Newbie from WA, living in VA

[Dventoza]

Hey folks,
My name is Daniel. Like many on here I have grown up hunting, fishing, dirtbiking and overall exploring on the amazing public lands that Washington state has to offer. I am currently living in southeast Virginia because of my wife being employed in the US Coast Guard. I haven't done any hunting here yet and I'm not sure if I will ever. The public land here in VA is far and few between.
I love big game hunting and ELK are my passion. I'm looking to get into some more conservation efforts so I will be doing some research on here.
Happy hunting all!!
-Daniel

 

[JohnCushman]

Welcome aboard!!

 

[Jwill]

Welcome! I don't know much about that area of the state, but here is a good reference to get you started: http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/hunting/regulations/publiclands.asp

Some of the quota hunts are pretty good and the larger state forests have some good habitat.

 

[pabearhunter]

Welcome aboard.

 

[jryoung]

Welcome, can't help with your current location but I grew up hunting in 328, and a lot of Weyerhaeuser property on the wet side of the pass.

 

[Gerald Martin]

I grew up in just over the Blue Ridge Mtn. in Harrisonburg. I've spent lots of time on the hundreds of thousands of acres of public land on the western side of the state. I'd head west a couple hours if I were you. Get on the west side of the Blue Ridge and you'll feel like you are out west with smaller mountains and no elk. Good luck!

 

[Festus]

I grew up in just over the Blue Ridge Mtn. in Harrisonburg. I've spent lots of time on the hundreds of thousands of acres of public land on the western side of the state. I'd head west a couple hours if I were you. Get on the west side of the Blue Ridge and you'll feel like you are out west with smaller mountains and no elk. Good luck!

There's even elk now...

Lots of deer, bear, turkey, grouse and just about anything small game over this way (SW VA).
Plenty of fishing as well.

 

[Jwill]

There's even elk now...

Lots of deer, bear, turkey, grouse and just about anything small game over this way (SW VA).
Plenty of fishing as well.

What are these mythical grouse you speak of? :W:

 

[Festus]

What are these mythical grouse you speak of? :W:

You're right - not like they used to be

 

[Gerald Martin]

There's even elk now...

Lots of deer, bear, turkey, grouse and just about anything small game over this way (SW VA).
Plenty of fishing as well.

Ha! I figured someone would call me on that when I posted. I should have said no huntable elk. Fish and Game did close the area to elk hunting where they crossed over from the KY herd didn't they?

I know several years back when it was legal to shoot any elk that crossed over on a deer tag there were some killed. If I remember right there were 6 or 7 killed that year and a guy I know figured out where they were crossing and killed two that year.

 

[Festus]

Not to be smart, but we actually do have our own resident 'herd' now.
They started re-introducing them back in 2012.
http://www.roanoke.com/news/virgini...cle_1e11374a-e9ee-11e3-a9f4-0017a43b2370.html

They say huntable population by 2018 maybe...

It is still legal to shoot an elk on your deer tag, just not in Buchanan, Dickenson, and Wise counties where they've planted them.

 

[Gerald Martin]

Thanks for the update Festus. I thought that was the way it was, but I haven't kept close track of what goes one back there. It will be cool to see you guys get to draw a tag and hunt those transplanted elk in the near future.

 

[Flying Forester]

Hey folks,
My name is Daniel. Like many on here I have grown up hunting, fishing, dirtbiking and overall exploring on the amazing public lands that Washington state has to offer. I am currently living in southeast Virginia because of my wife being employed in the US Coast Guard. I haven't done any hunting here yet and I'm not sure if I will ever. The public land here in VA is far and few between.
I love big game hunting and ELK are my passion. I'm looking to get into some more conservation efforts so I will be doing some research on here.
Happy hunting all!!
-Daniel

Hey Daniel!

We're in the same boat. I am also from Washington (Tacoma area), but work has me in Florida for the forseeable future. Hunting just isn't the same down here when you know what you're missing out west. My family has generally focused on Roosevelt's on the OP with pretty good success. Are you an east or westside hunter? I would love to end up in Eastern WA when we get back out west.

Good to have you here...I'm pretty new here, too. This is by far the best forum I've found yet. Big Fin does an awesome job with it.

Markus