I have always hunted on private property and this year with my new job I figured I would not be able to hunt as much so i decided to not get into a hunting club. Well as things have turned out, I will be able to go more than I thought I would and just need a place to go. I rode up to the upper delta WMA Sunday just to see where it is and all and it didnt look too bad. My concern is of all the horror stories over the years about how bad WMA hunting sucks and all. Is this true? Isnt it kind of like hunting a poorly run hunting club with a bunch of land? I have a boat that I could use to get to the other areas. Is there many deer on that land or should I concentrate my efforts elsewhere?

Don't believe everything you hear about WMA's. I think many of the stories are told just to keep folks from hunting them! LOL

Im in a similar situation and in the same area so I will tell you what I can, for what it's worth.


1. Make sure you read the rules, especially the dates that each zone in the upper delta can be hunted. I will hunt the lower delta primarily since it can be hunted all season long but I will definitely venture to the upper delta when possible. The lower delta is restricted to antlered deer only and but the upper has a few doe days.

2. I would definitely make use of the boat to get away from the areas that people can walk in.

3. I hope you like pigs

I know a guy that has hunted the lower delta for a long time and he gave me a ton of advice. I spent a lot of time this year scouting and marking areas that I would like to hunt, it is definitely going to be a LOT tougher than showing up at a club and jumping in a shooting house but it will be one hell of an experience to say the least. My hunting partner works on Sundays so I'm always looking for someone to go with me on Saturdays...hunting alone isn't something I plan on doing in the Delta.



If I posted something that is incorrect I am sure someone will point it out.

Wear lots of blaze orange and always use a flashlight!

There are tons of deer in the Delta but there are also acorns EVERYWHERE so they don't have to move very much to feed. It's tough hunting for sure but not impossible!

Been awhile since I last hunted there. Use your boat, cause the drive- in portion can be like a zoo on gun hunts. The boat will get you away from the circus yahoos, and you'll have better luck, cause the critters are running from the circus too

Not every day.

HUNTING DATES (REMAINDER OF MOBILE-TENSAW DELTA AND W. L. HOLLAND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREAS INCLUDING TOM ROUSH TRACT):
DEER: (Gun) Stalk Hunting Antlered Bucks Only (one deer per day): Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays of the State Gun Deer Season,
Nov. 19-Jan. 31 (No Dogs Allowed).
(Archery) Stalk Hunting Hunter’s Choice (except spotted fawns - two deer per day only one of which may be an antlered buck): Oct. 15-Jan. 31.

Read all the rules carefully!!!

Here's you a link to the map/permit for Upper Delta:
Upper Delta WMA map/permit/rules





Note the highlighted parts above:
No deer hunting as shown in hatched area of map on dog deer hunts.

No archery hunting on Nov. 12 youth deer hunt.


There is a Zone A and a Zone B. The hunting schedules are different.
Little things like that can sneak up on you. Little things become big things if you are caught violating them on a WMA.

There seems to be conflicting information in the permit/map rules and those that have been passed as an emergency rule concerning possession of firearms while bow hunting on all WMAs. You may want to call DCNR for clarification if you intend to carry firearms while bowhunting.

Correction....the lower delta is open to hunt every day that I am off work. I told you someone would correct me!

There isnt a fifth of the deer there used to be, Ive hunted it since it opened. Its a zoo most of the time. about half of the people are poilte and half are not. My advice steer clear of the drive in portions, and hunt by boat. Always wear orange, even during bow season. Get a bright light, with good battery life, and my suggestion would be to have a GPS.