Bankhead questions

Looking at taking a trip to bankhead. Planning to camp in a tent. Do you have to pay to camp there? Make reservations?

Is any area better than the other as far as north vs south? Not looking for honey holes, just trying to narrow it down to have a place to start.

No pay, no reservations. It's been a while since I've gone so maybe someone here can help too ...

There are trails you can enter in the north end that will take you to the largest poplar tree in Alabama. One is called the "Big Tree Trail" but there are better trails to use. I'll look into my old notes and see if I can find the name of the trails I went on ...

I think I was going in on the Borden(South) and Thompson(North) trails. Both will get you there I believe. Google "Alabama Big Poplar Tree" and you can find the GPS coords ... Trail map follows ...

Shoot, you're gonna get me in the mood to do some backpacking again. I love the Sipsey WA, beautiful place and easy to get to

Ain't no deer in Black Warrior!

not as many deer there as people think. terrain is tough. get out and scout is all I can tell you. with that place just about any spot is a good place

One great place to camp is brushy lake its $5 a night but bring your canoe/kayak and wear bass out also pickerel. But theres also a free hunt camp.Theres quality deer there just not a huge quanity. Alot of scouting it requires.

Unless you are a local with a lot of time to scout, you are relying on pure luck just to see any deer at all. It is probably the least populated area of deer in the state with extremely difficult terrain, but because of that, you see the pics of the 3 or 4 mature monsters that get killed every year. If you just want to see and kill a deer, I would pick dozens of other public land spots in Alabama.

If you live in Pisgah, I would learn to hunt Skyline next door to you. Much higher deer population and also great bucks.

I wouldn't try to deter you but a lot of truth here. Deer density is very low, fresh sign is your friend if you want to see deer.

100 % in agreement. Bankhead or Skyline..Id choose Skyline.

However, for a small price..Ill sell you the coordinates of Mteagues least 3 kills on Bankhead....might make Bankhead look a whole lot better....

Just kiddin Micheal...some information is just priceless...guess Ill keep that to myself!

I'm convinced MTeague is the best hunter on this site.

Ive hunted skyline all my life. It's my home away from home. I've killed some great deer there. Just want to see some new scenery. That rough country don't bother me. Thought since they rut a little early down that way I'd hit up.

Go give it a shot. No telling what you might be packing out of there. Won't know if you don't go. I've been itching to do a backpack style hunt for a while but haven't had the free time. I just got my NC lifetime license so hunting the blue ridge mountains is definitely on my soon to do list..

I got that itch to hunt that early rut a couple of years ago and went down a couple of times to look around. I never went back to hunt but might before it's over.

I have killed quite a few nice bucks at bankhead over the years. Plenty of room and you never know what might happen. All my friends hunt it. We all have had super nice deer come from there but yeah you gotta be familiar with the area to maximize your luck. I pick bankhead every time over skyline. The pigs are a bonus to me and taste awesome smoked. Put some years into it then you will know where to hunt. Thats what i did and now i feel at home there.

You'd be surprised what comes off of public land in alabama that you never see a picture of or hear about

This is very true! Loose lips sink ships

Better go read permit I got a ticket for what your wanting to do 20 years ago

What exactly did you get a ticket doing?

No camping during deer season except in designated camp sights on permit or on Forrest service maps. I was dragging big 8 out with camping gear on my back in Forrest he gave me a ticket and said he could have took my deer but let me keep it cause I had drug it so far

He's wanting to camp in a campground

Ticket said for not camping in designated Forrest camp sight while hunting. It was on email permit and Forrest hunting flyer I had just never paid any attention to it. My fault paid ticket and moved on think I had to send money to double springs but can't really remember. I just looked it's like rule number 9 on email permit I just looked

Not email ment computer sorry

Choccoloco used to be same way in early 80's or maybe 70's hunters could only camp in hunter camps Payne lake and I think horse camp was off limits to hunters back years ago

Well if you are used to public land you will probably enjoy the occasional weekend hunt at Bankhead. Very beautiful country. If I can offer any advice it is to avoid the big, open, pretty woods. It's tempting because you can see 150 yards in hardwoods, but it tends to be lacking in deer.

This is also solid advice on almost any public hunting area in this state.

I assume that you are referencing a WMA within the boundaries of the National Forest. There is no permit required to hunt National Forest, unless they have turned part of it into a WMA. WMAs have completely different rules and regulations than the NF do.

They got same rule on camping look it up it says it on wma permit and on web for Forrest. They used to have piece of paper folded three times had all hunting seasons for Forrest on them GW gave me one when I got ticket, it had camping rules on it to. Never could figure why hunters couldn't back country camp but everyone else could during hunting season

Only during gun season.