JoshKeller

Go to the shooting range. As your leaving the range, take a left. The 1st clearcut after the shooting range on the right. Park there, walk to the left of the clearcut and go straight back... you will come to an old beaver dam thats loaded with grasses, a stream,mountain laurel, and has 4 hills coming together.

Rem1100

3 hrs will put you into good areas...as you're using a camp tent, you're limited to where to the size area needed(trucks included). My recommendation....Rt 150...between Marlington and Richwood. It's wilderness area, with available pull-offs. Deer are NOT behind every tree, but the bucks you will see there are sweet. the key: walking... go far..go deep...but realize that it may be a long drag back to camp!! They have some real wall-hangers running in those mountains... but they ain't cheap. You'll have elbow room..but I advise getting there EARLY in the week before....to ensure a spot, as they are not every 5 feet apart....
your next best option...is GW nat'l Forest around Wardensville... more deer, smaller racks... more hunters, but you can get back far enough....
Good Luck

Duckbutter48

I appreciate the help. We wont be able to leave and set up until Sat morn before rifle season. We are going down into that area this Sunday to scout it out. We have a few good leads so we will checking out different area's. Hopefully we'll find something we like. Im hoping their is still some snow on the ground down there so we can get a good look at some crossings. thx again.

BeltedMag

There may not be as many PA hunters in West Virginia this year. I heard that because of the CWD scare over here that PA isnt allowing certain deer parts to be brought back into the state. This may dicourage some Pennsylvania hunters from hunting here. It would kinda suck to kill i nice buck here only to be stopped at the state line and ticked for bringing illegal parts back in the state. I believe the parts that are banned from being brought back are brains, spinal cords, eyes, spleens, tonsils and lymph nodes. So basically the meat is all you can bring home.

duckbutter, i dont know much about sleepy creek but i do know that i have been seeing tons of deer here on the george washington national forest outside of my home town of Wardensville. I saw at least 10 or 12 today from 3:30 till six when i was out including 2 bucks. I missed 2, its a long story which i just posted in the bowhunting forum titled missed 2 times today, im so frustrated. I have hunted the same spot on the government land 3 times in a week or so and seen deer every time, probably 30 in totat in 3 days, plus several raccoons and squirrels. The only bad thing is it will be overrun with people come rifle season. My little honey hole with be completely surronded with hunters.

The second week of rifle season and muzzleloader would be a good time to hunt there though because usually all the out of staters leave by then and its just the locals and diehards that hang around. I will definetly be hunting the national forest more this year, after all the deer i have been seeing there and since i lost some family land which i usually hunt

Dave

Duckbutter48

Thx for the info. Ive been down through Wardensville area a few times but figured it would be to packed with hunters for what we are looking for. Im pretty sure we are going to hunt the Mong. Forrest. We are riding down to the Otter Creek WMA this Sund to see what its like.
Do most of you guys who go into the WMA's mess with tree stands or just ground hunt. I love using a climber but after reading it sounds like thatll be on more thing I have to lug out of the woods on a extremely long hike. I am kinda leaning against it now but was wondering what others did.

Rem1100

Exactly....what you carry in, you'll have to hump out..I always use an old Baker chain on, that weighs about 4 lbs....you can make one easy enough,tho, an old folding chair/plywood(14x12)/dog chain and a few brackets...small/portable, but no steps...too heavy. Find a climbable tree, and you're good to go..very small, no seat...but yer up.
.....for the 1st trip, I'd still-hunt and learn the terrain...
Good Luck