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Big South fork

A couple years ago a few buddies and I went there for a camp/hunting trip. It was beautiful there with plenty of land to roam around. I saw several areas with deer sign and one bear print. We stayed for 3 nights but unfortunately out of all 5 of us we never saw any animal just some sign. Now I must confess I'm no expert hunter so I dont always know what I'm looking for. The last morning we were there it was 16 degrees when slithered out of my sleeping bag. It was one of my favorite times in the woods. I will go back
 
Yes, a couple of times I got REAL close but I could never close the deal.
On the last trip I had 5-6 bolt in front of me, right to left. But I just couldn't get on them fast enough. Them dudes are FAST.
 
I've seen some pictures of some really nice bucks killed there, but like most big forests and as others have posted, the numbers make it tough. I bet some locals know some good spots, though, like old homesteads that the forest hasn't completely reclaimed yet.


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Crappie Luck":28ha9nx7 said:
Yes, a couple of times I got REAL close but I could never close the deal.
On the last trip I had 5-6 bolt in front of me, right to left. But I just couldn't get on them fast enough. Them dudes are FAST.
Click to expand...

Yeah that is when you want buckshot to at least slow them down. It is hard in the dense stuff to shoot fast. You just don't get a lot of time to think and then lead them. Last year I pondered going up there, but I'd really like to go with someone who knows the area better than me. If any of you from Knoxville would like to go up and try hog hunting during the special season let me know. I have a 34 foot RV with a good heater (for January). :D
 
Atchman2":3vgqdtcz said:
Crappie Luck":3vgqdtcz said:
Yes, a couple of times I got REAL close but I could never close the deal.
On the last trip I had 5-6 bolt in front of me, right to left. But I just couldn't get on them fast enough. Them dudes are FAST.
Click to expand...

Yeah that is when you want buckshot to at least slow them down. It is hard in the dense stuff to shoot fast. You just don't get a lot of time to think and then lead them. Last year I pondered going up there, but I'd really like to go with someone who knows the area better than me. If any of you from Knoxville would like to go up and try hog hunting during the special season let me know. I have a 34 foot RV with a good heater (for January). :D
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I haven't been in a few years so I'm not sure if the spots we hunted in the past are still good or not. But I might be up for a hunt this Jan-Feb. I'll be coming from the other direction but we could meet in Jamestown or something.

One of the members from here that I used to hunt with sometimes is from the Knoxville area. If he is up for giving it a shot again this year, ya'll might be able to ride together.
 
thejetman":36qbcojb said:
So where would be a good place to at least start scouting? Other than aerial stuff.
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For the record, I have never stepped foot on BSF but here is what I would do.

-Get a topo map with grids, mark major trailheads on this map. Then mark major terrain features like funnels, pinch points, benches, saddles, etc.

-Determine how far your willing to hike.

-Take a pink highlighter and shade in all squares that the trail runs through, shade at least 3 miles (or 3 grid boxes assuming they are square miles).

-Take a yellow highlighter and shade in all squares that touch your pink squares.

-study your yellow boxes and find key terrain features that you would like to hunt. Personally I would ignore long flat ridge tops as that is where a lot of folks will try to hunt, unless they are a mile or so from a major road.

-study your ideal locations on google earth and look for bedding areas (thick growth) and possible food sources (these will prob be oak flats, however I have heard the acorn crop is a failure in the area).

-determine if your willing to pack a stand or ground hunt

-for stand hunting look for benches off a ridge that have visual of a tight pinch point that will literally force deer to travel through a tight given area

-ground hunting; I would sit on a high point looking over 2 or more major terrain features.

Then be prepared to be disappointed when all your virtual scouting turns up the exact opposite, haha.

Report back here on your experience and any recommendations, hopefully post a kill pic.


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That's kind of how I approach a new area all the time. It's nice, I'm dove hunting right now at Forks Of the River and on the tndeer forum. Priceless.
 
TboneD":t29g6fkh said:
I've seen some pictures of some really nice bucks killed there, but like most big forests and as others have posted, the numbers make it tough. I bet some locals know some good spots, though, like old homesteads that the forest hasn't completely reclaimed yet.


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Click to expand...

So does ANYONE here know anything about the old homesteads? Would all of them be mature forest by now or would there still be any overgrown fields or openings and such? If so, I'd be looking to see if there were still any edges, even if soft.

I'm just curious. I've still got topos I bought several years ago to try some winter hog hunting over there, myself, but couldn't find anyone else interested.


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Atchman2":2grcgz7a said:
I don't know who squared me away with this, but this is much better than Google Earth for hunters. If you zoom in and look carefully, you can see some clearings to hunt. I'd guess though the best places would be trails that access those clearings.

http://www.arcgis.com/home/webmap/viewe ... 10f1f66613
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No doubt many of those clearings would be old homesteads that I asked about. Old clearings mean browse and cover, even if it's soft edges. A scouting trip in early spring might reveal some fruit trees, but in any case, I'd then check nearby topo features for potential funnels.


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I have preached this..and you guys probably have thought I was crazy… The Big South Fork, North Cumberland, Pickett State Park, Pickett State Forest is by far the one of the largest tracks of public land that you will find in this part of the country! With that being said, I have been privileged to have this literally in my backyard as our property bordered the BSF. I personally think, on a good mast year, the BSF is probably some of the hardest hunting you will EVER do! And even on a bad year, its still really hard hunting, just because of the terrain and patterns! There are some big deer around here, do I think we have a state record deer, theres a chance or 2…could you come up here and harvest a good 120-130" deer, yes sir. I have been blessed myself and killed some really nice deer..most of them coming in the past 10 years of my life, because Ive matured as a hunting/bow hunter and have figured some things out along the way.
 

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