Well guys I started reading page 1 and 2 and ended with 5 so I skipped 3 & 4, I just recently joined this web site and live in Woodbridge Va. and have been there my whole life. For Ranges you can try Clark Brothers on route 29 between Warrenton and Culpepper. It is open to the public and they can shoot on Sunday's. The Isaac Walton league is looking for members I am told? they are on Route 610 in Stafford $200 for the first year and $100 every year after they have ranges and Some hunting and Ponds for fishing. You can try skeet shooting and Bow shooting at Bull Run off route 66 in Prince William? I think There are a few hunt clubs down some past Charlottsville you really need to know someone to get in tough I belong to one in Nelson county we have about 25 members and lease around 10,000 acres If anyone is interested I can find out if they are accepting anymore members! These hunt clubs will not have web sites or phone numbers they are just local boys who know everyone around there area and they get together and lease land. Also you could get into Quantico I hunt there some (Waterfowl) they have a shooting range but I am not sure it is open to the public.

If I can think of anything else I will let you know.

Back to the top (again).... Hey VA Hunters, has anyone heard anything yet on land/hunting clubs/etc...????

I recently took 360 to 460 out to Lynchburg, scouting all the way, then up to Amherst, and took Route 60 back to Richmond, again scouting all the way back too. Beautiful areas were all posted from other clubs.

On the way out, I stopped just past Jetersville on the cutoff from 360 to 460 and politely asked a man (out fixing up his mailbox) about hunting areas, clubs, land, etc... I was politely told to keep on going. All the clubs nearby are mostly family and are real tight. Oh well.

I kept on cruising and trying to look around the area, but 460 opens right up like an interstate. Amherst and the smaller towns were nice, but again, everything seemed to be posted by hunt clubs. Again, I stopped at a parking area by Gladstone(?) where Route 60 crosses the James River near Nelson and Buckingham counties. I saw a husband & wife launching a canoe and we made small talk, but they appeared to be nature lovers/tree huggers and/or bird watchers or something, so I didn't bring up hunting. Rule #1 in my book is to be respectful. I mean, I don't want to walk up to a stranger and go, "Hey man, how ya doing? Do you know anyplace where I can go kill and gut a deer?"

Further down on Route 60, I got stopped at a roadblock/VA cop checking licenses. So, I while the cop checked my license I figured I try asking him. He saw my "Retired U.S. Coast Guard" vinyl decal on my rear window and my retiree ID Card with my drivers license. So then he talked to me for a quick minute or two. I told him I was from Richmond and was out for a drive looking for hunting clubs or areas where someone might allow me to hunt. The cop gave me pretty neat advice that I will share: He laughed and said, "If you want to see some big deer, you're pointed in the wrong direction (heading back on Route 60 to Richmond)". He said to head back toward Skyline Drive and look around. Then for hunting, go get a National Forest permit, and really scout around in Bedford county, and check into hunting a famous area called Peaks of Otter.

Anyway, I wanted to let you all know I too have been scouting around and checking areas. Has anyone heard any news on a club or land leases?!?!?!

Butch A.

Hey Butch,

I haven't heard anything of Vahunter or what's been going on with his information as to the club.

I see you've been moving about, finding property is like finding a four leaf clover..lmao But we must stay in our Assisduous mode to accomplish such.

I will contact Justin (eng) to we how he stands with the information he's been working on. Let's just keep in contact as the season fast approaches us.

So where do you guys hunt now if you don't have any permission or leases?

Public land with the rest of the orange army[:@]!! I paddled a canoe half mile up a creek and then walked another 1/2 mile to get away from the mob. What did i get for my effort? somone's beagle raisin Cain all day in a circle about 200 yds around me scarin every critter in James City County to wherever I wasnt.

For the record i dont have a problem with runnin dogs just wish i had somewhere to go where i didnt have to compete with fido's nose.

*applause* PhoenixMA has said it all....

I go into the state forests which areway out beyond the crowds at the nearby WMA's. Still, like PhoenixMA mentioned, I too have run across a bunch of hound dogs running amok and ruining a few of my hunts.

Trust me... I've had my fill of WMA's and 9000 hunters per square mile. Sorry.... I'll go way out further and hey, maybe even look into snagging a motel room for the night before, just to have close access to an early hunt in the mountains - way far away from the cities and suburbs.

Sorry this sounds so negative, but in my book, WMA means...
Wildlife?!? My A$$!!! [:@]

Butch A.

Rebel,

I hunt Quantico Bow and Shotgun and Fort Belvoir Bow, if I'm lucky eng takes me to his little area..lol I haven't hunted a WMA except for hogs island which was a quota hunt and had a blast plenty of deer unfortunately didn't harvest only counted 70+ deer during my draw with (Eng) Justin. We plan on entering again for this years draw. I had a few insight but, ethically the shots would have caused me not trailing my harvest as hog island is surrounded by water on three sides leaving very little room for era in your particular zone.

I am not sure if you guys were raised in Va. or not but in the south or east of Rt. 151 Using houndsDeer hunting is a way of life and always has been and most all (99%) of the clubs in Buckingham, Orange, Appomatox, Amherst, Nelson and so on is what they all do and that is why they lease so much land. I think I was 20 years old before I realized you could hunt differently. I have grown to where I actually don't like it but accept it and have fun with the guys when I go.

I live in Woodbridge and Hunt some of Quantico for Waterfowl only as with you way to many Deer hunters but they do take some great Bucks if you hunt it long enough to learn it. I use to get involved in theCVP Program (Conservation Volunteer Program) it helps in 2 ways you work 50 hours donig conservation work and you will get a CVP card which gets you ahead of the other card holders of the same color and also you would be working in the woods mostly and you would be able to scout areas and meet people who hunt there.

I would also stay away from the state forests and head to the George Washington National Forest. Lower south than what is easily acceable to Northern Va. You could Hunt around Clifton Forge (Lake Moomaw) area and never see anotherhunter. But it is a long ways down.but they actually see alot of Bears around that area andUsing Hounds for Deer is illegal but not for Bears.

I wrote in a previous response that I can check with my Club to see if they have any openingsnow if you guys are interested we have 10,000 acres in Nelson and it is accesable all year for Squirrels to Deer and Bear. I know at the end of the season last year we were full but I can check.

Keep in touch

ButchA I caught this 65pounder in March down byyou

I grew up in Jersey and if I remember right Butch is from NY. I didnt even start hunting till I moved to VA.

I totally understand the long southern tradition of deer hunting with hounds. I dont discredit or slam on guys that like to do that. I'm not saying they should move , but I wish I had an alternate location I could go to. I just happen to live in an area with very little public land and I dont know anyone that will let me hunt their property within a 4 hour drive of here.

So basically I only get to hunt 4 days a year because of work and cant drive all day to get there. Rough spot to be in but i gotta play the cards I was dealt.

Rebel Dog, that is a heck of a fish! Wow!! [8D]

True, PhoenixMA, true... I am from/grew up in Poughkeepsie, NY (2 hrs from NYC). I too didn't start hunting until I retired from the USCG and moved to the fine state of VA. My father, uncles, oldest bro-in-law used to hunt back in the 50's,60's, etc... way back then in NY. I am the baby of my family, so you know how it goes... when it became time for me to have a go at it, everyone else has been there/done that and pretty much got way to old and/or gave it up. Deer hunting with dogs is something I have never seen or heard of until I hunted in VA. Sorry, but to me it's rather odd, but well, okay... fine... whatever... I'll try to find a hunting spot where I can quietly bow hunt without the bellowing of hound dogs.

I drove out to Lynchburg (looks like a mini-Richmond) the one day a few weekends ago and then up 29 to Amherst. It's beautiful out there and looks like there's some great hunting around. Keep us posted on what you hear, Rebel Dog!

Butch A.