Opinions on the best MZ hunt in the lower 48?

[Stumpkiller]

As a matter of fact it isn't even necessary to cut the fence. Just tie the strands together. Most barbed wire fences around here are 4-strand. If you tie the top 2 strands together as tight as you can get them it will lower the top strand and raise the 2nd strand. Then tie the 2 lowest strands together. Now there is a larger "hole" in the middle.
All else being equal, just doing that will soon change the deer's travel pattern to get them to cross the fence where you would like them to. It's easier to jump the lower point in the top of the fence or dive thru the middle where the strands are separated.
Also it's less likely to tick off the farmer than cutting fence wire. :wink:

If I find a tied fence and half a sheep carcass outside the fence and I find who left a sabotaged fence that way, you'll be hanging by the neck from the remains of the fence tie. :wink:

 

[Rev_William]

I heartly agree with you. I used to help my grampa string barbwire around the family's ranch. It was alittle over 2000 sq acres. I got really tired of people cutting it or tying it cause it inconvienced them when they were hunting without permission :cursing:

 

[longcruise]

I think it was made clear though that the fence is non-functional and serves no purpose.

 

[jethro224]

I think it was made clear though that the fence is non-functional and serves no purpose.

Right. No livestock fences, only property line markers and such! I should have made that more clear...

Also, if the fence doesn't belong to you you need to ask permission before altering it in any way! Common sense, but I keep forgetting that ain't so common anymore.

 

[Rev_William]

It did, when left alone, keep the cattle in the correct pasture and out of nieghbors fields. Also kept them out of the wheat. Never saw it slow down the deer. It got to where the sheriff told us we could shoot on sight anyone there without permission.

 

[luieb45]

Yep, no cows no more. We stopped raising cattle a couple of years ago. My grandpa wasn't making much money with the 30 he had anyway and with the way corn and bean prices are it wasn't really that necessary anyway. So we alter the fences as they are needed because most of them only serve as old property barriers.

 

[FishDFly]

The OP:

was thinking about doing something different this year if finances and circumstances allow for it to occur. Like many hunters the muzzleloading season for deer is generally after the bow and general gun seasons. So you have less game and whatever survives is more spooked.

I know in my home state of Massachusetts, the muzzleloading season is after the six week bow and two week gun so for eight weeks deer have been pursued. Maine is in the same situation. New Hampshire is different in the fact that the season is before the general gun but as a rule the success rate is low. Rhode Island is before the general gun season and the success rate is a high of 20 percent( That is high for New England) but your best chances are on private land which is very difficult to access in the smallest state in the Union.

Now I am pretty open minded so I would like some suggestions. What state or special muzzleloading hunt that has a high success rate would you recommend? Are there special hunts that are for a lack of a better term, open secrets? Thanks for any replies.

?Where are his answers???????????????????????

Person wants an honest answer and can not get one, how come????????????????????

 

[jamesthomas]

Here is an decent answer to his question. Our Muzzleloader season here in Alabama is the week before gun season and you can shoot 2 does a day or a buck and doe a day. You can only shoot 3 bucks during the season(I think) It generally is from Nov.14 to the 19th when gun season starts. You can hunt with your muzzleloader during gun season. Our season runs to Jan.31, over 60 days of deer hunting so you have plenty of time to hunt. I would get a outfitter cause our WMA's are very crowded.

 

[Archer 756]

:thumbsup: Any hunt that one is vertical and breathing! :hatsoff:

 

[Spikebuck]

Here's a prime one....Minnesota's Regular gun season, in which you can hunt with your muzzleloader, is DURING THE RUT. Bow season has been open 6 or 7 weeks, but so what? Minnesota has 100's of thousands of acres of public land, some of which is crowded, and some of which you can go all day and not see anyone else if you go way back in (especially "up north" in the arrowhead country.) Want a REAL wilderness experience? Get into the Boundary Waters Canoe area. Season generally starts the first weekend in November and runs for 9 days in many parts of the state....16 days up north. Non Res licenses are $140. Minnesota has BIG deer...but the boom in the population has been brought in check and mostly you're only going to get to shoot 1 deer...some areas still allow 1 buck and multiple does on extra tags.

Did that answer the question?

 

[bigbore442001]

I would like to thank everyone here for their input. This has given me a lot of food for thought in regards to what is available.

I will add that I am also thinking of my father. One big issue is that he has some limitations, physically speaking. As a child he could outwalk me any day. He could walk a good twenty miles. Now it is the opposite.

It appears I have some research to do right now. Again thanks.

 

[smo]

As Armakiller stated Alabama has a great population of Whitetails with several acres of WMA land available to hunt. The State offers a very diverse topo rangeing for hilly / thick cover in the Northern part to flat/swampy lands in the South. Some of the WMA's have logging roads that are open to truck traffic at certain times of the season. This will allow you to get "off the beaten path" and give access to a person that can't run up and down the hills and hollows anymore some decent places to set up and hunt. Most of the WMA in the Northern part have planted green fields on them with fairly easy access to them. :wink: They can be great places to hunt later in the season after the mast corp is gone. I hope this helps some, Sorry Alabamians about letting this info out, but I didn't want to tell him what Tn. has to offer :shocked2: :wink:

 

[bigbore442001]

I've been to Tennessee before. A number of times while traveling to Texas and one week with my wife. She is a big Elvis fan thus I took her to Graceland and Memphis. The bad part was that I got some sort of virus and was sick for much of the trip. I wanted to do some bowfishing with a guide at Lake Reelfoot but that went down hill when I got sick.

I am meeting Dad today at the club for our monthly meeting. I will chat with him before we do some target shooting at noon time.

We have talked about Alabama in the past but never gave it serious thought. Maybe that could be a good destination?

 

[Jeff Wishau]

Bigbore,have you ever thought of an antelope hunt?I've been hunting antelope in Wyo. the last 10 plus years with traditional ML's.It's a great hunt earlier in the fall.There can be alot of walking,but you can take up a stand and wait them out till you see a do-able stalk.The terrain is pretty easy to get around in.We hunt with a fellow in his mid 80's(uses a 270)who gets his goat at a 100 yds. or less by taking a stand and waiting.

 

[bigbore442001]

Don't laugh but I have thought of a Wyoming pronghorn hunt. Back in 1993 I went on my first guided Western hunt. It was for New Mexico pronghorn antelope. I chose that state because at the time I was teaching and the three day season was still in my summer vacation schedule. I shot a nice antelope that made the books with a single shot handgun in 30-06. So I have been thinking of the same thing. I need to chat with Dad. This Wednesday I plan to take the day out from work to paint their homes interior. I want to talk in some great detail on our options and I will mention that.

 

[Jeff Wishau]

Bigbore,The guys I go with used to think I was at a disadvantage when I first started going with them and broke out my Tennesee rifle.After taking both muledeer and antelope on a regular basis,I don't even stick out anymore.Have fun with your decision and goodluck to you and your Dad.

 

[rabjr]

Don't laugh but I have thought of a Wyoming pronghorn hunt. Back in 1993 I went on my first guided Western hunt. It was for New Mexico pronghorn antelope. I chose that state because at the time I was teaching and the three day season was still in my summer vacation schedule. I shot a nice antelope that made the books with a single shot handgun in 30-06. So I have been thinking of the same thing. I need to chat with Dad. This Wednesday I plan to take the day out from work to paint their homes interior. I want to talk in some great detail on our options and I will mention that.

I highly recommend it! I was lucky enough to be asked to participate in the 4th annual "Helluvahunt" back in 88' in Douglas Wyoming and it truly was a hell of a good time for me. Wasn't with bp and ranges were longer than a bp hunt but I'm sure there are places and ways to cut the range down. Play your cards right you could do a muley hunt at the same time. For years afterward I wanted to go back and do both. Do it if ya can! :thumbsup:

 

[longcruise]

?Where are his answers???????????????????????

Person wants an honest answer and can not get one, how come????????????????????

Hey, I gave him a rather lengthy answer earlier in the thread. OTOH, I'm also co-guilty of running the OP's original topic into the ditch. :redface:

 

[hillbillyhans]

Come out to western WY. Lots of water holes to set up blinds on. Easy walkin' for your dad (antelope), but the mulies can be tricky.