West Virginia property owner here, located on the Allegheny Front. Elevation change of 800 feet on the front and back of the property. Wind is almost impossible to predict. Mid west hunters would have an incredibly difficult time trying to hunt the mountains like we do. Hunting the Appalachian mountains is an entirely different animal.
I'm in upstate ny mountain country up here ranging from 2000ft up to over 4000 feet. Not many hunters are up to the challenge up here. Woods are thick as balls and the mountains are steep.
Western MD has the same terrain. Ive hunted since I was 8 (27 yrs) but I been strictly hunting mobile for the past 3 years. I seen many deer but haven't killed a big buck. The more I learn the less I know it seems. Thanks for the video.
I also hunt the Appalachain Mountains. 95% National Forest in Southwest Virginia. Wind and thermals are definitely the hardest to understand. Very good explanations.
Dude... GREAT map site. Nice video too. Im going to have to watch it again, you poured out a few interesting things... one after another. Im afraid I didnt pick them all up the first go.
There are access roads and trails leading right into this area. You could get within .75 mile of that first spot. would be tough hiking, but totally doable. Lot of hunting right in there.
I live in Harlan Ky and it’s as southeast as u can go. There’s a ton of buck beds in power line edges that have trails to oak ridges. I’ve stumbled across a few single elk beds on those same edges. They use old log roads for travel corridors. U have to know the terrain due to all the huge cliffs everywhere here. I’ve hunted western Ky out where there’s ag and it’s way easier but I like hunting my hometown with zero ag. Harlan county is one of the hardest places to find bucks in this entire state!
Some good stuff! I hunt Public in the southern Appalachian foothills here in SC, Georgia and NC. It can take some patience to find a mature buck! But if you stay with it there are some big uns in those hills!
You will run up on some major flats on top of a lot of mountains here due to reclaiming from stripe mining. But that’s still not ag. They do plant grasses once reclaimed and there’s a lot of wild horses here in these type areas.
If i can add .02 hunt pinch points. Think about how we travel, no matter if people are traveling east, west, north, or south they all have to reach a intersection. I love hunting the mountains, very little hunting pressure from people, especially if you're hunting public land without much road access. Not many people want to hike 2 hrs to reach that perfect spot.
They definitely use the contour, path of least resistance. I have trails on my property that use contour on the back of the property all the way around the ridge and to the other side of the mountainside. it's three times the distance going around versus up and over, but with 800 feet elevation change, it's the easiest way to the opposite side.
They rise up after the sun does but they do continue to fall for a little bit until the sun heats up the ground floor , on some slopes such as the north west slopes they will fall all day in big mountains 🏔️
Lots of things could cause thermals in the mountains to drop , weather a cloudy cold day, rain showers , snow on the ground, I try to keep all of these things in mind before I go into a place I check the weather, the winds and I love to hunt sunny ☀️ days when with a good straight wind , I do extremely well on east facing slopes and southeast because of the sunlight exposure does well on creating better thermals for more easy hunting, but like I said lots of things could make the thermals fall in the daylight, in the mountains you gotta be prepared for anything that mother nature throws at you , because not only are you trying to harvest a smart mature buck you gotta deal with her also , it gets stressful fast when the thermals and winds will not cooperate lol . But if you stay on top of it you'll be successful in the long run , don't ever give up is my number one choice of words.
How do you get back to a hunting area if it is a couple of miles to it. Walk? ATV? I live in Bell county KY, and there are ATV trails literally everywhere. I have trouble spooking my deer just getting back to them.
![APPALACHIAN WILD - [FULL 4K FILM] - 5 day Backpack Hunting the Appalachian Mountains](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/t162TrGUKDw/mqdefault.jpg)
Love the video. would love to see more in these mountain areas. From the north Georgia mountains and its tough!
West Virginia property owner here, located on the Allegheny Front. Elevation change of 800 feet on the front and back of the property. Wind is almost impossible to predict. Mid west hunters would have an incredibly difficult time trying to hunt the mountains like we do. Hunting the Appalachian mountains is an entirely different animal.
I'm in upstate ny mountain country up here ranging from 2000ft up to over 4000 feet. Not many hunters are up to the challenge up here. Woods are thick as balls and the mountains are steep.
Western MD has the same terrain. Ive hunted since I was 8 (27 yrs) but I been strictly hunting mobile for the past 3 years. I seen many deer but haven't killed a big buck. The more I learn the less I know it seems. Thanks for the video.
Buddy, thank you for taking the time and putting this out.
I also hunt the Appalachain Mountains. 95% National Forest in Southwest Virginia. Wind and thermals are definitely the hardest to understand.
Very good explanations.
Thanks Randy
Dude... GREAT map site. Nice video too. Im going to have to watch it again, you poured out a few interesting things... one after another. Im afraid I didnt pick them all up the first go.
There are access roads and trails leading right into this area. You could get within .75 mile of that first spot. would be tough hiking, but totally doable. Lot of hunting right in there.
I live in Harlan Ky and it’s as southeast as u can go. There’s a ton of buck beds in power line edges that have trails to oak ridges. I’ve stumbled across a few single elk beds on those same edges. They use old log roads for travel corridors. U have to know the terrain due to all the huge cliffs everywhere here. I’ve hunted western Ky out where there’s ag and it’s way easier but I like hunting my hometown with zero ag. Harlan county is one of the hardest places to find bucks in this entire state!
Some good stuff!
I hunt Public in the southern Appalachian foothills here in SC, Georgia and NC.
It can take some patience to find a mature buck!
But if you stay with it there are some big uns in those hills!
You will run up on some major flats on top of a lot of mountains here due to reclaiming from stripe mining. But that’s still not ag. They do plant grasses once reclaimed and there’s a lot of wild horses here in these type areas.
I hunt similar on the WV side
Can I pay you to do one for me in Oregon?
Keep it up! I enjoy your content and glad I subbed!
If i can add .02 hunt pinch points. Think about how we travel, no matter if people are traveling east, west, north, or south they all have to reach a intersection. I love hunting the mountains, very little hunting pressure from people, especially if you're hunting public land without much road access. Not many people want to hike 2 hrs to reach that perfect spot.
U have to walk sideways and zig zag due to how steep it is. The deer do the same thing most of the time. Zig zag!
They definitely use the contour, path of least resistance. I have trails on my property that use contour on the back of the property all the way around the ridge and to the other side of the mountainside. it's three times the distance going around versus up and over, but with 800 feet elevation change, it's the easiest way to the opposite side.
What part of the App. Mountains was that
Cohutta mountains in north Georgia, the app I use is Cal topo
Did you say thermals fall at daylight?
No
They rise up after the sun does but they do continue to fall for a little bit until the sun heats up the ground floor , on some slopes such as the north west slopes they will fall all day in big mountains 🏔️
Just keep that in mind on northwest slopes it may be 3-4 pm before the sun touches those slopes
Lots of things could cause thermals in the mountains to drop , weather a cloudy cold day, rain showers , snow on the ground, I try to keep all of these things in mind before I go into a place I check the weather, the winds and I love to hunt sunny ☀️ days when with a good straight wind , I do extremely well on east facing slopes and southeast because of the sunlight exposure does well on creating better thermals for more easy hunting, but like I said lots of things could make the thermals fall in the daylight, in the mountains you gotta be prepared for anything that mother nature throws at you , because not only are you trying to harvest a smart mature buck you gotta deal with her also , it gets stressful fast when the thermals and winds will not cooperate lol .
But if you stay on top of it you'll be successful in the long run , don't ever give up is my number one choice of words.
Yah it is hard to hunt these mountains down here in north Carolina lots of hiking the hills but you have to be safe.
How do you get back to a hunting area if it is a couple of miles to it. Walk? ATV? I live in Bell county KY, and there are ATV trails literally everywhere. I have trouble spooking my deer just getting back to them.
Hike
👍