rem700man

I've hunted Thompson for a long time,,,it's been getting more pressure the last few years but it's still an awesome place to hunt,,last year i saw a few really nice bucks taken out of there ,,,best bet is to hunt it early(archery & muzzle loader) that being said tho i have had great luck there when theres alot of guys/gals hunting and pushing the deer around during rifle season,,,im not the kinda guy that worries about getting shot nor have i had any reason to worry about it on Thompson,,the hunters that i have met there are all top quality people in the same boat as im in,,,just looking to have a nice place to hunt,,,oh and your dogs are more than welcome there,,,i see alot of folks taking their dogs with them while hiking,,as far as ccw is concerned im not 100% sure of how the law reads but i think it says no firearms allowed for any reason during the off season,,,ya may wanna get the reg. book and read it for yourself,,,but i am always packin a little sumpin sumpin on my scouting trips

ButchA

But then again, ain't that the truth, sad as it seems. Amelia, Powhatan, and Chickahominyare the same way. [:'(] Sorry guys... Been there, done that, don't want to get shot.

I am just thanking my lucky stars that I am a member of a deer camp out in the GWNF, away from everyone and everything. Granted it is a bit of a drive, but hey, it's a camp - you can stay there, live there, sleep there, and bring everything you got for two weeks of rifle season if you want. And during the middle of the week, it feels as though you have all 800,000 some odd acres of the GWNF all to yourself. [8D]

But then, speaking of C.F. Phelps. I know some guys who have pulled some monsters off of Phelps. How they did it, I am not sure. Probably went in early and went in real deep. But personally, I've never been to Phelps, so I can't really say anything pro or con.

Look, I'm not bad mouthing WMA's or talking trash, but I'd like to share an "experience" at Powhatan a few years ago... Just like what Coolbrze0 was saying... I got into Powhatan real early. Once the sun came up, it was like there was a dude behind a treeevery 100 yards. When I hiked down into the Sallee Creek bottom, I almost lost my freakin' mind! The place was a complete pumpkin patch! I swear, guys... there must have been a whole entire deer hunting club down there! I stood on a knoll, shaking my head in disbelief, and ended up hiking back out, out to the parking lot, got in my truck and left, saying to myself "W.T.F." you know?!? Never again.... [:'(]

fantarain

I just got my permit to hunt in QUANTICO! Can anyone share someexperience about this place? How do you compare the hunting opportunitieson west of I-95 side and the mainside? Really appreciate it.

virginiashadow

fantarain...I will be down on Quantico on Thursday or Friday this week if you want to catch up. This will be my ninth year hunting on base. I know the areas west of I-95. The mainside is only opened until noon each day, Monday-Friday. At certain times of the year, nice bucks are taken off the mainside...but you do have to qualify. I have only hunted it once and saw three doe. Again, let me know if you want to meet up this week. I can clue you into certain areas I have hunted over the years...I used to gun hunt but I only use my bow these days. I can give you some good spots you can hunt with a bow or gun. BEST of luck to you.

Brett

fantarain

virginiashadow: thanks very much for your detail info and kind offer. I notice that the first deer day is 10/4 this Saturday, so I assume we will only do a scouting before that. I'd like to join yousome day soon in Quantico. I have a lot to learn from you. It'll be my first hunt. So far, I only did target shooting. Let me know when you plan to go. I will try to get a day off on that day, or maybe I can still come to work after this.Let me know your plan.My question is: if I am able to come, how can we both be assigned to the same area? How hard it is to researve a daily pass? Thanks very much! Look forward to meeting you soon.

virginiashadow

They have large areas and assign only a certain amount of people per area. For example, in bow season I believe it is one hunter for every 75 acres or so. That means on a 750 acre area, they have 10 hunter openings. So yes, you and I could hunt "together" by being in the same area.

Reserving a daily pass is not difficult. You can call the game station at 1230pm and reserve a pass for the next day. Just have your base number ready and the area you want to hunt.(base number is on your base hunting pass). They only open up a certain amount of passes at 1230pm, and then open up all the hunting passes for the next day at 1 hour past sundown Then, in the morning, they open up the game station 1 hour before sun-up I believe to issue the remaining passes. So you have a lot of opportunity to hunt. And when in doubt about a lot of people hunting the next morning, just plan on an afternoon hunt. Show up around 11-12 when everyone else is exiting the woods and you will get a pass with ease. When gun season starts, the bow only areas usually remain uncrowded, and I love it. I just show up when everyone else is fighting for a gun pass, and get my bow only area.

Up until regular gun season (November 15th I believe) it is bow only. Then after that, you can use whatever you want in the open areas. Get a base map, study it, and most importantly, have fun!

Fantarain, I am working a new schedule so I will have around 2-3 days off per week, Monday-Friday, so any day you have some free time to hunt, let me know. I generally just drop my kids off in the morning at the babysitter and help get my wife off to work on the days I am free. However, once the hunting starts getting serious in late October, I will be hunting morning and afternoon. I plan on being out hunting next week Tuesday and Wednesday if you are interested. If you are tied up, no problem. I am sure our schedules will meet up at some point this season. It would be my pleasure getting you onto some deer on Quantico so you can get off your first arrow!

fantarain

virginiashadow:how hard do you think we can get a daily pass this saturday? It could be hard for the first open day[&:]but I will give it a try. If I won't make it, I will try to meet you on next Wednesday.I will let you know. Thanks a lot!Just can't hold my excitement!!![8D]

virginiashadow

You will have a shot at pass for Saturday morning...I would give you a 30-40 percent chance. Do these three things to increase your odds at getting a pass for Saturday morning:

1)call in at 1230pm and keep calling until you talk to someone. Ask to reserve a pass. If you get one, you can pick up that pass all day until it is 60 minutes after dark.

2) Passes for the next day start getting passed out 1 hour after dark. Show up Friday night around 7 pm and wait in line.

3) Show up 1 hour before dark Saturday morning, and they will begin issuing passes.

On Saturday afternoon, I would give you nearly a 100 percent chance at getting a pass. I hope to be out hunting and on stand by 2:30pm if they can get someone to cover for me at work.

If you are open next Wednesday and it does not cramp your style at work/life, then it could be fun to do some hunting. If not, we have three months!

fantarain

Yeah, we have 3 months to enjoy the fun!
Question about the daily pass: Do you mean ifIreserve a pass the day before,I can't pick it up the next morning? Which means I have to go there twice if I reserve it the day before? It's a long drive for me to get there

Saturday afternoon sounds a good idea. I will give it a try!

Thanks for your great information! I have read throughthe regulation doc from quantico. I have to say it's so unclear for the reservation procedure. Now with your help,I pretty much know how it works. Great forum! Great people here!

virginiashadow

If you reserve a pass over the phone, you can pick it up the same day!

If you walk in to the Game Check, you can pick up a pass for the next day as well.

If you reserve a pass and cannot pick it up that day, you can pick it up in the morning before you head out to hunt. Alot of flexibility.

I just checked over the Quantico regs today and it looks like they are going to an automated reservation process which sounds fanastic!


Any of you guys on here that see me on Quantico, please stop by and say hi. I drive a Black Dodge Ram 1500 with some small Muzzy broadhead stickers and my bumper is a little dented My name is Brett. Take care all.