# What to bring to Ossabaw?



## oldfatbubba (Nov 7, 2011)

Hello, everone:

Beyond normal camping and hunting gear, what are some of 'must have' items a hunter will need for the Ossabaw hunts?   For example, are chest waders needed, is a walk-in available or should I bring a big cooler, do I need to bring fresh water for the entire hunt, etc.   For what it's worth, I'm applying for the February hog hunt. 

Regards,
Bubba


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## badcompany (Nov 7, 2011)

I would suggest some sort of cushion for riding on the trailers. Absolutely no suspension on them things. A thermo-cell is a must if it is above 40 degrees. We just got back Sunday from there. They claim the water at the sink behind coolers is drinkable, didn't taste it myself. Knee high boots are all I've used. There is a walk-in area you can hunt but I would go out at least one day just to enjoy the whole experience.
They were starting on the new check station today. Don't know how long it will take to finish. Was told they would be building new bath house also.


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## Russ Toole (Nov 8, 2011)

No chest waders, just knee high boots.  They have water to boil, but I bring my own water to drink.  The water they have has a strong sulphur smell.  Thermocell, Bring your own firewood and you will be glad.  Some guys work hours getting firewood, even toting chainsaws.  Just bring 4 bundles if you can and if you need more you can find it from when people leave early from their sites.
Extra cooler for packing meat out is good, and to use for extra ice.


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## xhunterx (Nov 8, 2011)

you won't need chest waders, just good boots. citronella candles are good around campsite. we pack camping gear in wheeled garbage cans to roll around docks and camping areas while keeping supplies dry and secure. walk in coolers are available of hogs and deer but you must have coolers and ice for your own food and drinks. you need to take everything you think you will possibly need because nothing is available on the island for sale


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## hoochman2 (Nov 9, 2011)

is there a ferry to take you over to the island


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## CreekChub (Nov 9, 2011)

Went there several years back on a deer quota hunt. There
was a boat at the marina pictured above that would take
multiple hunters and gear to the island for a fee.
Pack as light as you can get away with. Once they drop you
off, it's about a 150 yards or so to the camp site. They had
some big heavy wooden carts that you can load your gear
on and push to the site. I think it took all 4 of us to push the
thing and maybe 2 trips.
As soon as we stepped on the dock and this was in december
bugs, flies, mosquitos and a thousand other unidentified
flying things were feasting on our arms and faces. So take
several kinds of bug repellant. It barely even discouraged
them.
TAKE A COMPASS, once off the road, everything looks the
same. You can walk 30 yards from the road and you can't
see it anymore.
I also took a rope tub and a tarp and made an improvised
shower. I can tell you that came in handy after a couple days.


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## Jared Bookhardt (Nov 28, 2011)

You also may want to take a game cart.  Pack light, but the basics, wood, water, ice, large coolers and air mattress, knee boots, tarps.  Larger the group, share the stuff you take on.  If it is you by yourself.  Go minimal as possible. Good luck!


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## Throwback (Nov 30, 2011)

Jared Bookhardt said:


> You also may want to take a game cart.  Pack light, but the basics, wood, water, ice, large coolers and air mattress, knee boots, tarps.  Larger the group, share the stuff you take on.  If it is you by yourself.  Go minimal as possible. Good luck!



that's the way we look at it. but i have a 13 year old "wood fetcher" so we don't bring wood! 

T


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## oldfatbubba (Nov 30, 2011)

Thanks very much, everyone.  All of this is very helpful.   I'll keep my fingers crossed that I'm selected.


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## oldfatbubba (Nov 30, 2011)

xhunterx said:


> you won't need chest waders, just good boots. citronella candles are good around campsite. we pack camping gear in wheeled garbage cans to roll around docks and camping areas while keeping supplies dry and secure. walk in coolers are available of hogs and deer but you must have coolers and ice for your own food and drinks. you need to take everything you think you will possibly need because nothing is available on the island for sale


 
 Is this picture from Kilkenny Marina and, does anyone have the name / tel # of the ferry service out to the island?


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## jkoch (Nov 30, 2011)

There is no ferry to Ossabaw. Make your plans to go out of Kilkenny if you are drawn.


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## Danny Leigh (Dec 1, 2011)

oldfatbubba said:


> Is this picture from Kilkenny Marina and, does anyone have the name / tel # of the ferry service out to the island?



If you are selected Kilkenny will send you a letter with all their information. $75 for the round trip.


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## xhunterx (Dec 1, 2011)

that picture is kilkenny marina and sometimes they don't get around to sending the letters out until a week or 2 before your trip. you will get one.  we got selected this year again for the december firearms hunt next week, first time we've been selected where my sons are hunting as adults on their own stands, really looking forward to it. If you still need a good checklist for the island send me a pm with your email and i'll send ya one back.  good luck


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## ehunt (Dec 1, 2011)

rain suit,xtra flashlights/batteries. dont camp close to the water. the wind will blow u all the way to south carolina. man i cant wait i should get drawn next year.


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## papachaz (Dec 1, 2011)

*went to the first hunt this year*

Son in law and i got drawn for the first hunt there this year. a gun hunt during bow season, go figure! LOL

the one thing i will never ever go back there without is a thermacell and PLENTY of refills! i kept mine running every waking minute!

no need to take water, they do have water there. We filled an igloo water cooler from the faucet and used it for coffee, cooking, i even filled my water bottle to take to the woods from it. a sulfer taste and scent, but drinkable.


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## panfish (Dec 2, 2011)

i heard they had showers at one time. is that true? i sent two rejections i hope get picked.


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## papachaz (Dec 2, 2011)

panfish said:


> i heard they had showers at one time. is that true? i sent two rejections i hope get picked.



you would already have your notice if you got picked. you could log into your account at the DNR.org website to double check, but we got email letting us know we were drawn. and then got the letter from Kilkenny marina.

yes they have showers. here's the set up tho. two pipes run around the top of the wall, just open pipe sticking into the shower stall with a ball valve. turn it on and get wet, one is hot, one is cold, no mix. 

as already said, get there EARLY. we arrived at kilkenny at about 1:30 am, and there were already 9 people sitting at the door ahead of us.

as for the one who said take rolling garbage cans, those work great, but make sure they're not overloaded or the extra big ones. we watched a couple of guys really fight to get them through the door on the pontoon boat. 

definitely take a game cart. there is an extra trailer you can load to push your gear to camp, but it had a flat tire and took 6 people to push it. and then it wasn't easy. they do have a couple of garden carts you can use also, but those will stay busy.

the stands that are the farthest northeast are all day stands, they don't come pick you up at lunch or any time during the day, even if you harvest an animal. 

the last time i went was '99, a group of 5 of us and we stacked up the deer and hogs like cordwood. they've really thinned down the herd, this time i didn't even SEE a deer. the storm front that brought that 20 mph wind for the whole 3 day hunt had a lot to do with it also.

also, if you've never been before, you'll be surprised at how small the average deer is. there are some decent sized ones, but for the most part they are small! 

good luck to all that's going!


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## kelbro (Dec 13, 2011)

You wouldn't necessarily have your notice if you applied for the Jan or Fed. Hog hunts, those are not included in the regular online quota hunts and you have to apply by mail and get notified by mail and so far no one reports getting their notices for those hunts. Send me a private message if you want more info Pan, I'm hoping for the feb hunt also, and have been down several times.


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## oldfatbubba (Jan 4, 2012)

*Selected!*

I was very happy to find an acceptance letter in my mailbox last week for the Feb hog hunt!  

So, how the heck do I hunt Ossabaw?   At one point (mid 1990's?), I understand the island was subdivided into 40+ strips which were assigned on a first come, first serve basis.   Is this still the modus operandi or is it now like any other WMA hunt where there is basically no 'claim' to any given area?

 Pumba, beware!


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## Danny Leigh (Jan 4, 2012)

The numbered areas go through 66, but there are several areas that are E and W or N and S. Just counted the areas and there are 82 not counting the walk-in area. 

It's still first come, first choice of where you want to hunt. Some of the areas do allow 2-4 people to hunt the same area, but most are just 1 person.


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## oldfatbubba (Jan 4, 2012)

Danny:

Thanks very much for this map.   I wish it was posted to the DNR site!  

Anyway, I won't ask anyone to divulge their honey hole but are there areas that are "generally" more active than others?

Regards,
Bubba


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## Danny Leigh (Jan 4, 2012)

The hot spots tend to change from year to year, but this year it's hard to say there are any hot spots. We were on the a/c hunt a year ago and there were hogs all over the island. This year the deer hunts took 30 or less hogs each hunt and not nearly as many sightings. We went on the Dec hunt and we took 3 hogs (group of 5), and that's pretty much all we saw regarding hogs. Several of the guys in our group didn't even see a hog which is very unusual. Two years ago Feb. our group of 4 people shot 10 hogs and could have taken several more. Right now the hog population is either hiding out very well or the population is down.


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