Thinging about aking my boy to Rapidan for his first muzzleloader season to Raapidan. Understand it's mostly up and down there, need advice as to flatter tracts/areas.

thanks,

I haven't been to Rapidan WMA, but like most WMA's - it is best to get in early and go in deep. Try to hunt during the week if at all possible. Opening day Saturdays on a WMA are, like, well... let's just leave it with a smilie expression: " "

I have hunted there a few times. It is very steep for virginia. The country up there is beautiful but ya better have yer walkin legs on.

I hunted in 99 and 00 during muzzleloaders season I thougt it was a bit crowded. The tract I was on bordered teh SNP so that may have had something to do with it. by the way be careful tracking wounded deer into the SNP. Guns are a no no there.

the USGS quad is Fletcher, I think, so look it up on mytopo.com or googleearth.com. Like all public land get clear of the roads. There is also a good bear population in Madison and Greene county so you might see a Blackie!

If you are gonna camp bring a fly rod I've caught some small brookies there. It is a special regulation water though. no barbed hooks and artificial bait only.

If you want PM me and I'll try to acan the topo and email it to you.

happy hunting.

Cruiser,

Have you seen the info on the VA DGIF site about it? Here it is:

http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/hunting/wma/rapidan.html

I'm also planning to go there several times myself this year and through next winter for deer and bear, and whatever else may be in season.

thanks, I've got the tract and parcel maps from the state website, but they give you no sense of terrain. Looking for flatter, and hopefully quieter section we can walk without tiring a kid out by mid-morning. (ps, hunting success not primary consideration)
Have been told the lower sections Rapidan tract, off 662 is a good choice, but since they have parking lots, figure that area will be loaded. Big Tom Mtn, Blakey Ridge and Middle River are supposed to be up and down, ditto fletcher tract. Flattop Ridge tract, no clue.but has parking lots. No clue on the Allen Mtn or South River Tract.
Anyone have a suggesgtion? Rapidan tract? Flattop Ridge? South River?

Haven't been there yet, so couldn't tell ya. I'm probably just going to go to the Phelps WMA this Saturday morning for turkey. I consider myself lucky if I even line up a shot on a bird, since it's opening day of muzzleloader here. But, it could be that those hunters will push some birds my way, too, if I time it right :]

Check out the Rapidan WMA user's website at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rwma/.

I hunted there several times a few years back. I did some duck hunting on the Rapp. River and if you are looking for a bird, go in off Rte. 17, park in the lot near the powerlines, take those down to the river, and cut left. Look at a map of hte place, I'm sure there's a faster way. Anyway, the birds roost near the river and fly down on the phelps side of the river, although we did see some birds across the river in fields, not sure where they roosted, but its private property there.

FYI - A lot of people hunt near the "waterfowl pond". Maybe this says something for the bird population there, but it's too many hunters in my book.

Hope this helps.

It does help, since I've only been there once and didn't venture too far off the road at the time, so I'll use this to my advantage.

Your profile says you live in Northern Virginia. Whereabouts? We ought to combine hunting efforts sometime. I live in Alexandria.

-WW

I'll be one of the muzzleloaders there & if I see a bird I will push it your way