Public Lands in VA
 

Hi,

I'm new to this site but I figured I'll give it a try. I'm going to college in the Lynchburg area and I was looking for some public areas to hunt. Also, I'm hoping for answers a little more specific than just national forest. I'm from southwest virginia and since I was 8 I have hunted the Beartown Wilderness area with my dad in addition to a farm just down the road from our house. I'm not afraid of a hike either so don't hold back. I've been used to hunting old hardwood forest way back in the middle of nowhere. I'm at school now and I can't make it back home for every hunting adventure (seeing as how I do that almost every evening) so I need somewhere out here. If anyone has any advice they can give me about where to go I would appreciate it greatly.

Thanks!
Syd

Like you, I'm new to this site. I've been stationed in VA with the navy for most of the last 2 decades.

How far are you from Blackstone? The U.S. Army has a big training base called Fort Pickett there and the place is crawling with deer, turkeys and small game. They allow the public to hunt almost the entire base. The unit I am with uses the gunnery ranges there so we spend a lot of time there. You would need a base permit in addition to a VA license but they aren't hard to get. The info is online if you punch it into Google.

Many people don't know that they can hunt a lot of military bases. Those of us on active duty know this but we tend to keep the info to ourselves. I've been hunting bases for more than 20 years and I've shot a lot of game off land controlled by Uncle Sam.

I'm about an hour and a half northwest. That is half the distance of the trip back home so it's definitely something to consider. Thanks. That's really helpful. I'm sure I could make some Saturdays that way. I need a place I can go locally on the weekdays though. I have classes and making frequent trips like that can be rough on a college student... especially financially. SUV sure do like the gasoline. lol. I didn't realize civilians could hunt some of those areas though... good info to have.

Here's another idea.

If you have any game wardens in the area ask them if they know any farmers/ranchers that are having problems with deer in the crops. Usually the wardens will know and a lot of times the farmers/ranchers will let hunters on to thin the herds. They may only let you shoot does but meat is meat and I've never seen an antler yet that was tender when cooked.

I've done this a few times in a couple different states. I even had a game warden in my native Colorado go as far as writing a letter of introduction for me and he also called the ranchers who had deer in their hay meadows and told them I would be stopping by to see them. Sometimes it is amazing to see what doors the game wardens can open for you.

You didn't say if you are a bow hunter but VA does have an urban archery season. You could run an ad in the paper and see if someone is having deer trouble in town. That might work too.

I am a bow hunter and thanks a bunch. Just talked to some people who own an apple orchard and they are getting back to me. I'll keep checking around. Thanks.

if you don't mind the hike you can head up to big island. Terripan mtn road to be exact. There is some national forest at the end of that road. I have hunted it on and off for some time. Can be pretty good hunting if you put in the work. The road is off of route 122 head south out of big island and turn right at the octagon house you will see the gate.

Alright. Thanks a bunch. I'll check that out. You all have been helpful.

just a heads up not many acorns in the mtns this year. hunt as close to the private land as possible most of the deer are hanging around field edges and bedding close to them. its an odd year in bedford county and its making for some tougher hunting. Hopefully with the rut starting the bucks will be on the move.