virginia hunting
 

hello all
i haven't made many posts but hopefully someone can help me out. I live in NY (hopefully that won't count against me) and i'd like to try whitetail hunting in Virginia. I checked the dnr site and it seems bedford/franklin/pittsylvania counties look good based on deer take.I normally hunt with a good friend, we're both45 and fairly conservative type guys. Can anyone recommend any specific hunting areas. I plan on visiting VA with my wife and kids this summer and i figured i'd also take a look aroundthen. Hopefully if I get some ideas here, I couldintroduce myself and ask permission while i'm visiting this summer.

RE: virginia hunting
 

First off WW, welcome to Virginia. I wish you the best of luck in acquiring places to hunt. I bet you will find some great people down in that area that will be more than willing to let you hunt. I live in the Northern part of the state so I really can't helo you out.

Here is a link to some of the public hunting lands down there:

http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/wmas/?region=2


I also found this WW. I hunt a public military base and would recommend you look into this property as military bases in Virginia are generally better than most public land spots:


U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
John H. Kerr Reservoir
The John H. Kerr Reservoir is a federally managed multipurpose project located on the Virginia-North Carolina border. It consists of a 50,000 acre reservoir and 55,000 acres of land surrounding the lake which offers 40,000 acres open to hunting. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers maintains 26 wildlife management areas located around Kerr Reservoir. For more information contact:

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
1930 Mays Chapel Road
Boydton, VA 23917
(434) 738-6143
www.saw.usace.army.mil/jhkerr/ index.htm

Also found this...it is a map of all the public land spots so that you can an idea of what you will have to work with...

http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/hunting...wmalocator.pdf

RE: virginia hunting
 

ww874,

Welcome! I too am from New York (I grew up in Poughkeepsie) and settled here in Virginia after I retired from the US Coast Guard.

I'll give you a brief summary of Virginia:

-- West of the Blue Ridge Mts is rifle country, steep mountain ridges, and no deer hounds. The George Washington Nat'l Forest is HUGE (think of the Adirondack Mts but without the heavy snow).
-- East of the Blue Ridge is shotgun & muzzleloader (rifles too - depending on county ordnance) and lots and lots and lots of deer hounds.
-- No Sunday hunting. :eek:
-- Northern VA holds some monster deer (i.e. Loudon County), but they are all suburban deer and very very hard to get permission to hunt.

Shoot me a PM and I can try to help out further if needed...

RE: virginia hunting
 

You may have trouble finding private land to hunt due to hunting leases. Heck, even us native good ol' boys have trouble finding and keeping private land.;) Good luck.

RE: virginia hunting
 

Thanks for the replies guys. I gotta say, its not gonna be easy scouting this summer, but i know my days in ny are numbered. As soon as i can retire and get out of here i'm gone. I just figured the visit this summerwouldn't just be for a hunting spot. Any recomendations for favorite parts of the state?

RE: virginia hunting
 

just keep in mind that south eastern part of the state has deer hunting with dogs,so keep that in mind when looking.its not done where your from but it is here.not trying to start nothing just informning you of how it is.i wish you well here and good luck hunting but,i dont want you to get here and go "what the hell is going on here,whats up with this"

RE: virginia hunting
 

as far as a part of the state to recommend it just depends on what you want. Virginia has swamps, its got Mountains, Low land, Peidmont, and Suburban Sprawl, big woods, and big fields. Take your pick.

the south eastern portion of the state is flat, with lots of agriculture and thick deep woods. As said dogs are used on various farms throughout this area, but it as also pruduces some monsters that go B&C.

The western portion of the state is Mountains, lots of national forest and big timber. Lots of mature deer to be found if your willing to put in the work.

The peidmont area tends to be rolling with broken up woods and fields, lots of great hunting.

The northern part of the state, also known as northern virginia is expensive, sprawled with houses, stores and people who cant drive. Its hard to find hunting land there, but if you do, you will find some true brutes, but you will also have deal with small lots, and lots of people, over a 1/3 of the states total population resides in a small 3 county area.

Good luck, and if your looking to move down to Virginia, the big trick is to find something you can afford and meets your needs. the game website for the state will give you big clues on which counties have high game kills, and long seasons. Also, take note on firearms ordiances, if you like using a rifle some counties might not be for you as they dont allow them. Also, look at the big buck competition every year, some counties always produce monsters, but dont have a high kill rate cause a lack of hunting pressure, this is a good thing.