I just recently moved up to Huntington and started medical school at Marshall University. As a first year medical student I don't have a lot of free time but I still want to get in the woods a few times this semester. I'm originally from South Carolina and hunting is much different than up here in the mountains. I'm looking at hunting either green bottom wma, mill creek wma, or beech fork lake wma. Is there anybody out there that has experience hunting in this area that could point me in the right direction? If I had the time I'd check out each area and and narrow it down through weeks of scouting but I simply don't have that luxury of time anymore. Any help would be greatly appreciated and good luck with the upcoming season!
Green bottom is not a good choice.. if I was you I would go for beech fork or McClintock wma in point pleasant I?ve never hunted beech fork but have a good friend that does and he kills a nice one every year down there and I?ve hunted McClintic several times and there is some big bucks there but it?s a one buck limit a year and it has to be 14? wide to legally shoot it which is why there is some studs down there but it also has a lot of pressure good luck and be careful down in Huntington it?s not a very good representation of our state or the people here if I hunt mcclintic any this year I will pm u and show ya around
Bkimble, thanks for the tips. Is green bottom just overpressured? I went by there yesterday and there was a ton of sign. Large rubs, good trails, and lots of food (several mature corn fields). Not trying to question you, just curious.
You have over 81000 acres of public land across the river in Ohio. License is 150$ if you decide to go this route shoot me a PM and I could show you a few spots I live about 10 min from huntington.
Yes it is way over pressured and very hard to bow hunt because it is so open I?ve hunted it before and was disgusted by all the people there it might be different now that has been several years ago but it was a joke then what few spots I could bow hunt in was already full of people it might be worth a try now tho I?ve just always like mcclintic better
Gotcha. I noticed that when I pulled in. There were 6 cars parked at the east end where the majority of the more mature hardwoods were, which I figured was alot for that small area. I went back over to the other entrance and I was the only one there, but like you said a lot of it was open and in my hour of scouting I saw only two trees that were even big enough to climb. Decent sign though. Gonna check out beech fork lake next. I'm planning on doing a scouting/hunting trip there this weekend. Im banking on google earth being enough to at least get me close to where I need to be! Getting one of those giant mountain deer with my bow has been on the bucket list ever since I started hunting. Definitely looking forward to my time in the woods.
Have you checked out Mill Creek yet in Milton? It gets less pressure than the other 2 you mentioned and looks decent from the times I've been in there. Finding the parking/access point is a pain, as it's unmarked and not on any DNR maps, so send me a PM if you want more info on how to get in there.
You're also not too far from Chief Cornstalk WMA in Mason county. Just hop on Route 2 in Huntington and head towards Point Pleasant, then get on Route 35 toward Charleston. When 35 narrows down to 2 lanes, Chief Cornstalk will be ahead on your right. I've heard there is good hunting here, not sure on pressure though during bow season. It's a pumpkin patch during gun season though I'm told.
EDIT: Like baz77 said, you have a lot of public land in Ohio too not far from Huntington. Check out the Crown City WMA, it's 30 minutes or so from Huntington, depending on where you live. You also have some Wayne National Forest land near Ironton, another 30 minutes or so away. I've been hunting in Ohio for 6 years now and it's well worth the $150 non-resident price tag, but I also know what being in college does to your wallet.
I'd like to hunt beech fork, I live on Daniel Boone in Kentucky, but I tagged my first bow buck already an I should have waited. I want to hunt either crown city Ohio or beech fork, I have a small boat so looking to get to some unpressured areas if possible..
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