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  • tallen702

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 3, 2012
    5,102
    In the boonies of MoCo
    I've only ever hunted there before with a bow a few days in the past (to no avail) and wondered if anyone had hunted there for ML season. I'm planning to go out this Friday since it's the second day of early smoke-pole season, and wondered if anyone had any tips. I figured I'd park on Dr. Belt Rd. and head cross-country over the to Carlisle and McGruder farm borders to try and jump some coming in from the fields. That's a pain to hike a kill out from though. Anyone have any suggestions other than that?
     

    Afrikeber

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 14, 2013
    6,678
    Urbana, Md.
    I've only ever hunted there before with a bow a few days in the past (to no avail) and wondered if anyone had hunted there for ML season. I'm planning to go out this Friday since it's the second day of early smoke-pole season, and wondered if anyone had any tips. I figured I'd park on Dr. Belt Rd. and head cross-country over the to Carlisle and McGruder farm borders to try and jump some coming in from the fields. That's a pain to hike a kill out from though. Anyone have any suggestions other than that?

    I saw a lot of folks scouting that area past couple days. They just finished the bridge work so access is good from either direction. The cornfields were harvested not to long ago as well.
     

    SavageShooter

    Active Member
    Jan 10, 2014
    644
    Arbutus, MD
    Good luck tallen702 hope you score gonna be a little on the warm side though. Report back and let us know how you did. I'll be crossbow hunting the last full week of Oct. on private land in the mountains of SW Garrett Co. and Grant Co., WV.
     

    outrider58

    Eats Bacon Raw
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 29, 2014
    49,810
    That place turns into a pumpkin patch during gun season. Too bad they opened the west side to gun hunting. It used to be a great place to bow hunt on opening day of gun season. Got my first bow kill in there too. If you can find an exit route off the property, that would be a good place to set up. Keeping in mind, there are people who have been hunting there a long time and know all those routes. If it were me, I might try setting up somewhere along the river for opening morning maybe. The deer do cross back and forth all the time.
     

    tallen702

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 3, 2012
    5,102
    In the boonies of MoCo
    That place turns into a pumpkin patch during gun season. Too bad they opened the west side to gun hunting. It used to be a great place to bow hunt on opening day of gun season. Got my first bow kill in there too. If you can find an exit route off the property, that would be a good place to set up. Keeping in mind, there are people who have been hunting there a long time and know all those routes. If it were me, I might try setting up somewhere along the river for opening morning maybe. The deer do cross back and forth all the time.

    That's why I was thinking of hitting the field edges along the McGruder and Carlisle farms. I used to hunt the McGruder farm (a friend of mine still manages it, but we haven't been in touch for a few years and saying "Hey, mind if I hunt there" as the opening line to reconnecting is a bit disingenuous looking) and lots of hunters would scare the deer over onto the fields. Lots of oaks there as well, so plenty of food along with any spoil from the corn/bean harvests.

    I'll likely try near the river in the morning to get the bedding animals as they're moving. Then work over to the fields for the afternoon/evening feed.
     

    Afrikeber

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 14, 2013
    6,678
    Urbana, Md.
    I’ll be down the road in Dawsonville, actually getting ready to leave the house now for first day of muzzleloader. Looks like the wind is blowing south to north right now so my favorite funnel spot is where I’ll be.
     

    tallen702

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 3, 2012
    5,102
    In the boonies of MoCo
    I’ll be down the road in Dawsonville, actually getting ready to leave the house now for first day of muzzleloader. Looks like the wind is blowing south to north right now so my favorite funnel spot is where I’ll be.

    Good luck!

    Dickerson is going to be SSE on the winds tomorrow supposedly, so I'll likely stick to the eastern field side of the NRMA up on a knoll and try to get lucky with some coming in from an early morning feed.

    We're only a week out from the rut moon from what I've been reading, and with the dive in temps over the weekend, I wouldn't be surprised to see it be true. I've got the ability to go out for antlerless on Monday and Tuesday evening if I don't get anything tomorrow.
     

    outrider58

    Eats Bacon Raw
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 29, 2014
    49,810
    Good luck guys. There are plenty of deer in there, but they be smart deer. Wear plenty of orange and be safe!
     

    tallen702

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 3, 2012
    5,102
    In the boonies of MoCo
    Good luck guys. There are plenty of deer in there, but they be smart deer. Wear plenty of orange and be safe!

    For sure! Vest, hat, streamers for the improvised blind (Czech cammo netting that I'll prop up with sticks to screen in front of me a little).

    I don't have a climbing stand, so I'll be hunting from a tripod stool. Figured out where I'm going to be in terms of spots, just hope the weather cooperates and we don't get the fog that we've had the past two days.
     

    tallen702

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 3, 2012
    5,102
    In the boonies of MoCo
    I was so hoping the fog wouldn't make an appearance this morning. Still waiting for it to burn off of the farm fields near the ridge tops.

    Quiet so far. Only saw one other vehicle on Dr. Belt those morning and one other hunter in the woods. Heard two shots around sunup, but that's it.
     

    akalma

    Active Member
    MDS Supporter
    Nov 24, 2008
    718
    МоКо
    I was hunting yesterday afternoon at the north side from Ed Sears rd, didn't see any deer. Heard only two shots close to last legal light far to the south. It was really hot.
     

    tallen702

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 3, 2012
    5,102
    In the boonies of MoCo
    Going back out with a crossbow tomorrow morning. Going to take Outrider's advice and hit the west side of the river. The wind is coming from NW so I figure I'll set up the blind and get some estrus down-wind of me to try and pull some in from the riverside. I saw an old post on another forum that I assume was Outrider under a different handle (same profile pic) who said they used to float down from the Park Mills launch to come in from the riverside so as not to disturb anything feeding in the fields. If I had a buddy going with me, I'd do that, but flying solo, I'm not going to risk canoeing in the dark.
     

    outrider58

    Eats Bacon Raw
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 29, 2014
    49,810
    Going back out with a crossbow tomorrow morning. Going to take Outrider's advice and hit the west side of the river. The wind is coming from NW so I figure I'll set up the blind and get some estrus down-wind of me to try and pull some in from the riverside. I saw an old post on another forum that I assume was Outrider under a different handle (same profile pic) who said they used to float down from the Park Mills launch to come in from the riverside so as not to disturb anything feeding in the fields. If I had a buddy going with me, I'd do that, but flying solo, I'm not going to risk canoeing in the dark.
    I cannot tell a lie. Twas I. :)
     

    tallen702

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 3, 2012
    5,102
    In the boonies of MoCo
    LOL he wasn't the only one.... have kayaked and canoed from the bridge... have been avoiding the area due to the pandemic, figured it would be crowded... may have to check it out next week when I am on huntcation...

    Probably because it was a Friday, but I was one of about 6 people in the whole area. Myself, two guys hunting squirrels, one hunting crows, and the couple doing their best impression of English aristocracy with horses, hounds, and bugles.
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    Probably because it was a Friday, but I was one of about 6 people in the whole area. Myself, two guys hunting squirrels, one hunting crows, and the couple doing their best impression of English aristocracy with horses, hounds, and bugles.

    Sigh. Them.

    I guess I just need to accept it, but the hound fox chasers annoy the hell out of me. I think it is largely because they make so much dang racket all over. They chase anything and everything within hundreds of yards of them away and run through big swaths of parks emptying them.

    I think the other part is even if you aren’t hunting, there ain’t no “quiet enjoyment” of the parks fishing, bird watching, hiking or just relaxing under a tree with their ruckus.

    Such is public land, but they are (in my opinion) pretty much the worst.
     

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