Is this a good idea/strategy for McAAP?

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

I did this hunt 2 years ago; got picked the 2nd year I attempted. As discussed in another thread, I wasn't all that impressed.

But for the benefit of those going this year - Dennis and others - a thought occurred to me awhile back which I thought might help some, and maybe others who have done this hunt can verify or dispute this....But it seems to me that...


There are 5 huge areas: 4 outlying areas which are hunted, and then that one central safe haven "replenishing" area which no one hunts (except for maybe the people who work out there or whatnot). The deer are very educated there with hundreds of hunters spread out almost constantly for 5 weeks there, year after year, so they know a lot of the tricks of us humans if they're not just yearlings.

My take is that that central area is one huge daytime bedding area for many of them of not most of them (well, along with the restricted areas). The smart/big ones are gonna bed up in that central area or hop the fence to go out of bounds in the daytime (or again, go into a restricted area). Now sure there are some bucks who will roam due to the rut call of the wild, during the day and night. But pre-rut and post-rut, and probably even during rut most of the time, they're gonna make their way back to the center area by first light.

This is somewhat verified by my anecdotal experience - I tried to go way out in the boondocks toward the outer boundaries and I didn't see very many, and neither did the other guys in our pickup truck party. But the one guy in another pickup truck who did see a steady stream of activity was right by the main road where they cross over from the area we hunted over into the central safe haven. So it seems to me that the closer you are to the center, the better, because those deer seem to be making their way out TO the hunted areas at dusk, for feeding on acorns and rutting activities, and making their way back to the center in the morning for bedding or just playing hunter-free in the center, and follow generally the same paths to do so - and those paths bottleneck the closer the get, especially when buildings and other facilities are right off the main road - the bottlenecks will be on either sides of the structures, etc.

The fact that we saw a LOT of deer (and rub marks) along the road in the morning and evening also lends credence to this theory, since the road is the dividing line to go back to the center area, at least from that Deer Creek area to the North.

So get yourself right off those roads and look for trails! Thoughts?

 

[Rod Snell]

I don't think so, Tim, err, Tad.

The deer near the off limits area are very habituated to people and stay right out in the open as long as the people are where they are supposed to be. However, that does not mean they are easy to hunt near the off-limits area. In fact, when assigned to hunt north of the camp area, I hke in at least a half mile before hunting because too many people think all they have to do is walk 100 yards into the woods and put up a stand. More people than deer, and the deer just move back a bit.

I've had best success finding out what foods are being eaten and finding edge where the arrangement of cover, water, and food accomodate the deer. Early season bucks are not going to run all over tha area like idiots.
Many people like to get out in S Hominy where they can see half a mile, and they see lots of deer--out of bow range.
Hunt the food, then the cover and does. The bucks won't be far away from that combination. McAlester has about 2000 huntable deer, including many spectacular bucks. But they are still deer, which can see, hear, and especially smell a gnat fart at 50 yards.

 

[RidgeHunter]

In talking with old time hunters, white hats, biologists and Starry, they all say Bear Trap and the restricted zones being a safe haven for bucks is very much exaggerated, and I tend to agree with them. Partly because the habitat and food sources is just not as good as it is in other areas. It has also been pretty well documented with a lot of the old bucks on the base that they tend to stay in a relatively small area most of the time.

I also (just my opinion) do not believe the bucks pattern hunters per say, and return to the restricted areas by first light. I am more apt to believe, like any other property I have hunted, they just simply stay bedded the majority of the daylight hours. Outside of the rut, mature bucks just don't spend as much time on the move during the day as they do at night.

You can walk right past a bedded buck and never see him. More than once I have pushed just a little to close to a bedded deer (talking 5 yards or so) without seeing them, only to have them explode out of the brush right in front of my face and disappear. If you stay 10 or so yards away from them, they won't flinch until you are gone. A deer with a pile of bone on his head does not live 5+ years by walking around in the daylight all day, or by jumping and running every time he hears a noise.
My hunting partners drew it one year right before I started applying with them and jumped a B&C class no-typical that was bedded in a ditch behind a deadfall not 10 yards from a blacktop road. They never saw it till it stood up, and they only reason it stood up is because they were walking and talking after just leaving the truck on the scouting day, and literally almost stepped on the buck. But if they would have walked 5 yards left or right, he never would have moved.

I have a book with a study done in the late 80's or early 90's on how close hunters would be to collared mature bucks and never see them. Very interesting.

I have never hunted the walk in area, but what Rod Snell said makes a lot of sense.
As far as the rest of the base outside the walk in area, I know the deer just flat out don't care about the roads, and often walk the ditch lines. I have talked with several veteran MAC hunters that have been successful close to the roads, including a white hat. All 4 of us hunted close to the road last time and saw quite a few deer for early season.

I will agree that in all areas (not counting the walk in as Rod described) most people go further in then necessary. I am just basing that on my own very limited experience there, along with the more in depth experience of family/friends who have hunted there longer than I. You can be very successful hunting near roads (any road, not just near restricted areas).

But to sum it up, I believe the old bucks just bed down the majority of the day in heavy cover, just like they do on my lease. I don't think they make a mad dash for the restricted areas, especially since all they have to do is lay down in some brush and not move and they are almost invincible to a bowhunter.

 

[imhntn]

I'm with the other guys. I have seen big bucks in every unit I have hunted. I don't think they stick to bear trap.

 

[dennishoddy]

I'm listening. I have a very good map, and when somebody speaks...I'm putting a star on where they say where they have been and what they have seen. I'm drawn for the Hominy area...I have lots of stars in one section...I don't have a problem sharing this info and will just before my hunt which is the first of the season. I hope all of your input will help me, as well as help you when you get there.

 

[Rod Snell]

I'm drawn for the Hominy area

One of the places you can walk across the road ditch and step on a deer.
Some people are put off by the heavy cover in N Hominy, but when the acorn crop is right............

 

[dennishoddy]

One of the places you can walk across the road ditch and step on a deer.
Some people are put off by the heavy cover in N Hominy, but when the acorn crop is right............

If the acorn crop is anything down there like its going to be around, here, thats where I'm going to be looking to set up. I hunted a river bottom once that had cut corn on it... I sat there for 7 days and saw two small yearling spikes.... no does, nothing. It was a year when there was a great mast crop in the oak trees, and thats were the deer were. Most of the stars I have on my map are not too far from a road, as thats where most hunt. I've always been one to go way back in the woods, and it usually works for me, but Big Mac is different from what I hear. I've been studying Google earth maps and have spotted a creek that is going to get my full undivided attention, trying to locate a crossing or funnel. A guy I work with set up on that creek and saw a booner, but was out of his range.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Don't forget that most years, if you get a doe OR a feral pig, you get a pass to come back, so don't ever pass up a doe.

When I was there, the ol boy runnin it told us before the hunt that in addition to that, if you get a buck scoring over 115, then you could take a 2nd buck of your choice on that same hunt if you could do it (but no 2nd hunt pass).

And IIRC, you're also allowed to shoot coyotes and male turkeys, in addition to deer and hogs. But if you shoot a bearded hen, you'd better Triple-S it.

Oh yeah, and if you take a nap around 11am or Noon, be prepared to be rudely awakened from it.

Also, clean out your car/truck to make sure there's no loose ammo or primers in there, or it could be no bueno.

Oh, and there's some targets in camp, so you'll have a chance to practice your bow some more - I would take full advantage, and I did. I was shooting over there every spare minute.

Another thing, if you're allergic to cedar pollen, you'd be well advised to carry some Benadryl with you.

Oh yeah, and if you're an altruistic type of person, take a little handheld folding saw with you, as they will be encouraging you to cut down any cedar trees you see while sitting there during slow times while hunting.

 

[dennishoddy]

Don't forget that most years, if you get a doe OR a feral pig, you get a pass to come back, so don't ever pass up a doe.

Oh yeah, and if you take a nap around 11am or Noon, be prepared to be rudely awakened from it
And IIRC, you're also allowed to shoot coyotes and male turkeys, in addition to deer and hogs. But if you shoot a bearded hen, you'd better Triple-S it.

Oh yeah, and if you take a nap around 11am or Noon, be prepared to be rudely awakened from it.

Also, clean out your car/truck to make sure there's no loose ammo or primers in there, or it could be no bueno.

Oh, and there's some targets in camp, so you'll have a chance to practice your bow some more - I would take full advantage, and I did. I was shooting over there every spare minute.

Another thing, if you're allergic to cedar pollen, you'd be well advised to carry some Benadryl with you.

Oh yeah, and if you're an altruistic type of person, take a little handheld folding saw with you, as they will be encouraging you to cut down any cedar trees you see while sitting there during slow times while hunting.

Oh yeah, and if you take a nap around 11am or Noon, be prepared to be rudely awakened from it

Would that be of a deer coming through?

Don't forget that most years, if you get a doe OR a feral pig, you get a pass to come back, so don't ever pass up a doe.
Trust me, I don't pass up any does. and a little pork loin for the grill would be a pleasure

I'm taking a ground blind, a ladder stand, screw in steps, and a hang on stand. It may be overkill but I don't have to use them if not needed. Hunting in that neck of the woods is totally different in how I have to hunt in the wide open areas in NC Ok

 

[RidgeHunter]

Oh yeah, and if you take a nap around 11am or Noon, be prepared to be rudely awakened from it

Would that be of a deer coming through?

Nah, just bomb tests and disposing of old ordanance.
They usually do it about mid day, at least when I've been there.

I don't know how the crossbow hunt works, but the other hunts you are usually grouped up with 4 guys to a truck (guys with crewcabs get first shot at driving), so keep that in mind gearwise. You might have to share space with 3 other guys. Not to say you can't take alot of stands and leave some at camp or something if you don't have room.