Hey everybody, I'm new to the forum and fairly new to deer hunting, especially bowhunting. I've noticed there's a few fellow NC hunters in here and was wondering if anybody was familiar with the Uwharrie National Forest as far as whitetail hunting goes. I live in the western part of the state in Jackson county, the deer hunting here sucks, so I'm planning a trip for the near future to try my luck on some more public hunting land. I've been looking at several different maps of the area but it's just such a large place that I was hoping to get some more specific info on any good hunting areas, camping areas (I'll be pulling a pop-up camper), etc., so I don't have to head into the hunt blind. Hunting on the southwestern side of the Forest would make for a shorter drive but I guess it's not absolutely neccessary. I'll probably make it down for a short bowhunt and later on for an extended rifle hunt. Thanks in advance for any help! Travis
Welcome! no advice for you though, new to the state this year. But, I am confused as to how the Western side is worse for deer hunting... Isn't that Tennessee terrain? Kinda mountainous?
I too am wondering why you say the hunting stinks in the western part of the state. I know the eastern part of TN has some pretty decent hunting and this would be the same general area. Unless NC just does a poor job of managing which I don't think is the case.
I say the deer hunting in my county (Jackson) sucks because it does. I know there are other counties in the "western" district that have a lot of deer and have good deer as well but this isn't the case for my area. It is very mountainous in my area, almost too mountainous. There is basically no agriculture in the area because of the steepness of the land. Anybody that owns a significant amount of land that may be good for deer hunting will not let you hunt it. I don't know why. I always hear people talking about asking farmers and landowners to hunt their property and being successful but for some reason this isn't the case around here. I've lived here my whole life and know everybody but this doesn't help. The public areas are hit so hard by bear hunters every year that there's not much chance of catching a glimpse of a deer during shooting hours. I've talked to old timers that have said they've only seen a handful of deer here in their lifetime and had another old timer bear hunter laugh at me the other day when I saw him in the woods and told him I was deer hunting, and then he continued through the woods where he told me he wasn't going to hunt for my sake, running his dogs, firing his gun, and driving his truck. Sounds like a good place to hunt huh?
Sorry to rant on here! I love the mountains, these mountains just aren't the best for deer hunting. I know the bear hunters have just as much right as I do, and apparently more in this area since they have run me off from hunting an area. I guess I'm just getting impatient. As far as management goes in the area, I know that poaching is a big problem but I don't see much being done about it. The locals have learned to cheat so well that they're hard to catch I guess. My family has been hunting here a long time, deer and bear, and they will tell you the same thing, the deer population isn't good here.
JT, I've lived in Asheboro since the fall of '93. I was born and raised in Sampson County (Clinton) and the deer numbers are greater in the eastern part of the state. However, I don't agree with Jeff that "on average" they grow bigger deer than the central (Piedmont) of the state. (jmho-no issue Jeff) I've been a member of a club in Halifax County but got tired of the travel and expense that goes along with it. They have tremendous numbers and some decent bucks but in my opinion central NC can't be beat (as far as NC goes). Now about Uwharrie. There's a golf course (I'm thinking Jeff has played it) called Tot Hill Farm that one part of the Uwh Nat Forest backs up to. The section I'm talking about entails over 5000 acres (contiguous) has good numbers of deer and turkey. There is a small gravel parking lot at the bottom of the THF driving range on Tot Hill Farm Road off of Hwy 49 S southwest of Asheboro. This section joins in with the Birkhead Wilderness. Lots of draws, ridges, acorn trees you get the picture. Also, close to Badin Lake there are several really good tracts near Ophir that holds good numbers of deer and turkey. If I were you I would spend some quality time here after the New Year walking the hills. I don't recommend hunting once MZ season opens though. Lots more traffic. Good luck! Jay
