# Cohutta wma



## Wayne Mc (Feb 6, 2019)

Traveling down from michigan next Wednesday with my father in law to try our hands at spot and stalk hog hunting.  Never done it before and although starting points/ tips would be nice, I'm really just looking for what not to forget. 
I'm coming equipped with a frame pack,gps,compass,trash bags, skinning knives and all the essential items. We are bringing my f250 with a truck camper I built. 

I'm looking more for the items people don't think of that would be extremely helpful.  In Michigan I hunt , trap, fish and forage for wild edible mushrooms.  I'm going to enjoy the change and the excitement of trying something new and not getting on a hog isn't going to ruin my trip. Heading down on the 13th. 
Thanks Wayne


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## strothershwacker (Feb 6, 2019)

It's a really big place with very unforgiving terrain. That compass will be worth its weight in gold if your up for the hike. There's a little bit of logging goin on on some of the ridge tops outside of the wilderness area of course. Most of the sign seems to be low this year. Several new food plots in the West cowpen area. Not a lot of rooting. Enjoy the MTN and just consider a pig a bonus. They don't come easy on Cohutta. Keep us posted & good luck! Please post anything bout pigs but leave out bear, turkey, & deer info. Just p.m. me with that report ?


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## Wayne Mc (Feb 6, 2019)

We will be staying at the conasauga lake camping area. Will be checking the lower areas for sign,, thanks! 

How well does a garmin gps with topo map do in this are? 

I will deff be posting on my trip, hunting success or just camping success!


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## whitetailfreak (Feb 6, 2019)

You'll not get to Lake Conasauga until the first week of March. The gate will be locked at Taterpatch Mtn and also at the confluence of Mill Creek rd and West Cowpen. Can't go across the top this time of year.


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## WoodlandScout82 (Feb 6, 2019)

I found several large and active hog wallows during my 2 years of hunting up there. As strothershacker said, they were all in the lower elevations. Creek bottoms, deep shady draws. Between 1400 and 1800ft. Just my experience.


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## Wayne Mc (Feb 6, 2019)

whitetailfreak said:


> You'll not get to Lake Conasauga until the first week of March. The gate will be locked at Taterpatch Mtn and also at the confluence of Mill Creek rd and West Cowpen. Can't go across the top this time of year.


This is what I'm trying to figure out ahead of time! Thank you very much sir. What would be my best bet for camping then if I'm coming in from the west side?


WoodlandScout82 said:


> I found several large and active hog wallows during my 2 years of hunting up there. As strothershacker said, they were all in the lower elevations. Creek bottoms, deep shady draws. Between 1400 and 1800ft. Just my experience.


I will deff give the lower elevations my attention.  Thanks


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## Jeff Raines (Feb 6, 2019)

Too bad about lake conasauga.beautiful area with some of the best tasting bass coming out of that cold water


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## strothershwacker (Feb 7, 2019)

Come in on old hwy 2 go straight past the check station there's a big campground on the left before you cross the river.


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## whitetailfreak (Feb 7, 2019)

strothershwacker said:


> Come in on old hwy 2 go straight past the check station there's a big campground on the left before you cross the river.



This is Cottonwood Patch and would make for a fine basecamp for hog huntin. Look at your map and hunt up around jigger creek.


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## chrislibby88 (Feb 7, 2019)

Get a handheld GPS, or the OnX app on your phone.


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## Killinstuff (Feb 7, 2019)

Honestly Cohutta is the last WMA I'd going looking for pork at.  Its pretty and all but you'll be real lucky to even see a pig there in a week of hunting. Ft. Stewart on the other hand has a nice campground and you're likely to see pigs everyday if you hunt hard.  Need to register your guns and follow the rules to the T but it's worth it.  I'll still poke around on some of the other WMA's south of Stewart just to see if the grass is greener......It ain't.


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## Hillbilly stalker (Feb 7, 2019)

Did they get the online gun registration working properly ?


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## Wayne Mc (Feb 7, 2019)

strothershwacker said:


> Come in on old hwy 2 go straight past the check station there's a big campground on the left before you cross the river.


Perfect thanks. That's where we will likely start!


Killinstuff said:


> Honestly Cohutta is the last WMA I'd going looking for pork at.  Its pretty and all but you'll be real lucky to even see a pig there in a week of hunting. Ft. Stewart on the other hand has a nice campground and you're likely to see pigs everyday if you hunt hard.  Need to register your guns and follow the rules to the T but it's worth it.  I'll still poke around on some of the other WMA's south of Stewart just to see if the grass is greener......It ain't.


If I lived closer I would be all about it but the registration thing I know nothing about. Would love to trade some ice fishing guiding for some help figuring out this hog thing. 

Couple lake trout from today...Mid Michigan...


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## Rabun (Feb 11, 2019)

Those are some serious lakers!  Hope you get a crack at a pig or several!!  Something you probably will have but didn't mention is surgical gloves for dressing out your pigs...highly recommend.  Oh yea...blue-emu for after you hike those hills 

Good luck!


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## chrislibby88 (Feb 12, 2019)

Rabun said:


> Those are some serious lakers!  Hope you get a crack at a pig or several!!  Something you probably will have but didn't mention is surgical gloves for dressing out your pigs...highly recommend.  Oh yea...blue-emu for after you hike those hills
> 
> Good luck!


I will second the gloves. I always carry 10 or so pairs in my pack, along with a skinning knife, boning knife, and sometimes a small folding bone saw, and some cotton meat bags. I also hunt with a milsurp framed pack for carrying the quarters out. Packing your meat out is a game changer if you hunt more than 200 yards off the road, and even if you don’t, a short drag in hill country can really break you down.


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## GP Burdell (Feb 14, 2019)

Wayne Mc said:


> Perfect thanks. That's where we will likely start!
> 
> If I lived closer I would be all about it but the registration thing I know nothing about. Would love to trade some ice fishing guiding for some help figuring out this hog thing.
> View attachment 958413View attachment 958414
> Couple lake trout from today...Mid Michigan...


Holy cow those are some big trout.  Good for you!


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## J3Holt (Feb 16, 2019)

Let us know how it went!


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## 175FO (Feb 18, 2019)

Hillbilly stalker said:


> Did they get the online gun registration working properly ?



I used it last year.  It works, but you still have to pick it up in person.


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## Joe Brandon (Feb 22, 2019)

Bring your lungs.


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## baddave (Feb 22, 2019)

someone correct me if i'm wrong , but i believe you're going to to be limited to small game weapons on a WMA.. so hogs would be .22 mag or ??


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## Timberman (Feb 22, 2019)

baddave said:


> someone correct me if i'm wrong , but i believe you're going to to be limited to small game weapons on a WMA.. so hogs would be .22 mag or ??



Furbearer season is part of small game. You can use .17 cal centerfire and up.


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## Killer Kyle (Feb 22, 2019)

Yep. Centerfires are allowed now on WMA's with a furbeaer season. I believe Cohutta is open for furbearer so any modern firearm should be legal.

I hope you have some luck up here man. Check gentle south slopes (more sunlight) at the heads of creeks. Check around planted food plots if you can find them.
Hogs will most likely ne down low in or around the bottoms this time of year. The wind and is cold on the ridgetops this time of year.

Good lucknon your first attempt. It will be tough. Cover a lot of ground and be patient. When you hear them, you'll know. Often you can smell their musky smell around rooting if it is fresh. If you smell them around where they were rooting, you probably aren't far behind them.

Good luck, and give us a report after your trip. I'd love to see how it turned out for you!

Awesome work on those big lake trout also! Aint many trout that size roaming the waters in GA. Those things are yyuuuugggeee!!


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