I'll be hunting in MD and WV some next season and while I have some good contacts in MD I don't in WV. I'm hoping to get some insight on the 4 bow only counties in the SE part of WV(Logan, McDowell, Wyoming, Mingo). I have been found quite a bit of info online(some good, some bad) just wondering if anyone here might have any input. Thanks in advance.
I'm also going to start hunting in Western MD and NE WV. Don't really know anything about those areas but Ive seen some great bucks that were taken in Logan County.
Good luck NEW. I will be hunting MD next season, mostly in September. I want an additional month to buck hunt.
Big deer, rough terrain and even rougher people. Don't hunt alone and carry a big stick that goes boom.
I was born in St. Mary's County and lived around Pax River off and on through my early teens. I'm gonna primarily hunt WMA's on the Southeast side near the Eastern Shore. Love those marsh deer! You hunting private land or public?
Public. Haven't researched anywhere yet although I would like it to be within 1.5 hrs of my house. Looking at Southern MD for the most part.
Yup. I lived in and still hunt some in Pike co. Ky on the Ky WVa state line. If its warm watch for snakes. Good boots are the most important part of your gear. Don't just go bumping along in the dark, you'll fall off a cliff or down a mine crack. Don't expect to see a lot of deer since these areas have very low density. All that said there are some big old deer in there.
I grew up in Mingo County WV. . After I graduated from high school, I moved to Eastern Ky to work in the coalmines. My parents still live in Mingo County. . Its a ''bow only'' County that has ''monster Bucks''! . . My younger (only brother) died in an accident several years ago, and he bow hunted! . . He killed some very nice Bucks! He used to hunt in a place called ''Millers Creek'', but now they have a coalmine there and you can't hunt! My parents live near Gilbert, WV. . Most of the land on route 52 is ''private property'', so I really can't think of any ''public land'' where you could hunt. (I'll have to call a few friends to find out). It seems that when the Hatfield McCoy ATV Trail went in, all of the land was bought up for that!
Sorry to hear about your brother. I appreciate the info, if any of your friends have any tips that would be awesome. I have found some public land in Mingo on the WVdnr page. They list R.D. Bailey Lake(17,218 acres), Elk Creek(6004 acres), Laurel Lake (12,855 acres) as being in and around Mingo. Panther State Forest(11,000 acres) is right next door in McDowell county along with Tug Fork(2002 acres) & Anawalt Lake(1792 acres). There are a couple others in Logan and Wyoming as well, I'm just starting to filter through them all and see which areas might suit me best.
R.D. Bailey Lake is only a few miles from my parents home. . That would be a great place to hunt too! Elk Creek is a ''great'' place too! . . A LOT of big Bucks killed in that area in the past years and my brother hunted that some. I used to Trout fish at Laurel Lake when I was young and lived with my parents. . Some nice Bucks in that area too. . That area has some ''rough people'' and has a lot of snakes! (Copperheads & Rattlesnakes) But, all of the Counties that you mentioned has that! . . (Rough people and snakes) :D Panther State Forest is a great place too and its near the Virginia Border. If I was going to hunt Mingo County, I would hunt Elk Creek and R.D. Bailey!
Better hope ya truck don't get jacked up and whelks stole and keyed and windows knocked out then ya *** beat when they find ya or shot from them ridin around lookin for deer and see your a out of state hunter The miners are rough and don't tolerate out of staters. Plus mtns are rough very steep sheer in alot of places and deer are few. Yes big deer are there but u better think your logics before u step there
I do think it is a good idea to be smart about where you hunt but good grief man...you can not Fear the locals... If you have a questionable area and a trail cam you can setup by the truck...do it. Public Land is just that..public. Bow hunters should be welcomed anywhere in America that there is hunting opportunities but if the area is known to harbor "rough people" ... remember you are the hunter. Offence is sometimes the best defence and with that said..scout. Scouting out your "new" area is a great way to see what is out there. Park your rig somewhere that you can monitor it periodically if needed. When I go into the field my camp and truck are never to far from my effective range. I know who is in the area and how quick I can get in or out of range. I would say to take a drive..scout it out..be seen in the area before your hunt and make a few friends if possible. Most rough people are just people like you and I and the rest can be effectively handled. .. in an appropriate manner. Best of Luck! Get out there! Scout!
Sir by no means am I quoting u to stir a fight I mean this in total respect! But have u ever been to wva? Met the miners and locals? U don't scout them mtns easily. And that's exactly what them 4 county's are is
If the area is not huntable ... whatever the reason. Find new ground. Property that is public is just that. If you feel the area would be a place that you (anyone) would not enjoy the hunt then find new ground. Keep in mind that we are ... those people.
I work in Mingo and hunt there also. As several have said, the terrain is rough being steep and access to good hunting areas is difficult if you don't know the old logging roads and gas well roads. There are some land companies there that will allow hunting with permission. Most of the hunting activity happens during prime time (1st 2 weeks of November) after that mostly just the diehards. As far as the people most of them are as good as gold but you do have the occasional one that is going to be hard to get along with. I have never known of people having there vehicles damaged but I have lost my share of treestands and game cameras but you will find that almost anywhere. There are big bucks there but they are hard to find and even harder to get an arrow into. I am familiar with the Laurel Lake area and there was a monster buck taken there this last season that I saw a pic of. The Miller Creek area that Diamond Outlaw spoke of is actually one of the areas that the land company will allow hunting and there is a coal mine there and you can't access the property they are working on but the other areas you can. That area has traditionally held good deer but there is a fair amount of hunting pressure on the property. Scouting would be the key in these areas, I would not recommend coming in cold or unfamiliar with the area you wish to hunt. I guy I work with killed a 192" green score buck in Nov. '12 so it can be rewarding. If you are truly interested I say go for it.
