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.