chriscustom

So, this is my first post here at huntingnet.com and I was wondering if anyone has been turkey hunting at The Big Woods in Sussex Co. Va.? I deer hunted there last season and it was run over by a BUNCH of hunting clubs. I really had to get deep to get away from the people and killed a really nice 9 point with my muzzle loader. But my question is ........ Is there any one who has turkey hunted this season and were there a lot of people? I dont want to get shot! Almost had that happen during deer season. I plan on going tuesday so any info would help out. Thanks chriscustom.

Camo Mike

I heard it's crazy, worst then Deer season. I'd like to have seen when the local clubs blocked the roads and ran their dogs through. I bet it was a site to see.

NEW61375

That WMA used to be all hunt club land and there still is a patch of private property right in the center of it. The only difference now is the clubs don't have to pay a lease on it and instead of one club hunting it all the clubs hunt it.

That being said, it is still some good land and luckily most clubs don't go to far from the truck or the walk-in paths. I have bow hunted it a few times and gun hunted late season, saw a few does and lots of turkey. Best bet for any hunting out there is during the week or if it's crappy weather.

Also, and this probably goes without saying but I'll post it anyway...be extremely wary of the property lines. I found more than one area that looked promising but was located near a property line. Normally I wouldn't think much of it as long as I was on the right side of the line but these lines were posted with some "strongly worded" posted signs that led me to believe there may have been some issues in the past. I ended up hunting a bit farther away from that area to avoid any potential problem. I hunt with my 9 year old a lot and I'm not trying to get in a pissin match with anybody in the middle of the woods in Sussex.

NEW61375

I grew up in VA Beach and Chesapeake (GBHS '93), good to see some other folks up here. Don't know if you fellas heard it or not but Chesapeake is getting an Urban Archery Season that will run from Sept.3 -30th. It passsd the vote 8-0 and if it gets submitted quickly enough it could happen as early as this season. Antlerless only.

It will give me a little time to bowhunt before gun season.

chriscustom

Thats awesome!61375. I live about 5 min from 750 acres of the Swamp Tract that is strickly bow...all season. I haven't heard of the Urban season is chesapeake but hope its true. I'll sure find out.

NEW61375

My hunting buddy lives on Douglas Road right by that swamp piece. We've been eye-ballin it for 2 seasons now but haven't hunted it yet. I hunt Northwest Coast Guard Annex and Fentress Airfield quite a bit but am always looking for more (good) public land. I try to hunt at least 1 new piece of public land every season, I live in Great Bridge and hunt in Chesapeake, Dinwiddie, Eastern Shore, NC and have a lot of family up near Lynchburg/Bedford so I get to try public land across most of the state. I hope to hunt Big Woods a bit more this bow season as well as Featherfin WMA << love this place but it's quite a drive.

MDS184122577

Yeah I hunted big woods last year during shotgun season with no luck, but saw some good sign there. My impression of the place is it is heavily pressured and your best bet is to hunt it during bow season, as the more people that get on the property, the deer go nocturnal.