Question for the WV hunters
11-06-2002, 08:44 AM
#1
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Buford GA USA
Posts: 567
Question for the WV hunters
I am leaving Georgia on Friday morning headed up to Monterville (Just above Valley Head) to bowhunt the Kumbrabow Forest for a week. I have a few questions for you guys, if you do not mind.
1. What is the weather forecast for next week. weather.com is forecasting slightly warmer temps than I expected. Our group comes up every year, and we seem to be coming later every year trying to get the cold weather. Temps in the 50's was much warmer than I had thought, that is the temps I am having here today.
2. What is the status of the rut in that area, if anyone knows?
3. What is the mast and cherry crop like? Like I said, this is much later than we normally come up, and I do not expect much, if any, to still be on the ground. If there is not any mast I need to be looking at the edges CRP fields. If there is some mast left in some of the surrounding areas it drastically changes the areas I will be hunting.
Thanks for any help guys.
1. What is the weather forecast for next week. weather.com is forecasting slightly warmer temps than I expected. Our group comes up every year, and we seem to be coming later every year trying to get the cold weather. Temps in the 50's was much warmer than I had thought, that is the temps I am having here today.
2. What is the status of the rut in that area, if anyone knows?
3. What is the mast and cherry crop like? Like I said, this is much later than we normally come up, and I do not expect much, if any, to still be on the ground. If there is not any mast I need to be looking at the edges CRP fields. If there is some mast left in some of the surrounding areas it drastically changes the areas I will be hunting.
Thanks for any help guys.
11-06-2002, 09:26 AM
#2
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Hico, WV USA
Posts: 393
RE: Question for the WV hunters
When your talking about Randolph Co. weather.....you never know what you will get. I was digging ramps up there last year and it was 50 at the base of the mountain and snowing on top.....and they have had measurable snow in the last week.
I can't tell you anything about the rut activity or what the mast is like....it seems the mast varies greatly from county to county this year. Some have hit big, others are bone dry.
If you call the forest superintendent, he will be able to give you that information. I went up there for spring gobbler season two years ago and he was a huge help in telling me the general areas where he had been seeing the birds etc.
You can call either of these numbers, (304) 335-2219
1-800-CALL WVA (if you call the 800 simply ask for Kumbrabow and they will patch you through) and ask for Matt. His last name escapes me right now....but I know his first name is Matt, he should be able to help you out.
Good luck...
Pat in WV
I can't tell you anything about the rut activity or what the mast is like....it seems the mast varies greatly from county to county this year. Some have hit big, others are bone dry.
If you call the forest superintendent, he will be able to give you that information. I went up there for spring gobbler season two years ago and he was a huge help in telling me the general areas where he had been seeing the birds etc.
You can call either of these numbers, (304) 335-2219
1-800-CALL WVA (if you call the 800 simply ask for Kumbrabow and they will patch you through) and ask for Matt. His last name escapes me right now....but I know his first name is Matt, he should be able to help you out.
Good luck...
Pat in WV
11-06-2002, 09:40 AM
#3
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Peterstown WV USA
Posts: 2,541
RE: Question for the WV hunters
Not sure about the mast in Randolph I had ask earlier about it in Valley Head and did not get an answer. From what I can gather it is spotty at best. The weather is so unpredictable here and has been for a month we are supposed to get rain again Mon & Tue and we sure dont need it the ground is full. The weather is up and down was 51 at 12 last nigh is about 38 and real windy right now supposed to get snow flurries tonight and the be near 60 on Saturday. Crazy I know. All the leaves are still on the trees here in Mercer co and still mostly on in Fayette that is as far notrh as I have been, I know this isnt much help but maybe a little.
Roy
Roy
11-06-2002, 10:17 AM
#4
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Buford GA USA
Posts: 567
RE: Question for the WV hunters
Thanks for the info guys. I am really looking forward to the trip this year. In 4 years up there I have yet to connect. I have a feeling this might be the year.
11-06-2002, 10:51 AM
#5
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Hico, WV USA
Posts: 393
RE: Question for the WV hunters
One other thing that I forgot to add....
If you go to the campground along Mill Creek and park in the far back campsite you can look back and see a small opening (the creek will be on your right). If you go through the small flat and start working your way up the hill you will come to a ridge top that over looks a huge laurel thicket. I remember being in there looking for turkeys and was absolutely amazed at all the deer sign.....It's really, really steep but overlooks a nice draw with tons of cover. I remember thinking to myself, "this would be a great place for a stand".
Good luck....
Pat in WV
If you go to the campground along Mill Creek and park in the far back campsite you can look back and see a small opening (the creek will be on your right). If you go through the small flat and start working your way up the hill you will come to a ridge top that over looks a huge laurel thicket. I remember being in there looking for turkeys and was absolutely amazed at all the deer sign.....It's really, really steep but overlooks a nice draw with tons of cover. I remember thinking to myself, "this would be a great place for a stand".
Good luck....
Pat in WV
11-06-2002, 11:53 AM
#6
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Gambrills Md US
Posts: 6,080
RE: Question for the WV hunters
I am 12 miles Southeast of Petersburg, and have ZERO acorns, worse than any other time in the past 6 years. As a result, I have seen almost no deer.
I think as long as it stays below 60 degrees, it shouldn't completely put a halt to rut activity. The mornings and evenings should be ok, and the timing is coming to be about right for buck movement, considering past years. However, we have seen rut activity in rifle season often too.
If I were you, I'd bring along some apples just in case the acorns are bad. Without some type of food or pressure, you won't likely see hardly any deer. However, I wouldn't hunt right over the apples, unless you want to shoot a doe. I have footage of a buck get nervous and run away near a cluster of apples I put out. I wasn't going to shoot it anyway, and realize it may have smelled me and not the apples....
I think as long as it stays below 60 degrees, it shouldn't completely put a halt to rut activity. The mornings and evenings should be ok, and the timing is coming to be about right for buck movement, considering past years. However, we have seen rut activity in rifle season often too.
If I were you, I'd bring along some apples just in case the acorns are bad. Without some type of food or pressure, you won't likely see hardly any deer. However, I wouldn't hunt right over the apples, unless you want to shoot a doe. I have footage of a buck get nervous and run away near a cluster of apples I put out. I wasn't going to shoot it anyway, and realize it may have smelled me and not the apples....
11-06-2002, 12:40 PM
#7
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: valley bend wv USA
Posts: 188
RE: Question for the WV hunters
Well we have the wes vaco land leased that borders part of Kumbrabo so heres what i know so far the weather is suppose to be warm this weekend around 60 its snowing right now though the oak and cherry hit high but its spotty and the rut seems to be starting to kick in ive started seeing more rubs in the past few days and some of the guys said theve seen bucks chasing does in some places i killed a nice buck on the forest last year and i know for a fact there are moore around good luck if you need anything let me know and il try to help
11-06-2002, 02:15 PM
#8
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Buford GA USA
Posts: 567
RE: Question for the WV hunters
If the cherries hit at all I may go look at Whitman Trail. I have never hunted it in the past, but I have scouted it and there is a ton of cherry throughout the area.
Saturday morning I will probably take an easy hunt and set up on top of Buck Bowl. It is not exactly in the forest, but it is bordering it and there was a ton of buck sign up there last year.
Springgobbler, I know the area you are talking about quite well since I hunted it a few years ago. I did not see anything that year, but I will try it again this year.
I normally hunt Piney Ridge Fire trail, but the prevelant food source up there is beech, and I know there will not be any of that left this late in the season. I may get really adventurous and venture out Phillips Camp Run, but that is a hard path in and out, unless someone has cleaned up the firetrail alot in the last year. I will probably hang out a couple of days on Rich Mountain near those fields if they are the only available food source, but who knows.
Mike, was the Westvaco land that you have the stuff that got clearcut a few years ago? If so, it looked like they pretty well devestaed it. How much did they leave for you guys?
3 guys that used to hunt out of our camp went up last week and stayed in the cabins run by the state. They hunted the areas near the campsite and killed 3 and saw a ton. Unfortunately they like hunting the easy way and did not venture out to some of the areas I like to hunt, so their field reports were almost useless for where I usually hunt.
If any of you guys are passing through the area, and turn onto Turkeybone and see a gold/tan Ford F150 with Georgia tags, stop in a say hello. Our cabin is the 3rd or 4th cabin on the left after you turn onto Turkeybone Road from Highway 15.
I called the ranger station and got much the same info, spotty at best mast and cherries and warmer than I expected temps. Who needs the ranger station when I can ask the experts.
Good luck.
Saturday morning I will probably take an easy hunt and set up on top of Buck Bowl. It is not exactly in the forest, but it is bordering it and there was a ton of buck sign up there last year.
Springgobbler, I know the area you are talking about quite well since I hunted it a few years ago. I did not see anything that year, but I will try it again this year.
I normally hunt Piney Ridge Fire trail, but the prevelant food source up there is beech, and I know there will not be any of that left this late in the season. I may get really adventurous and venture out Phillips Camp Run, but that is a hard path in and out, unless someone has cleaned up the firetrail alot in the last year. I will probably hang out a couple of days on Rich Mountain near those fields if they are the only available food source, but who knows.
Mike, was the Westvaco land that you have the stuff that got clearcut a few years ago? If so, it looked like they pretty well devestaed it. How much did they leave for you guys?
3 guys that used to hunt out of our camp went up last week and stayed in the cabins run by the state. They hunted the areas near the campsite and killed 3 and saw a ton. Unfortunately they like hunting the easy way and did not venture out to some of the areas I like to hunt, so their field reports were almost useless for where I usually hunt.
If any of you guys are passing through the area, and turn onto Turkeybone and see a gold/tan Ford F150 with Georgia tags, stop in a say hello. Our cabin is the 3rd or 4th cabin on the left after you turn onto Turkeybone Road from Highway 15.
I called the ranger station and got much the same info, spotty at best mast and cherries and warmer than I expected temps. Who needs the ranger station when I can ask the experts.
Good luck.
