Northern Alabama Question

[Flesner]

My son moved to Toney, AL. (just north of Huntsville).
What is available to bowhunt in that area. Hogs, Alligator Gar? I know there are lots of deer, but since I live in the "Golden Triangle" of Illinos, I'd rather hunt something we don't have here.

[R H Clark]

Fleshner,I'm a little South and West of you but I know there is some good hog hunting in your area. Your best bet would be to contact the local game and fish department.They want to help hunters get rid of all the hogs they can. I don't know about your area but the BankHead National Forest offers year around hog hunting outside the Management areas. Just check to be sure of all the regulations.

[Eric Krewson]

Wheeler Refuge is just outside Huntsville, 50K acres, deer and small game, bow and flintlock hunting for deer, access by boat or foot traffic only.

Lauderdale Mgt Area,18K acres about 100 miles from Huntsville, deer and small game, lots of roads, foot traffic past the gates. Archery all season, guns about two weeks total for deer.

Freedom Hills Mgt area, about 35K acres, same rules as Lauderdale.

7 Mile Island Mgt Area, a few thousand acres near Florence. Some hogs, short(one month)archery deer season, small game.

Bankhead Forest, huge area, under hunted, hogs, deer and small game.

[Flesner]

Thanks for the input. That gives me plenty of options. I like the idea of helping to get rid of some problem hogs!

[Eric Krewson]

The hogs on 7 Mile are very elusive. They had a month long M/L, archery hog season in March, don't think anyone killed one. They leave the Mgt area for the surrounding private land with the slightest pressure. Other than that, the area is covered with Chinese privet so thick you can't walk through some areas, good hog cover but lousy for hunting.

[Chris Sims]

I grew up in Rogersville, AL (east of Florence and west of Huntsville).  Skyline Management area is east of Huntsville and should provide some good bowhunting opportunities.

[Flesner]

Thanks for the tips on 7 mile and skyline. Most of my visits to my son will be two or three day stays. Hogs should fit in well with that schedule and maybe I can hit several spots over the next few years. Sounds like there is plenty of opportunity.
Just seeing new territory is all it takes to keep me happy anyway.

[Buz-AL@work]

You can do some good hog hunting around here, but don't count on ever seeing one.  I haven't.  Doesn't mean ya can't hunt 'em, just means the mastadon hunting is just about as good.

The nearby WMAs are good for deer and squirrels but crowded enough to nearly shut down daytime deer movement after the first week or so.

There are now rumors of hogs on parts of Wheeler NWR but they can only be hunted when other seasons are open, and deer season is crowded there, too. And you know their reputation for avoiding pressure.

If you are military (active or retired) I can show you another hunting option.

[Flesner]

Buz-AL you just popped my huntin' day dream. We raised hogs on the family farm while growing up and I was looking to get some revenge!
I have very little interest in hunting whitetail outside of my home state and crowds don't turn me on, but I'll bowhunt squirrels anywhere, anytime! That will work fine for me.
Unless... you can point me at one of those Mastadons!
Neither my son or I are military, unfortunatly.

[TRADITIONAL ONLY]

well i aint seen a hog EVER in the wild, i hunt about a good 45 minutes from Huntsville, as in on the top of the mountian on our west side is the Jackson/Madison county line... (its to the east of Huntsville)
friend of our did kill one a few years ago with a rifle. it layed across the back of a pickup and it hung over both sides, and had it sittin on its frame. i seen the mount, HE WAS HUGE!!! definaltly a Russian Boar.


sorry, i bowfish a lot and sorry to say that there are no gator gar in the Tennessee River, well at least not that weve seen in Lake Guntersville....

[Flesner]

Trad Only,
Thanks for the response. Since my kid bought a house there, I thought I might as well see what was available. I plan to visit at least a couple time a year or more.
I had high hopes for a chance at hogs since we don't have wild ones here, but I'll settle for squirrel or carp. We have plenty of those in Illinois, but heck, they are fun no matter where you are.
I'm sure there are plenty of 3-D shoots we could attend together while I'm there. No sense leaving the longbow home!

[R H Clark]

Fleshner,

There are hogs in the Bankhead.I've only hunted them twice but I found the creek banks rooted up and plenty of other sign.

You can get in touch with the Double Springs office where they have a map marked with sightings and kills. (205)489-5111

[TRADITIONAL ONLY]

do yall have grass carp in IL? we got some big uns down here...

yeah, ya need to make a trip the forst weekend of June, then mozy on down past Birmingham about halfway to Tuscaloosa and come to the Howard Hill Southeastern Classic.  should be a lot of fun...

theres hogs around but you have to find them first. weve though about "borrowing" a few wild hogs and "relocating" them to our hunting club.... we need some extra game to shoot at..

[Chris Sims]

Don't do it man, you will regret it.  We have hogs everywhere in Arkansas and the destruction to habitat is unreal.  I have seen hay fields in the last year that looked like they had been plowed and it was nothing but wild hogs.  Nice to hunt and good to eat, but not worth the damage to natural wildlife populations.

[Flesner]

R H Clark, Thanks for that info. I will give them a call before I head down there.

Trad Only, I would love to go to that howard hill shoot. Can't make it this year though. My daughter is due to deliver my first grandchild the first week of June. She lives in Omaha.
Maybe next year.
We do have grass carp but not in large numbers. We have huge numbers of regular carp and buffalo.
The Asian Carp are taking over up here in the Mississippi and Illinois rivers. They are a real nuisance.