So after all the initial selections are made for each draw area and someone backs out or doesn't accept a hunt, do they choose alternates and select others that didn't get selected during the first selection stage?

I got unit 3 at Oak Mountain. I'm looking forward to seeing the map once they send it.

How’d you find out your unit?

I paid the registration fee ($40) this morning and got that info in return. She said the map would be out end of this week or maybe she said next week.

My buddy (who I'll be hunting with) got unit 4 for Dec 6th. The updated map is already out

Was surprised how much was cut out of Oak MT this year. Guess those other zones just didn't see much activity. Which is funny that two of the zones that were left out were zones that I and Cleckler both killed deer out of...

From what I heard it was due to tornado damage but I’m not sure if that is true

Maybe so. My friend and I were talking and figured A. There weren't enough deer seen in those units and/or B. There really weren't the number of deer they originally thought there. I know the week I hunted there were only 3 deer killed, quite a few guys didn't see anything. I killed a nice buck but it was the only deer I saw while hunting. Basically, if you weren't on the golf course, you were going to have a much harder time.

I was in Unit 10 last year. It’s still there, just been re-numbered to Unit 5 this year.
Looks to me they cut out the units with high hiking/biking traffic, and re-numbered.

That said, If y’all get Unit 5 let me know. I’ve got a killer spot for you.

You guys that have been there before. How did the deer move? We’re they going to/from the bordering neighborhoods at all? I figured people might be feeding them there. And is there any bedding cover to speak of there?

Yeah I see that now. Good point! Doesn't matter to me, I didn't get selected



Coosa, the buck I killed was in the MIDDLE of a spaghetti of hiking trails. I had scouted the week before and found huge scrapes on the side of the hill. The top of it was young THICK pine trees. Not saying I knew exactly what was going to happen, but it worked out exactly how I had hoped. I snuck in to one of the scrapes, and set up downwind. The park opened, and when people started hiking, the buck left bedding and started checking scrapes. I watched him check a couple and then grunted at him and he came over to mine, and shot him.

They live with people hiking every day, I figure they have the people patterned better than anyone has them patterned. That was the strategy I went with, anyway.

Not sure how much help that is, I don't think those units have as many trails. Cleckler might know better.


EDIT number 2. I do know guys that hunted zone 1 and 2 talked about seeing feeders in peoples back yards. Those guys saw tons of deer.

How’d you find that out?

I 100% feel I wouldn’t have gotten my buck at Oak Mt. without the HuntStand app. There is a map overlay called “Public Lands” that had all the park trails and topo on one view. After hunting for 2 days with Mountain bikes and ppl walking their dog by me, I found the trail that would take me the farthest I could go and get away from the main road and main bike trail. I ended up walking 9/10 of a mile (according to the apps trace feature). I didn’t see a single person for the rest of my hunt.

The best part about hunting a State Park SOA is that it’s open everyday for hiking. You don’t have just one weekend in Oct to scout for your hunt in January like other SOAs.

OnX has the trails and such too. My unit is basically void of trails. Can't wait.

Holler at me I shot a doe the first afternoon last year and stuck a buck that I made a bad shot on the day after. I saw 5 bucks

So have some people gotten an email yet with all the details? I haven’t seen anything regarding the hunt as of yet. Just making sure I’m not missing something here.

I drew Cedar Creek for 1/20. I haven’t received any additional info.

I haven’t seen any additional emails for Upper State hunt on 10/14. Less than a month away so I hope to hear something soon.

Oak mountain info, unit 4 has some tornado damage, but will still be hunted. They closed off the units with the most hiking trails so there will be less human interaction on the hunts, that’s why there is less units this year. Also, the units are supposed to be about 800 acres each. I’m drawn for unit 2 on 11/29 hunt.

Will do! Thanks.