24 carat stuff here! Wow.

Dr. B

Yes, I tend to think the hunting is better along the river due to swampland being harder to hunt, but it is all pretty decent and depends mostly on how the particular tracts are managed.

I'll pass on this since it involves a person who by all accounts turned his life around and has children who were not involved that are friends of my son.

It also involved a very good LEO who got in over his head with gambling and owed a debt. He did the right thing and paid the price, then went on to a stellar career until cancer took his life prematurely.

I do not personally know the man who is RUMORED to have crashed the plane and buried it, but I know the name. Not even sure if he is still alive.

I do know about the Bluebird Inn and can attest to its rowdiness back in 80's.

jawbone
did you participate or aware of others who hunted chinkypins or any other pokemons from a helicopter?

I've heard the buried airplane story ever since I worked at the M-B plant at Pine Hill in, as I recall, 1982. I've hunted near Pleasant Hill, on Hwy 85, for 30 years, and in the late '90s early '00s, we had 2 different people report 3 cat sightings. Nobody ever got a print or a pic, but the people were dependable. I was in the truck at one of the incidents, but looking the wrong way. Not 4 or 5 miles as the crow flies from the area you all are talking about. Our experience was the same on deer size - the big ones were a long time ago, when there were row crops in the area. Still a whole lot of deer, but we haven't killed the really big ones in a while, despite a lot more disciplined approach to management.

Any of you know current members/owners at Portland?

Still waiting on a picture of an Alabama cougar.......

Daddy was in Law Enforcement. Y'all don't f'king forget that.

I been hunting Portland for 8 years and I've never seen a cougar,mountain lion or chubby Capra but the landowner where I hunt was bush hogging in a swamp that is dried up and he found a freshly dead 8 point and he and another member said it looked like it was killed by a cougar. They are not on aldeer and have never heard anything about a cat down there but they are 2 trust worthy guys. This all happened about 3 weeks ago. I would have never thought there would be a world record gator down there but I saw that with my on 2 eyes when it was at Roland cooper. Freaking dinosaur!

Back around 2008-2009, the man and wife running the commercial operation down there swore they saw one several times.

It is a shame that most of that entire region is now planted in pines.

It was better as row crop land, better for the deer and other wildlife - -- and it provided the opportunity to funnel hunt Midwest style. Now all those positives are mostly gone because of all the pine trees that have been planted.

Land is so broken up there are lots of owners. I heard the landowner at the gate just passed the boat ramp is Tractor Supply. That's just a rumor. Club name is Portland landing preserve. Area around the hit or miss lodge is a group from Montgomery but Joe Champion is still the land manager. A couple guys from Milton own the old executive tract on 225 and 404. I live on 225 - still some big bucks in the area for sure

I saw a dead deer in a dried up swamp next to the road around that time. Eight point in full velvet and huge. I almost removed the head but figured not right. I assumed it was hit by a truck. I ride up to tell Joe about it but the gate was locked. I do have a picture of it if you can tell me how to send it. I will be glad to. It wasn't there about 3 days later

I stand corrected - Went back & looked at the picture, It was from July 1. I was shocked at how big the rack was for the time of year

Kevin it's Tractor Equipment Company, not tractor supply. Friend of mine is hunting it with them.

>A couple guys from Milton own the old executive tract on 225 and 404.

That is most likely Mel Burklow and sons. Mel was a member of the Hit n Miss. I was advised they purchased a parcel in an area that was referred to as the Cedarosa area when the Hit n Miss was still an active club.

I saw where someone in this thread asked about any game wardens input, I just retired after 30 years, I spent 10 years in Wilcox, and 18 in Dallas of those 30, I never saw a panther in any of the places mentioned, spent countless hours in these places during day and at night. Doesn't mean there aren't panthers, doesn't mean folks don't see them. Just means I never did.

congrats on the retirement!

Hunted it jan 2nd thru 5th. It was awesome. Killed several deer and hogs. Always action that weekend. Would love to go back but doubt I'll ever get the draw again.

Welcome to the party!