Is anyone familiar with the area within a few miles of the International Paper Mill on Hwy. 10 just east of Pine Hill? I have a opportunity to join a place very near to it and curious as to the deer genetics, deer density and turkey population.

Sounds like its near the Yellow Bluff area. Most all of the Hunting in that area is pretty good. It's very close to the River so be prepared to deal with Hogs. I wouldn't say the Deer Population / Genetics are quite as good as the Northern Portion of Wilcox County or Marengo County but still good. David Wright has some jam up Hunting property that Joins the Paper Mill.

In general terms, all are pretty decent in that area. Further north in Wilcox up toward Lamison and the other side of the river toward Camden have better genetics IMO. Historically, that Pine Hill area has also had a very strong/healthy population of locals there, that will watch over your property for you on a regular basis and keep your place hunted for you when you are not up there. If you're on the north side of 10 and west of the mill, I'm probably familiar with the property you're looking at.

I’m being shown the property this weekend. Not sure where the exact location of it is but only that it’s a few miles from the paper mill. Thank you both for the helpful information.

I wouldn’t go there expecting much. I looked at that land a month ago and we were supposed to have the lease. But it looks like money talks. So just a heads up. it could be a different piece but it’s almost the exact location

Sorry to hear that. I’m not sure if we are talking about the same place but hopefully not.

If it is the property that I am talking about, that land comes up for lease every couple yrs. Owner uses it as a buffer between his personal property and the locals coming in off the RR tracks. For what it is worth, I passed on it 5 yrs ago, when I was looking for some "shooter land" to take clients/guests on, to just see and shoot a deer, so that we didnt have to take them hunting on our managed place. Heard it was back on the market the following year and he was trying to get it leased to someone else. I know it has changed hands at least 3 times since I passed on it 5 yrs ago. My FIL and some of his buddies had that same exact piece leased back in the early to mid 90's and let it go after just one year then.

abolt300 PM’d you

Is that close to the area where the guy got killed by some local thugs a few years ago? Sounds close to where I remember.

about, is that the old Bonner tract? has a RR ruling thru it, low land on one side and red clay hills on the other. If so I had it leased in the late 70s for several years. Good number of deer but a buttload of poachers.

That's the one. FIL said they'd come up and find fresh shotgun and rifle shells up and down the tracks and in all their shooting houses every time they showed up to hunt. Couldnt leave a climber out on it for more than a couple days without it disappearing. Said same thing you said. Good numbers of deer and still saw deer every hunt. Local pressure kept most mature deer nocturnal and my FIL was a lot like you and knew if he kept it, he'd end up having to kill or seriously hurt someone on it. Based on what I could tell when I looked at it, things hadn't changed much over 45 yr period during which both you and he had it, to current day. The children of the poachers you dealt with in the 70's were the poachers my FIL was dealing with in the 90's and their kids are probably the ones poaching it now. It seems to be a generational trait that is passed down. People were nice as could be when you see them around PIne Hill but they just are not going to stop hunting it when you're not there. I deemed it not worth the headache.

Probably 7-10 miles south as the crow flies.

abolt, those poachers used to walk down the RR tracks and hunt the land. BIL caught two of them one day and they told him straight up they were going to hunt and he could stfu about it.

best thing about that place was when the mill blew its horn every morning every gobbler in ear shot would gobble.

I had that place and the old KImbro gravel pit leased together. Gravel pit was full of arrowheads and stone tools.

Had land close to an old slave settlement called Campbelltown near bouts Bear Creek and Alabama River closest town Lower Peach tree. Drowned my first big buck, 240lb 12 point in the river 1978.

Poachers in the area, heck yeah. Leave them alone…in your best interest

If y’all are referring to “thugs” as being black folk, its just as I remember. I learned a lot from those guys. In fact, you could do a television show about their hunting and fishing and it would go number one.

Its a small world too, I was sitting in a craphole in Africa and I started making small talk with a young black Army Ranger, I asked him where he was from, he said “Sarge you’ve never heard of where I’m from. I’m from Lower Peach Tree Alabama”. I chuckled then strung him along a journey into his initial disbelief and awe. Both of were ordered to stay put and direct air support while watching the whole little battle. It was hard on both of us.

Just to add to the world being small thang, I was in Kuwait and ran into a crazy guy from Wilcox county named John Champion, who we would run some deer drives with from time to time. He was working over there on government contract.

Oh, yes, thanks JohnnyLoco! I should correct that word "thug". Two pieces of crap trespassing who ambushed and killed a man in cold blood, while hunting with his two sons, should be referred to as human refuse. You must not have followed the story. That's not "black folk", sir., that's double evil.

I’m not defending them, I said leaving them alone would be in the best interest. No double evil from me friend, just letting you know, I know what they are.

I can tell you how I really feel if the Admin agrees not to ban me for “Critical Race Theory”, “Racist”, or “Politically correct” reasons.

I understand “thug” was being nice.

Try not to judge a race by the bad apples or us white folk are in trouble.

You're not double evil. Those two are.

Evil indeed

When I first moved to Macon Co I noticed that every time I saw a black person walking up and down the road that they were carrying some type of big stick…..Well, after living here a while I got to know some of the folks and I ran into a buddy one day walking and he had his big stick with him……So I asked him….”Why does everyone carry a stick around when they walk?”…….He tells me….”Man, you never know when some kind of wild critter is gonna run out of these woods and try to get you or something!!”………I was like “Really???”……..”What are you thinking is gonna get you....a coyote?”…….My buddy responds “Chiiiiiit main……you don’t even know what might be in them woods!”

CNC- I have seen the same thing from Shorter to F. Davis. . Got the same answer. Bad dogs are one thing, but 'haints is another!