Tips for deer hunting Skyline WMA

Hi, I am 51 years old and I've wanted to deer hunt all my life. I haven’t been fortunate enough to have anyone to take me under their wing and teach me about the sport though. I also haven’t been fortunate enough to have access to deer hunting land. I've had a lot of experiences hunting duck/geese/dove but nothing else. I have never actually been deer hunting before but I plan to go on my first deer hunt this fall and I have been getting ready for this for the past two years. I am posting this thread in hopes of gaining tips and advice from you guys with experience. Since I have never been on a deer hunt, my knowledge is limited to what I’ve been able to find in books, on this forum, and around the www. Obviously, I have no real world experience/knowledge. Anyway, here is my history so far … I know it’s a long read but then again, it’s a long story. Please add your two cents in a reply …

Getting Armed …
A few years back I realized that I was probably not ever going to find a friend or family member to indoctrinate me into the sport and I deemed that unacceptable. So, I started trying to educate and equip myself by scouring the hunting forums. Of course I discovered that just having a good rifle/scope and being able to use it was a sport in itself. I decided to acquire a good firearm and get good at using it and maintaining it. My brother-in-law in FL gave me a vintage (1958) Remington 721 30-06 with an old Redfield Tracker scope on it … What a beautiful piece of equipment it is …



So, I needed to learn to shoot/maintain this firearm. I got a membership at the Blue & Grey Rifle and Pistol Range near Guntersville Dam since it was only 20 minutes from my home. To make a long story short, the scope was way off and I couldn’t hit the broadside of a barn with it. So … off to Gander Mountain I went and bought a Caldwell Lead Sled. I was able to sight in my rifle fairly well and over a couple of years I got my pattern down to under 3 inches at 100 yards and a little over 4 inches at 200 yards. Maybe not stellar shooting but from what I’ve read, good enough for North Alabama deer hunting.

After spending so much time with this gun I realized several things that I felt were going to hurt my ability to bag a deer. First of all, this gun is really heavy. As I will discuss below, I intend to backpack into public lands so carrying a ball and chain like this is gonna be tough … Second, the recoil of this rifle is so strong it sends me into the next county. I’ve learned to shoulder it good enough that getting bruised is not an issue any longer. However, my concern is resetting for that possible 2nd shot. Both of these issues led me to start looking for another rifle. I asked around and found that the 243 with a 100 grain load is a popular choice around here. A family friend that collects and trades guns suggested that I get a Tikka T3 Lite. He also suggested a Nikon Monarch scope with a 50mm objective as it gives a sharp image in low light conditions. So, I bought the T3 Lite and equipped it with a Monarch 4-16x50 scope. The whole unit weighs about 6 lbs … perfect for backpacking. When I took it to the range to sight it in I was really surprised to find that it patterned within 1” at 100 yards on the bench rest. I also found that it was easy (relative to the 30-06) to reset quickly for a 2nd shot as the recoil was much less. The best part of this : I sold a bunch of crap on EBay to raise the cash for it so it cost me nothing … Anyway, here is a snap of my gun/scope :



Finding Land …
Not having any family or friends with land that I can hunt, I went about looking for public land to hunt. I am somewhat limited in the type of land I can hunt as I do not have an ATV or a 4WD truck. I’m working on getting a 4WD truck but times are tight and I can’t just run out and buy one right now plus I don’t have enough crap to sell on EBay to pay for one.
Living in North AL I found that Skyline WMA is a popular place. I dug in on this forum and the WWW to learn all I could about the area. I also am a Google Earth Pro user so I have scoured the areas’ satellite imagery and elevations data … just like in a high end video game. I found references to lots of places in the WMA, found their GPS coordinates, and marked them with a pin. I also got the WMA permit map and stretched it over the area so I could see the WMA boundaries. I started analyzing the terrain looking for somewhere I could backpack into and camp. Here is a snap of the whole WMA :



I quickly ruled out the Poplar Springs and Jacobs Farm tracts as they evidently have tremendous hunting pressure. I ruled out the Big Coon tract as I clearly would need an ATV to hunt the area and to retrieve any deer I might kill there. That left the Walls of Jericho tract … I spent hours looking over this area with GE and I’m thinking that I could camp at Clark Cemetery and hunt just south of there along Turkey Creek. The only downside I see is that if I kill a deer there, I will need to find a route for sled dragging it out and that whole process will probably take hours … I plan a 2 day backpacking/exploring trip there in a few weeks to check it out. Here is a snap of the area I’m talking about :



Like I said, I’m posting this looking for help/info on this area. If you think I’m crazy please let me know why. I’d sure appreciate any helpful information on this area. Also, is there a healthy rattlesnake population at Skyline that I should be on the lookout for?

Thanks,
PHL

You do not, I repeat, do not! Wanna drag a deer back up that mountain. Trust me. I hunt the walls also, you will need a four wheeler to recover it if your camping at the cemetery. If your limited I would hunt the side of the mountain e trail is on. You won't have to go as far on a drag, and there is a campground at the top of the walking trail. I camp up top most of the time

And yes watch out for snakes. I see your spot now. I have walked off at the horse trail. But down that way is getting close to the wma border( not really I just looked haha) I have hunted the field your pin is on. Never seen a buck , but did manage to kill a doe there.

Friend that was with me the next gun hunt shot what he thought was a doe, turned out to be a button buck, at your mill creek pin, just north of the cemetery. We backpacked the deer out, it only weighed around eighty pounds. Talking about wore out.

There is only a few weekend gun hunts. I'm sure if you kill a deer somebody would recover it for you, I know I would do it for you.

Thanks. Not sure what you mean by "e trail" though ... checked the WMA map and didn't see it. I'm not committed to hunting that spot but I wouldn't mind gettign a doe.

The trail. My bad. Either one of em, horse trail or cemetery trail. Its a long ways down that mountain and back up, especially with a deer. I wouldn't hunt all the way down without a atv. I'd just go a bench or two down or three. Could show you a awesome spot below the horse trail. In-between the top and your marker

Man I'd love to see it and would greatly appreciate it

the walls is like my second home. I love it, it's my favorite place in this state. Shoot me a message when you get ready and hopefully our schedules will work out for me to tag along.

Only down side is everything is green, it will be a different world once winter gets here again. And there is so much land down there, and so many good spots, it will take many trips to know were your going, walking in at 3 am tends to get you turned around if you don't watch it, steep hollers and a lot of small bluff lines

Bring lots of water

I'll do that. I'm planning a camp trip tentatively for May 17/18 and a friend may be coming with me ... roughly 3 weeks from now. We want to hike in that Friday and setup camp at Clark Cem then explore the Walls trail. Saturday morning to afternoon will be exploration time ... schedule is flexible though. I'd really appreciate your help and I hope I can return the favor sometime.

I have a water filtration/purification system that I bring in my backpack ...

Just for fun, here is a snap of the area with the WMA boundaries on it :

We camped at the cemetery twice. It's a hassle to haul all the gear in and out. That's why we would always shoot the first deer we seen. That way you can get the atv's down there legally, and haul the gear back out on it.

Looking forward to going, havnt been since January.

And yeah that border is a little further away than I thought. Looks like several hundred acres further haha

i learn ed from y dad after i got back from iraq that a lot of land there is private proprty you need a wma map/permit downloadable from the game and fish web site. those hills are steep if you walk them you will see how bad. patience hunting deer. hunt the bottom near the fields on the south west part of the wma i was told.

Only bad part about hunting the southwest part, it's a long ways from the road. Probably close to 2-3 hours. And it takes even longer comin back up.

I suppose if you happened to kill a deer way down in there, and didn't have a atv to recover it, you could take a large back pack or duffle bag ect and quarter up the deer down there and back pack it out. And if it happened to be a buck, cape it as well.
You would wind up doin that anyway with no atv. After about two hours of dragging up that mountain, the thought " what the hell was I thinking" will be kickin in

oh OK i have not walked any of skyline since my stroke i bet i can't walk it.

the road across from the range i have deer hunted an hunted turkey back there. i have seen two turkeys out of range , but one doe came to the road and went back into the woods.

Leopard, I admire your dedication. I've always wanted to do a pack hunt.

Leopard this is just a thought but you may want to look into getting in a club. It may cost some money but you would be around other hunters and I would imagine they would be more than willing to teach you some stuff and you could learn a lot from watching them. For example cleaning a deer for the first time is no easy chore and watching them do one or two will help you a bunch. I think a new comer to the sport may benefit and see a few more deer by joining a club.

good advise ben2. You would benefit a lot from it, and im sure another man in the club would help you recover a deer.

There is many more options you have. You could hunt bear den point, across from the cemetery trail. terrain is not as rough, and would be somewhat ideal for someone without a atv

The spot you have marked, from the top of the mountain, descends over a 1000 feet. trail is much longer. another spot you might try on public land is henshaw crossing, i know a couple men who shot deer there this year. And its walk in only.
usually only around 4-6 vehicles in the parking lot

Across from the range is another descent spot. trail is smooth, ive seen honda civics back there. its usually very crowded though

just take a left at the old gas station at a Y on 79 and go about 2 miles. About 100yds before the shooting range (on the right) take a right. their is a camp ground on the left as you go in. hunt around the powerlines on both sides of the road. you can go almost everywhere in a 2wd truck. I've killed a lot of deer in this area including a few decent bucks. It's relatively flat ground and hard to get lost if you got a map. No need for GPS.

Joining a club isn't in the cards for me as I can't really afford to right now. I'm trying to do everything on the cheap when I can ...

Again, I don't have a truck and won't be able to get to many areas unless I'm willing to hike/backpack in.

I'd sure like to have someone walk me through field dressing my first one but if I don't have any help, I'll do it anyway and do my best. If I mess it up then chalk it up to experience and do better the next time.

BTW, can I field dress a deer in the WMA?

I've looked at bear Den too ... only problem is it doesn't have a campground near it. Will look at Henshaw crossing ... isn't that in the heavily hunted Jacobs tract?

The target range ... isn't that area heavily hunted?

Yes henshaw always has cars in the parking lot, but not to many.
Yes Anywere near the target range is under a good bit of pressure, lots of folks, but lots of land as well.

And there is a camp spot close to bear den, right across the road. It's not on the map, that's why you can't see it

And I'm not sure if it's legal to field dress in the wma, but I sure hope so, cuz I've done it a few times

I'd been thinking about packing a climber, strapping it to my pack. But I was just in Gander Mtn and saw this ... It weighs 17 lbs but rolls up tight enough that I could strap it to the outside of my pack ... If I hunted below the HB trail or at Bear Den, don't ya think this would work?

Shoot yeah it would work. But you don't even really need that. It will let you get away with more movement. But if I'm makin the journey, like going hours from the road, less stuff the better, you would have just as good of chance without it, just some good camo and sit straight on the ground, just bring a cushion.
But if you hunt close to the top, I will show you camping spot up top, I would use a climber over there at bear den, bear den point trail is pretty long but you don't really have to go to far to see deer

I took a climber way down one time and we didn't kill a deer that weekend so had to tote it back out, won't be doin that again. Any time after that I just started sitting on the ground when we went all the way to the cemetery and hunted the other mountain

I'm thinking that until I get the hang of what will spook deer and what won't this would be nice but ... I suppose I need to decide after I figure out where to hunt.

My tent weighs 6 lbs so if I leave it behind and take this then I only add 11 lbs to my pack.

You ever climb before? Get a harness if you plan to.
I sit on the ground on gun hunts most of the time.
But a stand or a blind is a must for bow hunting

Nope, I've never tried one before

You got one you can borrow? If so find a good soft bark tree and practice in your yard. I wouldn't go buy one tho if I was you. Don't have to be in a tree stand to kill a deer. I shot my first buck sitting on the ground. Key is to stay as scent free as possible, I don't pump gas on trips, cuz the fumes stick to your hands. And just be quiet and still as possible, could be hours before you see a deer, could be twenty minutes, or you might not even see a deer at all. But the wma is loaded, I seen deer every trip, as long as I sit daylight to dark and only go back to camp for lunch

No I don't have one I can borrow. I think I can afford to buy either a climber or that stand up blind by next fall. I guess I'll figure out where I'm going to hunt then decide which one to invest in.

buy a fold up camo chair doesn't weigh much i have killed alot of deer out of mine at bankhead. a chair will keep you more comfortable than setting on the ground or buy a Summit tree seat. they work well also.the chair may seem weard but you can set back in the rocks or get in a blown down tree top and be comfortable all day.

the only problem i have found with a blind is that it seems like deer are scared of them. i put one up this year about 150 yards from where we had a ton of deer on a game camera. we didn't get anothed picture for a month

Same thing headshot said.... I don't like using ground blinds if I am not about to set them up and allow deer to get accustom to it first. Deer seem to spook when they encounter something new in the woods

Well I guess that makes sense too

I won't be able to camp. But I can meet you at the cemetery saturday morning if I can manage to find a baby sitter. Check out the camp spot up top before you walk down Friday, once you get to the cemetery parking lot( hiking trail) instead of goin down the mountain there is a trail to the right of the parking lot, follow it a little ways and there is a small field on the left, the camp spot is in the back corner of the field on the bluff line. If you hunt bear den or anywhere close to the top it's the way to go, much more convienent

I understand, I was a single dad and raised two daughters on my own for 10+ years. Hope you can find a sitter, would be fun ...

Found the campground :

Yep that's it

Leopard, Look up TVA recreation maps on like, you have some good areas to hunt close to you, plus I hunt a good bit on Skyline and kill plenty deer every year, I can hook you up with some spots that I kill deer on every year since I moved to Alabama in 2008, Little River has some good hunting too, I kill there every year too, shoot me a message when ever, I don't work been disabled since 2001

Will do thanks!

Anyone have any recommendations for a good climber that I can strap to my backpack?

Also, a friend was describing to me how to field quarter a deer so I went YouTubing and watched some videos of the process ... It does not look all that complicated. I'm starting to think that just quartering it up in the field and packing it out is going to be my best bet since I don't have a 4WD or ATV.

Lone Wolf on the climber.

Don't have any advice on the other - a deer ain't worth that much effort to me. If Skyline was my only option to deer hunt, I would probably quit deer hunting based on my past two years experience hunting Jackson County mountains.

Well I've never killed a deer so my perspective is different. I've dreamed of it all my life but the opportunity didn't present itself to me. Then one day, encouraged by my incredibly supportive wife, I decided that I was going to just make it happen.

I'm willing to put a great deal of effort into killing my first. The adventure of packing in to a remote area with little or no other folks around, spending the night in the area, waking up to the excitement of a hunt, experiencing my first kill, learning to dress it out, the physical challenge of retrieving the animal,
doing all the things you experienced guys consider normal ... All that I find incredibly exciting.

Plus, I may be 51 but I am a very strong 51 physically and mentally. I have confidence in myself to be able to rise to the occasion and overcome any obstacles that get in my way. I want this really bad and the fact that it's going to be hard just makes it that more desirable to me. If it was easy, I doubt that I would have taken an interest in it anyway

One things for sure, you're doing your home work. That coupled with time in the woods is what it takes. I grew up in the woods you've been discussing (pre-public) and they can be tough but they can be very rewarding too. My advice, keep doing what you're doing and it'll all play out. Luck is when preparation meets opportunity. Hunt safe!

best time to hunt for bucks is opening weekend and then end of December and early to mid January. Just make sure you hunt when Skyline is open...

Good luck. Any deer you kill should be rewarding after doing all the research and learning on you own.

Also, you might consider buying a come a long, unless you plan to quarter up your kill. I know guys that have had to winch out their deer.

Winch out a deer? Must have a long line eh?

Don't think so...just winched the buck up a cliff/ very steep incline one tree at a time. Took him around 8 hours if I remember correctly to get the buck 400 yds to where he could get his atv to it.

Ahhhh, the joys of hunting in the big woods mountains.

I saw earlier you were debating about getting a blind or a climber....... Honestly a gobbler lounger would probably be the most effective $29 investment you could ever make if you're gonna start deer hunting in the mountains.

^^^ no dout, that's all you need, and easier to move spots that way also. I've never used a gobbler lounger, but I got a camo fold out chair that fits almost anywhere. Find a good place with cover and your set

Never heard of one of them so I googled ... found the one below. That's sure a lot cheaper than the decent climbers I have found

Cabela's Gobbler Lounger

Buy 3 or 4 of them then and once you get dialed in on where you wanna hunt you can just keep one hid under a rock in 3-4 different spots.

It could be done, but bowhunting successfully out of a GL is gonna be a tough task.

I've got about 35 yrs experience hunting Skyline. I say ditch the walls tract and hunt and camp little coon. Without a way to get one out put your effort in walking up the mtns in the m ornings. That way anything you kill will be a down hill drag no problem gettin a ride with deer back out to camp.There are lots of super thick cutover on the left side of the valley get in the middle of it sit all day. The Christmas thru Jan hunts are by far the best times.Middle of the day can be awesome during the rut. Low gap would be 2nd choice if I were a foot lots of food,people and deer.

So how do you get there? Maybe go up Co Rd 54 past Matthews Cemetery and park at the campground?

Yes if the water isn't high you can take a 2wd up the valley past the campground.Most people will hunt the right side of the valley in the open timber.It isn't near as crowded as it was years ago.

Can someone give me directions to henshaw crossing from Scottsboro?

I'm assuming you mean the creek crossing going into Henshaw Cove? Go up 79 from Scottsboro to skyline. Turn left on 146. Go down the mountain and cross the river. Take the first right about 1/2 mile past the river. Follow this road towards Estill Fork a couple miles and the road into Henshaw Cove is on the right. There should be a WMA sign. It's a little dirt drive that goes down to the river. Good luck.

CD, I was talking about the crossing talked about in this pos below Is it one in the same.

I think it's the same. Its walk in only from the creek crossing. CD.

Thanks.

How do you get across the water to get in there? Boat? Waders? I drove down there shortly after they acquired it and just remember thinking it needed a rope bridge or something.

Here is what I use to do.... I'd hunt escape routes. Kilt the stew out of them up there. Use to not use an ATV and I'd walk an hour in to my stand sometimes. I would just drive my Jeep as far as I could then walk. People being around isn't necessarily a bad thing you just need to be on the opposite side of them and their ATV or truck. Meaning you've got to go further and hunt longer. Killed several good deer on Skyline up to a 130-135 inch 10 point around maybe 1988 (11:20AM he came by I'd hunt all day)... don't think anyone had ever seen more than a handful of 10's come off that place at that point. Even fewer that big. Most never made it past a spike back then....

I'd butcher the deer and bring them out on a pack frame. Forget a sled. You ain't draggin one that far.

You aren't crazy. Been there. Done that. Got a lot more horns on the wall nowdays, but I've still got that 10. One of the deer I'm most proud of.

I'm wondering the same thing. Anyone know how deep the creek is there at the Henshaw Cove parking spot?

Come on someone on here surely know about Henshaw Cove.

Deep enough that you'll be hunting with wet and cold feet and legs without wearing waders to cross it.

Really? Rubber boots won't do it huh? Guess, I'm hunting somewhere else tomorrow.

Waders are a must and stout legs it's swift water. Getting swifter every year. I wouldn't cross it unless you follow someone else the first time.

Do you wear the waders? Carry them? Hide them? I don't know if I'll ever hunt it. I'd like to walk it during turkey season. What about over near the Walls of Jericho. Any deer or turkey there are does all the hiking, horse riding put off the critters?

Is there anywhere on skyline that nobody hunts i thought i had a spot but when the gun days roll around its like there isnt a spot open ..... u never see anybody at these spots unless its gun days kinda depressing ....

Anytime ive ever crossed that creek ive always used a canoe. Usually float down river a bit to find a hiding spot for it. Or you could use a chain and lock, not usually to many folks down there, so wouldnt worry about theft to bad. But would definately hide it, you mite could cross it with waders, ive never tried it. Usually aint to deep, buy could get over your waist in spots if its been raining.

Ive never seen a turkey at the walls of jericho that I can remember, plenty of deer over there tho. More and more people have been going there as compared to 2-3yrs ago. But its not to bad crowded, if you go all the way down and to the other mountain, its not crowded at all. But better be in tip top shape for all that. Its not for a lazy hunter.

Yeah and better have some balls the size of watermelons to ride a 4 wheeler out on them roads in walls

LOL When that use to be our hunting club I took my Jeep up and down every road on the Walls tract.

i see you guys are talking about getting into a hunting club and I have been looking for one for some time now. do you have any advice or contact information on how to find a club in skyline? if so I am ready to get into it soon as possible thank you.

I believe that ... I could probably take my truck down most parts of the Horseback trail. The main trail would be much more difficult