Fort A.P. Hill
#1
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Virginia
Posts: 281
Fort A.P. Hill
Anyone planning on hunting AP Hill this year, there's been a lot of changes. TA's have been divided into sub-areas (ie., Ta18a, Ta18b, Ta18c). Some of the Ta's have different numbers than previous years. So, if you hunted a spot in ta19, that spot might be ta17a now. Also, the Ca program has changed, ANYONE (over 18), can be a probabionary Ca hunter. After two years of probation, you can become a regular Ca hunter. No more community service or ******ed hunts. No more use of buckshot either. If you go, read your regs well
#2
Fork Horn
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Northern VA
Posts: 310
Yep, they defiantly changed quite a few things. Not a fan of buckshot and I use ML all season, so that doesn't really effect me. It will take some studying and time to figure out some of the new TA lines.
More of a concern to me is the closing of some roads. That make for a long walk in to some good spots. Luckily, I rarely ever used any of them anyways and they can still be used to get a deer out.
Mitch
More of a concern to me is the closing of some roads. That make for a long walk in to some good spots. Luckily, I rarely ever used any of them anyways and they can still be used to get a deer out.
Mitch
#3
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Virginia
Posts: 281
I know what you mean about the roads. I also hunt firearms season with a ml, so the buckshot thing is no concern to me either. I didn't realize a lot of hunters used it there. I'm glad to see the changes to the CA qualifications, that's been a good ol boy network for some time. I'm sure it won't be long before the base becomes closed to civilians and only allow active duty and retirees to hunt.
#5
Fork Horn
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Manassas,VA
Posts: 301
I'm looking into Hunting Fort AP Hill becuase Quantico has changed it check in process and shorteded it's gun season and has never had a muzzerloader season and hardly no doe days is it worth hunting ap hill ? and do they have nice bucks there that would make a bragging board and such
#7
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Virginia
Posts: 281
Spent the last 3 days hunting there. First time ever I DID NOT SEE A SINGLE DEER!! Even the first two days driving two and from the check station, I saw nothing. That's also the general consensus from other hunters I've talked to, nothing is moving. Also, the amount of acorns falling is unreal, I've never seen it like that before either. The deer aren't even touching the sawtooths, which are normally vacuumed up by them this time of year. Each area I hunted I did see lots of fresh scraps.
Some are saying the harsh snows we had last winter had a devastating effect on the herd. I didn't see any old carcasses, but spring turkey hunters said they did. I don't know, could be an interesting year at APH!
Some are saying the harsh snows we had last winter had a devastating effect on the herd. I didn't see any old carcasses, but spring turkey hunters said they did. I don't know, could be an interesting year at APH!
#9
I've tried AP Hill a few times a number of years ago. I gave up on that place and never went back.
You check out the area, and see some excellent signs of deer (even see a few deer while you're at it), and put in for TA25 or whatever TA (training area). Come next morning, there isn't a single deer in TA25. You grab your binos and scan around looking all over the place, you look way into TA26 and a massive herd of deer is in TA26. Why? TA26 IS CLOSED THAT DAY!!!
I swear... The deer at AP Hill are so educated, they all have PHD's. Somehow, mysteriously, the deer on AP Hill just...."know", like they can secretly understand english and the game check office/wardens tell them where to go to be safe!!!!
You check out the area, and see some excellent signs of deer (even see a few deer while you're at it), and put in for TA25 or whatever TA (training area). Come next morning, there isn't a single deer in TA25. You grab your binos and scan around looking all over the place, you look way into TA26 and a massive herd of deer is in TA26. Why? TA26 IS CLOSED THAT DAY!!!
I swear... The deer at AP Hill are so educated, they all have PHD's. Somehow, mysteriously, the deer on AP Hill just...."know", like they can secretly understand english and the game check office/wardens tell them where to go to be safe!!!!