Hunting in West Virginia
 

I'm looking for a lease or hunt club in WV to hunt bear, deer and turkey. I would only be hunting a few times a year. I hunt out of a tent so having a place that offers electric and water is a plus. Thanks in advance for your help.

I'm planning on hunting public land in WV this season. Going down a few times this summer to camp/scout a few spots with the family. Then hopefully find some deer in season. Doesn't really help you much, but good luck!
-Jake

With being from another state I'm not to crazy about hunting nor camping on public land.

Why?


...

Camping in a tent you really can't secure much. Leaving stands/cameras on public land usually results in them growing legs. Locals seeing an out of state license plate. I'm not trying to be negative just stating the facts. Hunting on private ground/gated with others knowing you're suppose to be there does give you a more secure feeling but all of the above could still happen.

Public land in the east is WAY different than in the west. There are often tons of people on limited sized properties, what car said are some legitimate concerns. There is a WMA not that far from me that will have over 50 cars in the lot on opening day. The land is less than 1000 acres total, and its not uncommon to have 75-100 people hunting there. Ridiculous.

Car, I can't help you on clubs...don't know any. I know a guy that joined a club down in the southern part of the state... I think in the 4 bowhunting only counties. Big parcels of private land, giant bucks. The deer population is quite low down there, but the size of the bucks due to bow only is pretty amazing. Not sure if that is something you are after or not. I haven't talked to him in a while, he seemed excited about it when he joined.

Tons of hunters are here too. Besides i'm originally from Mass and hunted all over New England.

I bear hunt in NH and Maine!

I liked bear hunting better back there. Too much land here for bear hunting. In the fall they can roam 10-15 miles a day. It takes some luck to find one.

I've never done well when I have to depend on luck to hunt. I can pattern elk, but not bears.

Water is the key to patterning bear in CO and the rest the Southern Rockies. In the fall they are eating a lot and they need a lot of water. Find the water source they like using and make that the center of your pattern. I took all my bear in CO by focusing on water and not food sources since water is not as widely available in most places there and they have to water at least once a day, twice when it is hot.

Good idea, but where I hunt there's a gazillion creeks everywhere.

I've had my best luck trying to catch one at natural food. When that fails I try to call one in. Kind of spooky when hunting alone. I always feel one is sneaking up behind me. Along with cats doing the same thing.

But bear won't use all of them. Normally bear will water in a place where they have thick cover nearby and along the routes to the food sources. If you locate their preferred watering places then you have an ace in the hole. Often they water after dark so you set up on the travel routes from food sources or cover and take them enroute to the water.

This is a tough area to hunt bears. I see enough sign, but last year only one bear was taken for all seasons.

I think the smart bears live near me. I'll keep trying though.

Bears are really a very secretive animal and you don't see them often even where there's a decent population of them like in upper MI. I've hunted up around my place in northern MI for 40+ years and have only run into one last year just as it was getting light during a Spring turkey hunt and one right at dark years ago when I was coming back into the cabin from an evening deer stand.

I agree 100%. The first year I had I hunted in WV I was lucky enough to have 5 different bears come in bow range of me. Most were smaller bears, 100-125 range, a 300lb sow with cubs and a real nice one came in after it was to dark to shoot. Last year I didn't have as much time to go down and only saw one. I did take a small 8 pt buck during gun season. I'm looking for something a little closer to home. I made 7 trips the first year, lol.

It's more than that. One bear killed in my area, and 70 killed in another area. I can't kill what isn't there.

I'm not new at this. ;)

I actually love the challenge. You know me. I hate easy hunts.

If you're seeing sign, as you claim, then the bear are there. You're just not hunting them right. You're down by Buena Vista aren't you? Spend a lot of time checking out avalanche slide areas. I hunted Mtn Goat over by Mt Huron and we glassed several bear feeding on berries in slides while looking for a big billy. Bear like slide areas because they keep the thick trees wiped out and a lot of berries grow in them. Not many hunters think to look over those areas.

I live in Buena Vista and I know how to hunt for bear. I've been doing it for 6 decades. I never asked how to hunt. I simply stated it's a tough area to get a bear. 300 hunters and one bear shows that.

Forget about me. Do you think all 300 hunters don't know how to hunt? I see some sign now and then. Not much. Try to find one in 100,000 acres. Maybe it's bigger. It's 5 units.

I invite you to come hunt for bear here. The tags are simple to get with no points. That should tell you something. Let me know how it works out for you.


btw Talk to the local warden. Ask him about hunting the area for bear. He'll tell you to forget it.



With all that said I called in two bears last year, but they circled me and caught my scent. I'll get one. I'd prefer to still hunt into one of them, but it's difficult. Too many hunters around.

Well, excuse the heck out of me for giving a tip that led me to see several bear in your area. But then I forgot, you do seem to know so much more than all the rest of us. Enjoy your bowl of tag soup if you won't accept a little input from others.

I don't know why I even bother with you. By the way, didn't you say you put me on ignore?

You offered help when I didn't ask for it. I said it's a tough area to hunt for bear and the stats prove that.

I never said I know everything, but you seem to think you do. Of course you've seen bear here. You've hunted the whole world and tell us constantly.

Whether I do or don't put you on ignore is my business.


btw I never said I didn't get bears here. Unlike you, I don't talk about my hunts/kills.

Which is why I offered a tip that you may not have known about. Got another one as well that a game warden told me, watch clear grassy areas with lots of ant hills because bear will feed heavily on ant larvae when berry and scrub oak yields are low.

I really don't care if you use the info but others may find it handy. By the way, you're welcome and I hope you fill your tags even if you have limited social skills.

Have a nice day Petey.

I come to forums to help others. If you've read my posts you'll know that I think a hunter should do the whole hunt themselves. I don't claim to be a know it all, but I have been at it awhile. It would be sad if I didn't know what I was doing at this point.

I understand you were trying to help, but you should know me by now. I'm never going to ask for help. Especially, when I don't feel I need it. It goes against everything that I am. I love figuring out problems myself. It's the only way I can feel good about my hunts. I'm not pushing this on others. It's just who I am.

So, lets put this behind us. It was just a misunderstanding.


For the record I do see enough bears. I just don't see a lot of shooters. I prefer an older boar. Not for the trophy, but the challenge. The hide and head goes to my friend who's 100% Cheyenne. He takes all my hides. The meat goes to my dog since he's my whole family. So, what i'm getting from the hunt is the challenge and the joy of the hunt. The harder it is the more joy. :)

I hope you are successful this fall. I'm sure I will be.

Peace

Not sure why I even try.

If you want to give out info. Just post it, but don't direct it at me. Somehow I take it personally when a post is made to me.

It wasn't made to you or at you. It was a continuation on some of the info you put out about how hard it was to hunt your area. Others may have the same trouble or may not know about avalanche slides or ant larvae. Heck, I'm willing to bet you didn't know about the ants because I sure didn't until a game warden told me. So think of things like that it as an addition if you will. The solution is simple: If you don't like what I post, ignore it. No reason to take everything so personal or get confrontational.

By the way, why would you tell someone to ask a game warden if you think they should learn everything on their own? Seems like that contradicts your statement doesn't it? Also it is kind of funny how on one of my comments you would say: "Good idea, but where I hunt there's a gazillion creeks everywhere." and then later you would tell me to pound sand when I give another bit of info.

However, I still hope you have a nice day Petey!

Never said I asked a warden.

You never told me anything I didn't know, and my name is Pete.

btw It's pretty hard to ignore a post when you quote me. Do I really need to tell you that?

when someone thinks they know it all they never learn anything
RR

You don't have to know it all to know a lot.

you don't have to know a lot to think you know it all
RR

Never said you asked a warden. But you did tell me to ask one didn't you? Do you need me to cut and paste it for you or will you look for yourself.

Night night Petey, sleep tight. You old folks need your rest. Have a nice day Petey.

Easy fellas. Public forum, all info(if it's good advice) is good to have here because allot of people read the forums. Anything posted here is public and will show up when somebody searches for it. In this case, I learned some good stuff about bear.
-Jake

x2 for me too!

That's true and you're a good example of that.

btw All your posts in this thread are trolling. I will say you know it all about that.