what's the best area to hunt in wheeler? I have been scouting the area off Pryor rd where the observation deck is located, it looks promising but not sure. where's the best concentration of deer?

There is good hunting there just stay on the east side the west is off limits to entry. As far as numbers I've heard good about tally bottoms. Its a good chunk of land and I've heard of good bucks being killed there to. You can kill deer most anywhere on it just put your time in scouting and you should find some. If you're not willing to go deep don't be surprised to run into others. The places that are known for having good deer also have plenty of hunters.

Thanks for the advise, I'm willing to go in deep but this will be my first public land hunt. I'd be happy killing does, I just love being in the woods.

I hunt Wheeler alot. The last 3 weeks in January are very nice, bucks are normally chasing like crazy. The Flintlock Hunters are normally stalk hunting and if you climb and stay put you will see some great bucks!! I personally prefer the Limestone County areas of Wheeler over Madison and Morgan counties.

I see you're from Madison. Tally Bottoms is a good ways from you. You might want to consider Penny bottoms. Its another big area of land and I've heard a lot of good about it. Its another area that gets hunted but it gets hunted for a reason. There are several good areas on the north side that are fairly close to you that you should check out.

A strong start for you would be to hunt the area from I-565 back west toward US Hwy 31 back towards Decatur. The area is known as White Springs. Good luck.

I work in Decatur so i don' mind the drive, once the season is over I will check both Talley bottem and Penny bottem out. I don't own a flint lock so i will bow hunt it. I own both a compound and a Crossbow. From reading the wheeler brochure and state law, it is unclear if you can hunt on wheeler with a crossbow. Is a crossbow allowed?

I just moved up here from florida

Crossbow is legal.

ive found its the places that dont have names and big parking lots thats best.
you only have to find one low profile place to have years of hunting.

Thanks

I've taken deer from the White Springs area and Blackwell Swamp, but I think the swamp has better numbers. It also gets more pressure. Usually after gun season opens up the hunting pressure decreases somewhat. The refuge is closed to hunting on Sunday, so that would give you a chance to scout some of the above mentioned places and hopefully find some fresh sign. There is another area off Upper or Lower River Rd (can't remember which but you should find it on the permit which also has the map and boundaries) that I've heard is good. Last year was the first year I tried out the area close to the visitor center. Bean Place or Old Bean Rd (something like that) you may check it out.

How did you do? Any luck

No luck on my end so far, but I've not hunted Wheeler but a handful of times this year. Never saw a deer from the stand on bean place, but I did see a nice buck (looked like a 6 pt) on hwy 67 by the headquarters building early one morning going into work.