the word on the gun hunt?  How many have been checked in?  I hunted Sunday morning from daylight until noon and did not hear a single shot.  Hoping to go again on Friday morning.  Supposed to be much cooler than last weekend.



I saw NO sign out sheet.  Not even for Hogs?

I heard 4 shots from Sat morning to Monday night. 

Cannot tell you what they connected with though.

I know a guy in the Low Gap campground kilt a hog Mon. though.


----------



## jbogg

TopherAndTick said:


> I saw NO sign out sheet.  Not even for Hogs?
> 
> I heard 4 shots from Sat morning to Monday night.
> 
> Cannot tell you what they connected with though.
> 
> I know a guy in the Low Gap campground kilt a hog Mon. though.



Wow!  They weren't kidding when they said the acorn bonanza would make for a tough year.  I have only hunted two mornings, and both times at around 3500'.  The springs up high are all dry so I wonder if that might be driving the bear a little lower.  I did find several springs flowing strong at around 3200'.  I realize a couple hundred feet in elevation isn't much, but with acorns spread throughout all elevations there would be no need for them to hang out in an area without water as hot as it's been.


----------



## T-N-T

I felt like at times I was walking in a bombed marble factory.  Acorns were as thick as leaves in the ground.


----------



## tree cutter 08

To much food in thick cover. Gone be a tough next month or 2


----------



## Joe Brandon

tree cutter 08 said:


> To much food in thick cover. Gone be a tough next month or 2



Not for you, I bet you bag one lol!


----------



## Flaustin1

TopherAndTick said:


> I have service on top.
> I'm camped in the first spot on the left in Low Gap campground.
> 
> I have found good "few day old" sign.  No right now sign.  The acorns are droping like rain.  Bears can hunker into any area they like and not move for days right now.
> 
> This place gets more pass through sight seers and campers than most places.  The traffic can't affect them that much?



Never made it up.  Daughter got sick and had to go to Urgent Care Monday morning.


----------



## T-N-T

Flaustin1 said:


> Never made it up.  Daughter got sick and had to go to Urgent Care Monday morning.



Sorry to hear. Hope all is better.


----------



## jbogg

Heading up in the morning.  Temps should be in the mid 40s up high.  Hoping that keeps them on their feet longer in the AM.


----------



## O-Country

Sit 6am. To 5 pm 2 squirrels and birds seen. Hunted a water hole with tons of white oaks ( when the wind puffed you needed a hard hat) good sign but I think it's being done at last light or night. To far in for me to get one any size out so I moved closer in for the tomorrow morning hunt. From what I've seen food will rot
 before it gets eat theres so much. As far as water found several places they have dug for it and as long as the hogs don't mess it up the will be plenty of sign around it. They seem to leave it when the hogs get in it. I will be sitting a different water hole in the tomorrow.


----------



## DYI hunting

I'm heading out tonight to hunt tomorrow morning.  Going in blind except for some recommendations from friends and some topo map spotting.  Trying to setup about 600 yards from any roads and be settled in by 6:00 am.

Do I need a tree stand or is ground hunting good?  If I ground hunt I figured I could quietly stalk a hundred yards or two after daylight if I needed to find a better spot.  But I don't like stalking on a WMA since I run the chance of getting shot or ruin someone's hunt.

Are there hogs around the WMA and are they legal to shoot during the bear hunt?


----------



## T-N-T

Hogs on Chatt?  Oh yeah.  Shoot em all.

Good luck O.  By the way, I'm the guy you met in the rain at the top of the road last year in the rain.  I was in a white ram and the tree was blocking the road...  (Early hunt)


----------



## O-Country

TopherAndTick said:


> Hogs on Chatt?  Oh yeah.  Shoot em all.
> 
> Good luck O.  By the way, I'm the guy you met in the rain at the top of the road last year in the rain.  I was in a white ram and the tree was blocking the road...  (Early hunt)



Yea I remember, good deal you in the first camper in the camp ground? Yaw do any good? So many acorns its gona be a tough year I think. So many acorns and so little water up high that is where I have found most of the sign. I have found several holes in the dry creek beds that they dug to good water. The water hole I set this morning a bear came through at 710 and in the buck berrys I was not sure he was legal for sure but I think he was so I he got a pass. As many acorns as on the ground I bet they gain weight every week for a while now. Good luck.


----------



## twincedargap

Just wondering if its better to bow hunt the NF boundary just outside a WMA during the Chestatee firearm hunt to take advantage of pressure pushing bears out of the WMA proper?  or just find active bear sign areas in the CWMA and hunt them ignoring the pressure?  I have no idea of the hunt will make the woods a zoo w/hunters wandering everywhere and spooking all critters off any routine.


----------



## ripplerider

That would be a good strategy if youre set on using your bow. Chestatee doesnt seem to get the numbers of hunters that Chattahoochee does however. It'll only be a zoo if youre not willing to climb high and far. At least thats been my experience. I love Chestatee, thats where I killed my first deer. It's tough hunting though. I hope to be there Wednesday at least. I always have better luck the first day of the hunt.


----------



## twincedargap

ripplerider said:


> That would be a good strategy if youre set on using your bow. Chestatee doesnt seem to get the numbers of hunters that Chattahoochee does however. It'll only be a zoo if youre not willing to climb high and far. At least thats been my experience. I love Chestatee, thats where I killed my first deer. It's tough hunting though. I hope to be there Wednesday at least. I always have better luck the first day of the hunt.


  Thanks RR.  I don't mind climbing as Im a long distance cyclist & runner. I have an RV lot off 180 as I love to cycle the gaps, so climbing one to hunt won't hurt as much.  I think I'll bow hunt it this long weekend coming up and use that time to pre-scout the firearm season.  If its too crowded, then I can always do plan B and jump over the AT and bow hunt the other side.  Thanks for the feed back.  Good luck Wednesday.


----------



## tree cutter 08

Yea chestatee doesn't get near the attention as others. Its rough country and hard to hunt in places. Theres a ridge or 2 there that I bet goes years without seeing a hunter.


----------



## twincedargap

I'll try the hard way and hope it works. Will have a pack in case I get lucky.


----------



## Jason C

I went Wednesday thru Saturday and saw some bear sign over where I hunt, but no bear.. Man you guys are right the acorns are everywhere on the hillside. I heard one shot while I was there.


----------



## T-N-T

O-Country said:


> Yea I remember, good deal you in the first camper in the camp ground? Yaw do any good? So many acorns its gona be a tough year I think. So many acorns and so little water up high that is where I have found most of the sign. I have found several holes in the dry creek beds that they dug to good water. The water hole I set this morning a bear came through at 710 and in the buck berrys I was not sure he was legal for sure but I think he was so I he got a pass. As many acorns as on the ground I bet they gain weight every week for a while now. Good luck.



We saw a buck.  Fork horn.  I'll look for him in few years.


----------

