VA public land?

[ssramage]

Good morning, looking for some advice/pointers/etc. Back story, my brother moved to VA (12+ hours from my home in SE GA) about 3 years ago for work. Before moving up there, we were really good hunting buddies, sharing a number of hunts together each year. Since then we haven’t been able to and have only seen each other 2-3 times since he moved.

With all that said, we’ve been talking about a hunt together this year where maybe my dad can tag along too. My brother lives in Glen Allen. I know 0 about the area and 0 about public land hunting in VA, just looking to maybe have a good time with the two of them. We’re open to some travel as well if that area of the state is not optimal.

Any advice/information is much appreciated!

 

[bowhuntr09]

Good morning, looking for some advice/pointers/etc. Back story, my brother moved to VA (12+ hours from my home in SE GA) about 3 years ago for work. Before moving up there, we were really good hunting buddies, sharing a number of hunts together each year. Since then we haven’t been able to and have only seen each other 2-3 times since he moved.

With all that said, we’ve been talking about a hunt together this year where maybe my dad can tag along too. My brother lives in Glen Allen. I know 0 about the area and 0 about public land hunting in VA, just looking to maybe have a good time with the two of them. We’re open to some travel as well if that area of the state is not optimal.

Any advice/information is much appreciated!

Cumberland state forest is not far from him. There are quite a few WMA’s near enough as well. Just be aware once general firearms opens the eastern half the of the state is dog country. You will be hard pressed to find a place to hunt without hounds running through.

 

[ssramage]

Cumberland state forest is not far from him. There are quite a few WMA’s near enough as well. Just be aware once general firearms opens the eastern half the of the state is dog country. You will be hard pressed to find a place to hunt without hounds running through.

Good to know. Didn’t realize the dog piece.

 

[Loopwing]

I live in Virginia Beach. The WMA's get stupid during general firearm season. Glen Allen/ Richmond is pretty much center if the state. You can be anywhere except the SW tip in a few hours drive. Check out the George Washington and Jefferson national forest lands past Charlottesville/Interstate 81. Is your brother military. Feel free to DM me and I can try and point you in the right direction. As already stated....the dog running sucks and the public areas turn into war zones on the weekend. I won't hunt WMA's anymore after dog season starts.

 

[Exhumis]

What everyone else said is accurate. I live in NOVA. Once firearms kicks off it's like a war zone and the orange army is out in force. Here's the state site to WMAs. Powhatan should be close by there too.

https://www.dgif.virginia.gov/wma/

 

[Lawson_vt]

Agree with what has been stated already, go west and hunt national forest. Make a trip out of it and hike into a spot. Have had several good hunts on NF from Norton all the way past Harriaonburg, so don't be hesitant to hunt large tracts. Look for habitat diversity and you should see something.
Most folks dont walk more than a half mile from the road in my experience.

 

[TKnight20]

Try to purchase and download OnX App to your phone. It’s 30 bucks per state or 50/60 for the entire US for a year, but you’re able to see public land as a layer, property lines, and topography. I found this helpful when I moved here, and trying new areas. I don’t use HuntWise, but may want to check it out also.

 

[Loopwing]

That is good advice.

 

[ssramage]

Bumping this old thread back up. I'm heading to my brother's place next week and plan to hunt Mon-Thurs. It's been years since me, my dad, and brother have hunted together. He's only been to Amelia so far, but we may pop over to Powhatan depending on how everything looks. Hoping we can find a deer or two! If nothing else, it'll be nice to have us all in the woods together again. Thanks for all of the advice!

 

[Lawson_vt]

Bumping this old thread back up. I'm heading to my brother's place next week and plan to hunt Mon-Thurs. It's been years since me, my dad, and brother have hunted together. He's only been to Amelia so far, but we may pop over to Powhatan depending on how everything looks. Hoping we can find a deer or two! If nothing else, it'll be nice to have us all in the woods together again. Thanks for all of the advice!

We have shot a few deer out of Amelia this year, recent pressure has been crazy. Advice to hunt spots far from parking is highly recxomended right now. I would still recommend National Forest, but gun season is out for much of the state now. Good luck!

 

[BuckTown]

Dog season is in on here in central Va and areas east. Good luck on a Saturday.

 

[ssramage]

Dog season is in on here in central Va and areas east. Good luck on a Saturday.

We're only hunting weekdays to try to avoid as much pressure (and dogs) as possible.

 

[Loopwing]

I am not a dog hunter at all (hate it actually), but don't shy away from being in the woods when someone else is running dogs. The dogs will get the deer up and on their feet all day long. I can't tell you the amount of deer I have shot sneaking through my land when a pack of dogs starts running a mile or more away. Most dog runners will hunt one parcel in the morning and a different one in the afternoon.
Just like like anything else, hunt your surroundings. Weather, water, food, bedding, a pack of dogs, a hot doe....
Are you really going to pass up an ethical shot on a shooter deer because it is being pushed by a dog????

 

[BuckTown]

We're only hunting weekdays to try to avoid as much pressure (and dogs) as possible.

Good luck, kill a biggun’! Shouldn’t be too bad then, especially right now. Also the new extended bear season for dogs is in now and has taken some pressure away from deer hunting. A lot of the guys I know hang up deer hunting completely for the few weeks of bear season.