Hog Island WMA Hunt
10-07-2004, 08:03 AM
#1
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Northern Neck VA
Posts: 465
Hog Island WMA Hunt
Well guys and gals I am back from the Hog Island hunt.....
Let me say that I will be going back next year if possible!! I had a awsome time down there...
While I was not able to take a animal I did see alot of game... from red and grey foxes at very close range.. one of them ended up standing at the bottom of my tree for a few minutes trying to figure out why things were falling around him.. it was entertaining to watch...
I took Vasavage with me as my guest, we got there on Sunday evening and did a little scouting and saw a group of 4 or 5 bucks.. not sure about one of them, but they were all very nice animals..
Monday morning found me trying to climb up my tree and having two does walk by while I was only half way up and my bow still on the ground lol.... Dave had two does walk by him at 3 yards but he could not see his pins yet[&:]...The afternoon hunt found me with a spike walking aroudn at between 5 to 40 yards for almost an hour.. he must have known he was safe... I have tried to "grow" horns on does beofre during buck season but never found myself wishing the horns werent there lol (there was a antler restriction of past the ears to be able to shot a buck)
After watching the buck feed back toward the field I got out of my stand and headed for the edge ot the scrub pines and corn field at dusk.. I had a few does but coudl not get closer than 40 yards to them....
Tuesday morning was extremly windy and I ended up only seeing a fox.. Tiesday afternoon found it still windy but temps were droping so it felt good!!
I set up along the logging road where we had spotted that group of bucks on Sunday evening... I was up a tree near where several heavy trails and came out onto the road and tons of tracks were there...Wihle in stnad I watched 2 different foxes and all the various waterfowl out in the marsh and fields behind me!! Well at around 6:50 I thought I heard a twig snap down the road in the direction that the fox had gone about 5 minutes ago.. I looked and saw nothing... well I turned back toward all the trails and got that "hey look again you big dummy"... I slowly turned and there standing in the edge of cover was a huge 8 pointer.. I am talking huge.. nice thick mass and wide... bigger then the ones I have on me wall already... I watch him hoping he will deecide to come down the raod my direction.. wel he came out and went ... you guessed it , the other way... he came out at 45 yards or so... oh well atleast I got to see him!!!! While all this was going on dave had two does heading his way.. but I will let him tell you all about that lol... on the way back to the truck we almost ran smack into the side of a doe..
All told I saw over 30 deer in my two days of hunting.. some close some not close enough... some way off and a few on the way in and out in the mornings and evenings..
I will post some of the pics I took while there.. I did not take as many as I wanted too but it was a awsome hunt.. the best $6.00 I have ever spent on hunting lol
Let me say that I will be going back next year if possible!! I had a awsome time down there...
While I was not able to take a animal I did see alot of game... from red and grey foxes at very close range.. one of them ended up standing at the bottom of my tree for a few minutes trying to figure out why things were falling around him.. it was entertaining to watch...
I took Vasavage with me as my guest, we got there on Sunday evening and did a little scouting and saw a group of 4 or 5 bucks.. not sure about one of them, but they were all very nice animals..
Monday morning found me trying to climb up my tree and having two does walk by while I was only half way up and my bow still on the ground lol.... Dave had two does walk by him at 3 yards but he could not see his pins yet[&:]...The afternoon hunt found me with a spike walking aroudn at between 5 to 40 yards for almost an hour.. he must have known he was safe... I have tried to "grow" horns on does beofre during buck season but never found myself wishing the horns werent there lol (there was a antler restriction of past the ears to be able to shot a buck)
After watching the buck feed back toward the field I got out of my stand and headed for the edge ot the scrub pines and corn field at dusk.. I had a few does but coudl not get closer than 40 yards to them....
Tuesday morning was extremly windy and I ended up only seeing a fox.. Tiesday afternoon found it still windy but temps were droping so it felt good!!
I set up along the logging road where we had spotted that group of bucks on Sunday evening... I was up a tree near where several heavy trails and came out onto the road and tons of tracks were there...Wihle in stnad I watched 2 different foxes and all the various waterfowl out in the marsh and fields behind me!! Well at around 6:50 I thought I heard a twig snap down the road in the direction that the fox had gone about 5 minutes ago.. I looked and saw nothing... well I turned back toward all the trails and got that "hey look again you big dummy"... I slowly turned and there standing in the edge of cover was a huge 8 pointer.. I am talking huge.. nice thick mass and wide... bigger then the ones I have on me wall already... I watch him hoping he will deecide to come down the raod my direction.. wel he came out and went ... you guessed it , the other way... he came out at 45 yards or so... oh well atleast I got to see him!!!! While all this was going on dave had two does heading his way.. but I will let him tell you all about that lol... on the way back to the truck we almost ran smack into the side of a doe..
All told I saw over 30 deer in my two days of hunting.. some close some not close enough... some way off and a few on the way in and out in the mornings and evenings..
I will post some of the pics I took while there.. I did not take as many as I wanted too but it was a awsome hunt.. the best $6.00 I have ever spent on hunting lol
10-07-2004, 12:09 PM
#3
Fork Horn
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: VA
Posts: 102
RE: Hog Island WMA Hunt
Hog Island is a very good place to hunt. Nice deer. I don't know if you read my post about it in another thread where you mentioned this hunt or not. I visit the area all the time.
I'll be going out there all day on Monday and Tuesday squirrel hunting. How was the small game that you saw, I know you saw foxes and such, how were the tree rats?
I'll be going out there all day on Monday and Tuesday squirrel hunting. How was the small game that you saw, I know you saw foxes and such, how were the tree rats?
10-07-2004, 02:18 PM
#4
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Baltimore, MD USA
Posts: 383
RE: Hog Island WMA Hunt
LMAO.. Tattle Tale!!!
Well as Eng said it was a great few days, I must say this seemed as a guided hunt without the guides ....lol I mean John and Mack the biologist of Hogs Island will give you all the information you need to know but you have to ask ?'s very polite gentlemen and very willing to help.
They will smile once you tell them you seen them bruisers as if to say dam you found my honey hole...lol then they would start explaining several things to ya..lmao
Well since Eng already told, The last day well evening etc.. I spotted a few does earlier during the day attempting to sneak up through the marsh, but being nosey and ready to take almost anything I started for a short walk and boom! Busted them trying to walk through the marsh.
In any case that evening guess what, they came up through the same exact area, this time I was sitting on the edge of another marsh area from an open field and pines. I would say it was dam nearly dark enough not to see beyond 15 yards or so, but I seen them two creeping my way after I scared off a fox attempting to steal my deer bomb...lol
As they came I got set, you know prepared for them back straps well I waited for the bigger one to come closer and she did, I set my pin right on what I thought was a good point of impact seeing a fainted shadow of a deer by this time. Just KNEW I HAD A KILL>..well she walked off very slowly thinking I got her but maybe she didn't realize it yet..hmm.. I watched them walk out of my site it was no more than about 20 yards. So then I got down to check my arrow ya know, looked it over with my flash light sniffing etc.. thinking maybe a gut shot missed low. Well all I got was some dam HAIR to say the least. But I had to take that shot she was under 15 yards just dark enough to strain my eyes through them pins.
here's some pics of the area I was in and as it got dark you couldn't see across that road up top in the pic and then I'll show you the does sneaking by as they worked back my way. I enhanced the photo with some light to bring the deer out of the dark but I could still seem them with just hard using a flash and spooking them off.
Well as Eng said it was a great few days, I must say this seemed as a guided hunt without the guides ....lol I mean John and Mack the biologist of Hogs Island will give you all the information you need to know but you have to ask ?'s very polite gentlemen and very willing to help.
They will smile once you tell them you seen them bruisers as if to say dam you found my honey hole...lol then they would start explaining several things to ya..lmao
Well since Eng already told, The last day well evening etc.. I spotted a few does earlier during the day attempting to sneak up through the marsh, but being nosey and ready to take almost anything I started for a short walk and boom! Busted them trying to walk through the marsh.
In any case that evening guess what, they came up through the same exact area, this time I was sitting on the edge of another marsh area from an open field and pines. I would say it was dam nearly dark enough not to see beyond 15 yards or so, but I seen them two creeping my way after I scared off a fox attempting to steal my deer bomb...lol
As they came I got set, you know prepared for them back straps well I waited for the bigger one to come closer and she did, I set my pin right on what I thought was a good point of impact seeing a fainted shadow of a deer by this time. Just KNEW I HAD A KILL>..well she walked off very slowly thinking I got her but maybe she didn't realize it yet..hmm.. I watched them walk out of my site it was no more than about 20 yards. So then I got down to check my arrow ya know, looked it over with my flash light sniffing etc.. thinking maybe a gut shot missed low. Well all I got was some dam HAIR to say the least. But I had to take that shot she was under 15 yards just dark enough to strain my eyes through them pins.
here's some pics of the area I was in and as it got dark you couldn't see across that road up top in the pic and then I'll show you the does sneaking by as they worked back my way. I enhanced the photo with some light to bring the deer out of the dark but I could still seem them with just hard using a flash and spooking them off.
10-08-2004, 05:04 AM
#7
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Northern Neck VA
Posts: 465
RE: Hog Island WMA Hunt
lol I let you tell on yourself Dave.. I just set it up for you lol!!!!
jackalope.... you are thinking of the Carlisle (sp??) Tract on the right, before you get to the Domian Power plant. We actually got to hunt the other section of Hog Island... Where the biologists live at... we had to go through the Surry Dominion Power plant it self, which was about 15 minutes every time we got to the gate for them to go through my entire truck since it is a nuclear plant security was very tight lol..The only hunting allowed on this tract was by lotto for deer and by lotto for waterfowl no other game otherwise I woudl have shot a few foxes while we were there!!
Butch the bugs were the worst the first mornign.. I ended up with 47 bites on one hand alone and they were biting through my pamts and shirt... mean little s.o.b's lol but all in all a wonderful time!!
jackalope.... you are thinking of the Carlisle (sp??) Tract on the right, before you get to the Domian Power plant. We actually got to hunt the other section of Hog Island... Where the biologists live at... we had to go through the Surry Dominion Power plant it self, which was about 15 minutes every time we got to the gate for them to go through my entire truck since it is a nuclear plant security was very tight lol..The only hunting allowed on this tract was by lotto for deer and by lotto for waterfowl no other game otherwise I woudl have shot a few foxes while we were there!!
Butch the bugs were the worst the first mornign.. I ended up with 47 bites on one hand alone and they were biting through my pamts and shirt... mean little s.o.b's lol but all in all a wonderful time!!
10-08-2004, 07:29 AM
#8
Fork Horn
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: VA
Posts: 102
RE: Hog Island WMA Hunt
You were on the other side, it's always been my dream to hunt over there. I gotta enter into the lotto like you guys did. Yeah I was thinking Carlisle Tract. I've been stopped at the plant before, lol, pain in the tale. Especially when you got any kind of weapon in the truck. But the state trooper (a female) that searched me and the truck was actually kind of cute.
How much time did they give you guys to scout and hunt total?
How much time did they give you guys to scout and hunt total?
10-08-2004, 08:44 AM
#9
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Northern Neck VA
Posts: 465
RE: Hog Island WMA Hunt
I actually got drawn for the long hunt.. Oct 2,4,5 & 6, We went down on Sunday afternoon and hunted monday and tuesday we came back tuesday night due to some work issues... We should have hunted there Sat as well but I wanted to hunt up here at a small place I have to hunt..
You can go in there anytime as long as they are not having a event such as the Quota hunts for the deer or waterfowl..
We are thinking of going back in the spring to do some bow fishign for carb. The biologist was telling us about how huge they were in there and they welcomed that.. I will keep everyone informed as the spring gets here(not to soon though!!!! LOL ) maybe we can do a group bowfishing outing!!
You can go in there anytime as long as they are not having a event such as the Quota hunts for the deer or waterfowl..
We are thinking of going back in the spring to do some bow fishign for carb. The biologist was telling us about how huge they were in there and they welcomed that.. I will keep everyone informed as the spring gets here(not to soon though!!!! LOL ) maybe we can do a group bowfishing outing!!
