Thinking about giving Wheeler a shot since it's pretty close to me. Never been there and don't know which parts that are open to hunting. If anyone wouldn't mind pointing me in the right direction it would be appreciated. Also do I need a special permit or just my regular hunting license. Thanks for any info I get.

Yes you have to get a permit .. State license is all you need .. Are you north or south of river

Last i checked Cullman was south of the river.....

Oh lord m teague

Yes I'm south of the river. I would also have to access by foot as I don't have a boat to get in there. What kind of pressure does it get? Looking at the map, it doesn't look like you can get too far from the road anywhere really. I'm just looking to get my first kill with my bow and heard that it can be a good place. I figured it wouldn't be too pressured since it's bow only but like I said, I've never been there so I don't know.

You can get the permit online with their map. Easy enough. I'm no expert on Wheeler in any sense of the word, as I am also looking for my first deer kill. However, I have been hunting there the past few weeks and have never run into another hunter. I finally saw my first deer there yesterday, and it was a nice looking buck. You are probably a seasoned hunter already, so you will most likely have much more luck than me.

I looked around a little last year and decided since I didn't have a boat, a pull cart or a bike, it would be hard to hunt. Walking in from the gates takes a long time because you have to get past the ag fields to hunt. I still want to try it out because I heard the pressure drops off when gun season starts. I figure driving from Cullman where I live would take 30-40 min plus a good 30-45 minute walk to get to area to hunt

I live near Wheeler as well. Still trying to figure this place out. Any help is appreciated

There are plenty of coyotes and squirrels there. The only place that I've seen more was on Redstone. Its close to my job, so I drove through some days during my lunch breaks in the summer to scout from the roads. The permit shows where hunting or boating is off limits and when, www.fws.gov/southeast/pubs/wlrhnt.pdf

There are plenty of bedding areas, there. They are coyote hunting ground for deer fawn. Hunting will not be very good there until the coyotes are eradicated.

This is my 1st season with a bow. I've found 2 ground scrapes, 1 pile of aged poo, and 1 tree Rub on Wheeler. I have been stalk hunting, but am getting more comfortable with the idea of buying a tree stand now that I've found sign, there. The trick is to put your stand up between their bedding areas and food sources along their preferred travel routes, I learned that from the book Become the Arrow by Byron Ferguson (he's a Hartselle, AL native and one of the world's greatest, if not the best ever, with a longbow).

If you want to team up, PM me and we can learn together or strategize over Wheeler Refuge some. Scouting and studying should extract the data that you need to know where the deer want to go and when. Next, we wait.

I didn't think you could kill yotes on Wheeler.

I don't think it actually says that you can or can't in the permit. I guess you could assume that because its not a listed animal on their permit then its not allowed. I don't know a logical reason why they wouldn't allow for coyotes or bob cat during deer season. I may stop in this week and ask just to see what they say. I can't see letting a coyote have a pass either way myself though.

My friend I hunt with called and talked to the ranger a couple of days ago. According to him, with bob cats there has never been "official proof" of them being on the land, so they don't have a permit for them.

For coyotes, there is no permit so it isn't *technically* allowed, but the ranger also said that no one is going to say anything if you shoot one, its a kind of turn the other way kinda thing.

Again, this is just what I heard second *or third I guess* hand, so take it with a grain of salt. I wouldn't go off this information, talk to them yourself.

I can officially affirm there are bobcats on Wheeler.

No proof of bobcats on Wheeler NWR despite them being here in Alabama and the Southeast? What horsecrap. The NWR boundaries don't repel them.

However, before you decide to shoot something on the NWR you best make sure it's either in season and/or legal. Feds don't play.

There are Bobcats on Wheeler, just Ain't no dang Deer

For the consideration of everyone else hunting on Wheeler, please invest in a tree stand and use it. It's hard enough to see deer without folks tromping around underneath your treestand. I love when I've been sitting in my stand for hours as quite and motionless as possible and then some yahoo comes "sneaking" through the woods wearing jeans and carrying a crossbow just as its time for deer to really start moving.

Thats part of public land hunting. It is aggravating for people to walk through where you're hunting but they have as much right stalking with their crossbows as you do sitting in your tree stand. How are yahoos to know where you're at to not ruin your hunt anyways? If this bothers you it might be best for you to invest in private hunting land. By the way welcome to the forum

By your screen name I'm guessing your last name may be lemons. You related to any up around Arab?

They have a right to walk and stalk just like you do to get in a tree. Gotta deal with that on public land.

Nice screen name, too. Welcome.

Definitely bobcats on Wheeler. I haven't seen any deer though. I think that's a myth.

What did he look like? There's a guy that stays one part of the refuge I've hunted. He is there almost everyday all day. He carries a crossbow and is not friendly at all. He thinks folks are following him trying to find his spot. He doesn't wear orange either. If it's the same one stay clear. I've had one encounter with him where we spoke and he wasn't happy.

The way it was explained is technically one is not supposed to. Off the record was don't ask don't tell. They want them killed.

I have seen Bobcats as well, they just aren't "officially" documented. I was told that if someone gets pictures and stuff like that, they will create a permit for them.

Saying there are no deer there isn't true either. You just have to keep trying and be persistent. This is my first season deer hunting ever, but I have been going as much as possible. So far I've seen 4 doe and 1 6pt buck on Wheeler, I just haven't had the chance at a shot yet. Just keep trying, and don't get too annoyed if you see other people....just go deeper into the refuge...

Clemons, actually. And yes I'm related to all of the Clemons folks from Arab.

I'm ok with the folks that actually have a clue as to what they are doing while stalking. It's the folks that think they know what they are doing that are frustrating. We have remedied that this year by doing a lot of extra travalling into the woods, and its paying off.

I've been out on Wheeler bout 10 times this season and have taken 1 doe and 1 buck. Haven't seen anything else but squirrels. Wheeler just takes scouting and some time to get the right area.

So then, In your opinion what are some areas to look for out there. Near the swamps? Fields..etc. I have been around blackwell and seen sign near the water but no deer yet

You boys better get them before I get there. I'm coming from northern newyork for Christmas and I'm gonna knock down a good one. Didn't get to hunt at all last year due to being deployed. Already taken a bear and buck and doe up here but seasons closed now I hate NewYork!! Good luck to all !!

Not to hijack....but when is the rut usually on wheeler? North and South of the river?

I was wondering the same thing.

In the past week they have begun making scraps, I have seen several new ones pop up. Usually late December early January for the north side.

The deer on the refuge are very smart due to all the pressure ... I've hunt refuge for 20 years and I promise you to climb high seat still and be quit is the best thing to do ..! No cover scent or doe pee ! A doe in heat can will run every doe and buck off for miles most of the time ...
I once was climb on flint creak bank and was watching a nice buck work down the bank to me . Some fishermen pulled up to a tree top to fish 10 yards of the buck . He watch them pull up and just laid down right there by them . They fished for 30 or 40 minutes and pulled off then the buck stood up and turn went a way from bank ..

No cover scent??? Really??? I don't think I would take that advice.

I agree with grasshopper I don't use any of that stuff. Had negative results as well. All that scent crap is a waste of money it's been proven over and over but to each his own.

Now I'm not talking about urine or any of that crazy smelling stuff. Not attractants. Just simple cover scent, baking soda, that sort of stuff. You don't even spray your feet before you walk in?

No usually I usually only hunt a spot a time or 2 a season and that's it. No reason to do all that if your not returning again and again. That way the deer can't pattern you.

Using that logic, then wind would never be a factor.

Deer can smell 6 different scents at one time .... So when he gets down wind of you he smells your coffee you had on the way to your favorite spot the cover scent you put on and 4 other scents ... Cover scents only fool us humans .. We can only smell the strongest scent ...

Wind is the only factor period. It's so simple yet people don't use it. Whitetails live and die by there noses especially a mature buck on wheeler. If not they never live to be mature. But... You gotta let the deer think they have the upper hand try to hunt crosswind. Hardly ever will you see a mature one wind at his back unless he's using his eyes such as in a field or open area.

Now scent killers I firmly believe in ..

I use to use it all but look at it this way your always breathing right? Well you can't cover that if a mature buck gets downwind of you I believe he's gonna smell you 100 percent of the time. The only exception is if thermals are rising and your scent is going over him. Otherwise there's no amount of anything that's gonna cover your scent period.

I agree with hunting crosswinds. And I believe we got our wording mixed up a little bit. I was referring to using scent neutralizers/killers I guess. I thought you were saying that it doesn't matter what you smell like going into the woods. I'm still pretty new at this, but crosswinds make perfect logical sense. If you can catch that sucker moving upwind with the wind up his nose with your wind blowing parallel to his, then you've you've got it made.

Yep that's the key alcemons but it's hard to do in some cases. I'm going tom gonna try to get atleast a doe. Pretty confident I might get a shot I know where a good doe bedding area is they use year after year so we shall see.

Shot a six point this evening hit wasn't the greatest gonna get him at daylight.

Anyone on the south side of refuge today (12/26)? Decatur area. Got 2 boys that are angry at some deer and are gonna gice it a try.

Wheeler bucks finally starting to show up. I've seen 3 bucks this morning. And the whole doe can and calls. It doesn't work!!!!!! Had a nice 8 point come up 50 yards used the doe call and grunted one time and away he went. I'm a refuge hunter since I was little I'm 22 now and I've learned alot about these deer. Probably the smartest deer in alabama!!!