To just kill a deer? Best population, highest odds of killing any deer? I’m talking about bow hunting only.

In state or OOS?

In Alabama.

Jackson County waterfowl management areas

Wheeler refuge. Not a lot of pressure and plenty of places to get in the woods.

The statistics for man days hunted per kill used to be published, That being said, my experience has been less pressure equals greater success. That may be an oak tree 100 feet from the parking area or the other side of a creek. Find areas that hunters avoid and the deer will be there.

Not 1st hand information, but I've been told Geneva was good.

Our fella Alabama public land monster buck killer made a YouTube video the other day. And he says Sam R Murphy. JUST TO KILL A DEER. But I hate the place

I have hunted Lauderdale WMA since the 70's and if I had to pick any place to kill a deer with a bow, this would be it. I have no idea how many I killed with a bow over the years I have hunted there. One year I had killed 7 before the gun season opened. I have never seen a "giant" there but I have laid eyes on tons of good mature deer. I have not set foot on it since the CWD scare, but I could kill a deer there tomorrow if my life depended on it.

I would say corp land on the Alabama river if you are just wanting to sling arrows. Plenty of deer and hogs. Geneva does have decent deer numbers but there is a lot of pressure and people that will walk in on you. My friends that work for the forest service say they are seeing more deer in north end of talladega national forest than they ever have. Icr the management area in the forest I think it’s chocco

I saw that. Michael is a North Alabama guy. I’m interested in hearing thoughts on the entire state.

You ever hunt Freedom Hills? It used to be some really good bow hunting years ago.

Barbour WMA in SE AL is hard to beat. Invited a friend from Limestone Co down a couple of years ago that usually hunts at swan creek and wheeler and he told me after 2 days in the woods he was tempted to move to Eufaula just for the deer hunting.

The reason I ask is a big part of me wants to get out of the hunting club-lease business. Part of me loves chasing big bucks but another part wants to go back to a simpler time when just killing deer any deer was fun. I think traveling to different public land locations and bow hunting would be fun!

I know you ain’t a spring chicken like you use to be snuffy cup, FLAT LAND would be a plus😂🤣😂 for myself as well, no stones thrown at you

The refuge land around Lake point/north Eufaula used to hold an unbelievable amount of deer. When I was a kid I would go in there and shoot every arrow in my quiver nearly every hunt

I know I’m just dreaming.😁 You got to admit. A small camper and traveling to some of these WMA with a buddy would be a good time. I’m retired I can go anytime! I have to be careful and mostly easy hunt these days but I can still climb a tree.😛

It does sound like fun. If I was retired and had the time I’d do it, I’d be all in on that. Your kill rate may go down a little, but just build a natural ground blind and hunt. I’ve killed a few off the ground and enjoy those hunts as much or more than out of a tree. And in a lot of situations you see better off the ground as you probably know.

I never liked Freedom Hills as much as I liked Waterloo. I killed many a deer on Thomas WMA years ago, but never saw the bigger bucks that I saw at Waterloo.

I like your idea of a camper and heading out also. I need one more year and I am retiring also. I hope I have enough left in me to have a good time in retirement. We need to have a get together at several of the camps on the WMAs and spend a little time in a tree.

Still is

We traveled around a lot when we were fresh out of high school and never did have a camper… fun times

We would pick the turnip salad from food plots and boil it for supper! Those were some good times. When a deer was killed we would have a feast that night. Good times.

Always had a cousin that would hop in the truck with us and skip school if he had to. He would fill a limit of sqwerls every hunt and we’d cook em up!
If your meat hunting or killing for fun, I’m sure you could throw a dart at the map snuff and go…

I have hunted that corps land for a long time. I have always struggled there for whatever reason. Alot of my friends have done very well, though

The old man can still climb a tree and shoot a compound bow. No it wasn’t on public land but it’s still fun to kill one with a bow!!!

Bow hunting only I would say the Corps of Engineers land in Dallas and Wilcox counties. Very underutilized. I reffed football with a couple of guys that worked for the Corps and they said it was hardly ever used once gun season opened because it was Bow only. Plenty of deer but all I've seen was pretty thick and might require some shooting lanes creating, but the deer are there. I ride by one tract every now and then that borders the Beer's land (Alabama River Hunting Lodge) and I chuckle at people paying $600/day to hunt on the Beers and they could be doing it for free a couple of hundred yards away if they are willing to stick with a bow and arrows. This particular tract is also very close, if not bordering, with Six Mile Creek campground, which is a pretty nice State campground if someone wanted to stay a week or so.

Jawbone looking on Onyx looks like around 289 acres where the Campground is that what You are referring to? You got my interest perked

That would be it. All you need is a permit from the corps and it is pretty much yours for bowseason.

Thanks! A place to camp and small enough not to be to overwhelming. Reading the reviews on the Lodge seems no shortage of Deer in the area

I wouldn't limit myself to just Alabama. Lot of good places in other states.

I've been on just about every WMA in the state at some point. They all have deer. Demopolis and Mulberry Fork stand out for numbers. I've seen a ton of deer at Eufaula and the Alabama River. I'd love to spend some more time down there.

I will bring the beer.

quote=jdhunter2011]
I will bring the beer. [/quote]
Sounds like fun don’t it? Camping and hunting would be a good time!

Sounds like fun don’t it? Camping and hunting would be a good time![/quote]

It is fun brother. Your odds at killing go down, but camping with a buddy and talking life is more fun than dragging anyway. 😁😁

My camper is on about 50% right now and I need to have some work done on it, but its useable. We use the 2 campgrounds in Bankhead each year and have a ball. We dont kill many but have a good time when everyone is in camp. If you get one Snuffy PM me and I can tell you where the boys are camping. A couple of them will move to Freedom Hills after Christmas. Oh and we eat good every night too.

👍

I'm 30 min from bankhead....have no desire to deer hunt it, but I would like to set up camp and hang out.