livbucks

Where's your's exactly? Mine is one of those little white areas of private property inside the ANF boundary on the map. We do walk a few minutes into the ANF to hunt though (wink)

Tips...Hmmm.
Contrary to popular opinion, you do not have to hike 10 miles in. We didn't that time.
Deer go all over. Find a logged area or two. Use a climber and set it up on a good trail back in the timber from the logged area, or between two logged areas. Wait patiently and it could happen for you too.
You have probably a better chance of sticking a big buck within sight of your parked car than miles past the gates.

A few years ago my Dad shot a 130 class 10 point, miles back in, where we havehunted for decades. Some guys saw us bringing it out. The next year there were 20 guys in our traditional spots, some of which camped overnight to beat us to them. It was so funny because none of them scored. Just because some guy gets a nice buck at "the rock", doesn't mean the next guy will the following year. Alot of guys think that way though and will try to bump you from an area you have hunted for years through thick and thin. They do their scouting by backtracking you to the gutpile of the nice buck you shot. My best advice: wait till dark to bring your buck out, if you plan on hunting there again. Some guys have no honor about them.

BTBowhunter

I'm about 12-14 miles from there up Rt 36.

Steelcity

Ive been hunting the ANF since i was twelve, and not even 5 to 10 yrs ago we would spot by our cabin up there and would see upwards of 300-400 deer in a couple hours. Not to mention that I would see thirty deer on first day of rifle, now were lucky to break 100 spotting and very lucky to see 10 deer, i agree the buck overall are nicer but i see just as many bruisers around the camps as i did then, it just kinda sucks that the seer herd is diminishing, i dont know why but its happening

livbucks

I know why...

Not sure that seeing 300-400 deer near your camp was ever a good thing. That's just unnatural. Was that really hunting, with those kinds of densities?
Probably 380 does/fawns and 20 spikes/forkies. In the pre-AR days of the ANF, a small basket rack 6 or 8 point would win the big buck contest hands down. Spikes were mostly what we saw then, and even then we would not shoot them. If we saw a fork horn we got all excited like we won the lottery. I've hunted the ANF in several different locales for 29 years.

Steelcity

Ive taken bucks over 130 inches in the ANF well before the antler restriction and ive seen bucks taken much larger than that so there is no way a little basket 8 would win any big buck contest ten years ago, and when we spot it isnt right around our camp we cover quite a lot of ground so i am pretty positive that it was a good thing, i dont know where u were hunting when a basket was tops but good luck to ya

livbucks

OK, I'll give you that. About nine or ten years ago, with the uptick in logging activity and falling hunter numbers in the ANF, there were some nicer bucks taken there, and I did notice that occasionally. That span of time is a blip however, in my time of thirty years of hunting the ANF.

The reasoning behind the prevalence of spikes before AR is because the B/D ratio was about 20/1, and the does were being bred late, resulting in late births, resulting in delayed first year antler growth. Spikes are not caused by genetics, and a "mature" spike is an anomoly and nothing more.

Steelcity

I agree that i would see 40 deer opening day and sometimes not see a buck, honestly i lik it the way it is now better than then its just hard to teach the youngsters to enjoy hunting when your putting 6 deer by them on a good day, although i am a trophy hunter for myself seeing a few more deer and having a more plentiful herd would be nice but id rather see one deer and it be a 120 inch buck with possible 140's and up

livbucks

Yup..we agree on that.
It takes time for people to adjust to a different kind of deer hunting. Older hunters have a very hard time.
One way to help the younger hunter is to limit the hunt to a few hours in the morning and or evening, or a shorter midday hunt by itself. If a young kid gets bored, tired and cranky, you are defeating anything you may have gained. They will resist going if it becomes unpleasant. I don't think you need to put 30 deer by them a day. A couple will do.
I remember being twelve and scoping out 30 deer. It was exciting at first but became discouraging after awhile. I think that seing thirthy deer and no horns sends the message to a kid that there is no hope, that there are no bucks to shoot.

BTBowhunter

My solution for my sons has been to make the early muzzleloader season a big deal. If their grades are good, welet em get out of school for a few days and head to camp. We're headed up this Wednesday.

It's a very low pressure hunt and it's easy to see lots of deer (in the ANF)
The weather is usually pretty nice and it's just a great time to be in the big woods.
Then come rifle season, they've already become confident in their spot and they're a bit more ready to hold out for that buck.

We now get as many guys in camp for this hunt as we used to for gun season and everyone has a great time. Oh, and again, we seePLENTY of deer... 15-20 a day in the heart of the ANF!!!