Refuge Hunts.......?

[BottomLand54]

OK guys me and a friend put it for a drawn hunt and guess what? We got drawn. Anyone ever hunted a wildlife refugee for turkey? This is actually the Pee Dee wildlife refugee in Wadesboro, NC.

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[turkeyfoot]

some nice land down there how many hunters they taking these days reason I ask is they overrun the place during deer season to point its no longer a true permit hunt but an overcrowded mess so many feel since have drawn have to go it becomes worse than general public land. What date you got

[Bowguy]

The refuges in my state are basically open ground that you need a permit to hunt. The first few days maybe week are busy than it just dies pressure wise. The reason I feel for the large interest is the birds are visible from the road. Guys figure it'll be easy. Once they can't kill one they stop going.
The refuge by us does have mentored only areas n it's one place that's left alone except for that. Good luck w that hunt

[Gooserbat]

Limited access refuge hunts can be very good.

[renegade19]

The refuge I've drawn is good during turkey season and a circus during deer season unless it's "doe only" then it's decent.

[BottomLand54]

The old guy who got me hooked on turkey hunting wanted to put in for it so we did. He said I doubt we will get drawn supposibly they have 3 weeks 1st week youth only, 2nd week is our first week of our adult regular season in North Carolina, then the 3rd week is the 2nd week of our adult season. Anyways not only did we get drawn but we for drawn for the 1st adult week. Which is April 10th-April 15th. The older guy said they only draw 50 people out of NC. And he has had buddy's who have tried for years with no success. You mail in an application maximum of 2 hunters if you are drawn which we were they mail you back your week(dates) and you have to mail back a 12.50 permit fee which we have done. It is permit only and not open to just the general public, they say the mosquitos their are almost as big as the turkeys. I was hoping someone on here before has hunted it and could give some advice, however any and all advice is always welcomed and appreciated! Thank you. I am excited allot the turkey hunters around here say it is loaded with birds and big birds.

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[BowBendr]

OK guys me and a friend put it for a drawn hunt and guess what? We got drawn. Anyone ever hunted a wildlife refugee for turkey? This is actually the Pee Dee wildlife refugee in Wadesboro, NC.

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I'll just be dead honest with you here.....
I have hunted the PDNWR since 1985. It used to be one of the most coveted draws you could get in NC.
The habitat on the refuge is what I consider to be absolutely perfect, they do a really good job with land management...wildlife, not so much.
Killed a good amount of deer in there until they decided to put an all out assault on the animals in there. If 100 hunters could do a good job with animal management, they figured 600 at a time would be even better. I do not understand their draw system. They say that they give out X number of permits, lets say 200, but when you show up there are 600 hunting. I can only assume that a max sized party of 3 people counts as 1 person.

As far as turkey go, I still archery hunt the refuge a good bit in the early season and have only seen 2 toms and 2 hens in the past 6 or 7 years from a tree stand. I rarely ever see a turkey track, if they were in there in any numbers that sandy soil would show the sign.

I drew that turkey hunt several times back when it was a 3 day hunt and hunting stopped at noon. Never killed a bird in there. To make it worse they expanded the opportunity to 5 days/all day hunts.
I honestly stopped putting in for that hunt years ago. I have walked in there for days and never heard a gobble. In fact, last time I hunted it, everybody showed up on the first day and didn't come back for the remainder of the hunt. It was that bad. In fact, I would be ashamed if I were the USFWS, taking the hunters $12.50 fee for a hunt that offered that little of an opportunity. There are general Game Lands within 15-30 minutes of there that offer much better hunting.

That being said, if I were going to hunt it I would put some serious time and effort into my scouting, there are a few birds in there but you will have some serious competition. I don't know how many are drawn for each hunt now but there will be a good bit of people there. Maybe they will thin out over the first day or two ?

I look at that place and just shake my head, the habitat is absolutely perfect. It is so good that it should still be the most sought after turkey tag in NC. It is the best turkey habitat I have ever hunted in NC bar none, there should be turkeys and deer absolutely everywhere but they're not. They keep everything in there shot out to the point that it just isn't worth it for me to drive 3 hours down there and get a motel room for a week.

Sorry brother, just being totally honest.....it really is sad what they've done to the game animal numbers on that place, but remember it is a migratory bird refuge that concentrates mostly on geese and ducks. Deer and turkey are just a side bar to them.

[BottomLand54]

Thank you bowbendr for your honest report, a few friends mine go during the deer season, they said it is terrible. Normally warm during the first week of rifle season, mosquitos everywhere, no deer, etc. But they say they seen turkeys everywhere! They tell me 10-15 years ago man it was nothing to see 120-130s in there and an occasional 150-160 would get shot. I hear it is swampy and has allot snakes. We only plan on going a day or 2 maybe only 1 if no birds!, We are gonna go down an scout and if no sign we ain't going back lol! It's only 1:45-2 hours for us!

It is a shame that they have over hunted it. My friend who went this year during 1st week rifle season said it was worst he has ever seen it as far as deer go, however he said there was a bunch birds and some very very good turkey hunters around here say it's loaded with good birds, maybe they have it mistaken for somewhere else lol. I am glad that you gave me your honest opinion and at least I have heard possibly the best news and possibly the best so I can go at it with an open mind.

Thank you, more info is welcomed!

[BowBendr]

Thank you bowbendr for your honest report, a few friends mine go during the deer season, they said it is terrible. Normally warm during the first week of rifle season, mosquitos everywhere, no deer, etc. But they say they seen turkeys everywhere! They tell me 10-15 years ago man it was nothing to see 120-130s in there and an occasional 150-160 would get shot. I hear it is swampy and has allot snakes. We only plan on going a day or 2 maybe only 1 if no birds!, We are gonna go down an scout and if no sign we ain't going back lol! It's only 1:45-2 hours for us!

It is a shame that they have over hunted it. My friend who went this year during 1st week rifle season said it was worst he has ever seen it as far as deer go, however he said there was a bunch birds and some very very good turkey hunters around here say it's loaded with good birds, maybe they have it mistaken for somewhere else lol. I am glad that you gave me your honest opinion and at least I have heard possibly the best news and possibly the best so I can go at it with an open mind.

Thank you, more info is welcomed!

I really hated to say it but I do appreciate it that you are looking at it with an open mind !
You never know, turkey populations can be very cyclical and that habitat is great, with a few good hatches the numbers could absolutely have rebounded a bit and the hunting is better. I may be the one missing out since I haven't applied in 5-6 years. If you want to shoot me a pm I will be glad to tell you exactly where I have seen birds over the years. It's only 8k acres if they're in there it won't be too hard to find them. All it takes is one that wants to play ! 

And if you want to get a motel room, send a PM to Turkeyfoot, he'll tell you which one to avoid...

[BottomLand54]

Thank you bowbendr for your honest report, a few friends mine go during the deer season, they said it is terrible. Normally warm during the first week of rifle season, mosquitos everywhere, no deer, etc. But they say they seen turkeys everywhere! They tell me 10-15 years ago man it was nothing to see 120-130s in there and an occasional 150-160 would get shot. I hear it is swampy and has allot snakes. We only plan on going a day or 2 maybe only 1 if no birds!, We are gonna go down an scout and if no sign we ain't going back lol! It's only 1:45-2 hours for us!

It is a shame that they have over hunted it. My friend who went this year during 1st week rifle season said it was worst he has ever seen it as far as deer go, however he said there was a bunch birds and some very very good turkey hunters around here say it's loaded with good birds, maybe they have it mistaken for somewhere else lol. I am glad that you gave me your honest opinion and at least I have heard possibly the best news and possibly the best so I can go at it with an open mind.

Thank you, more info is welcomed!

I really hated to say it but I do appreciate it that you are looking at it with an open mind !
You never know, turkey populations can be very cyclical and that habitat is great, with a few good hatches the numbers could absolutely have rebounded a bit and the hunting is better. I may be the one missing out since I haven't applied in 5-6 years. If you want to shoot me a pm I will be glad to tell you exactly where I have seen birds over the years. It's only 8k acres if they're in there it won't be too hard to find them. All it takes is one that wants to play ! 

And if you want to get a motel room, send a PM to Turkeyfoot, he'll tell you which one to avoid...

Lol...... Thank you. We will just drive back and forth. I have allot farms Lord willing with good birds to try to hit up this year as well. Going to be very selective on what I kill.

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[turkeyfoot]

Oh yeah I can tell you which h motel to avoid unless your looking to be propositioned Yeah don't know who is saying tye place is loaded with birds hasn't been that way for long time reason I don't even apply for it anymore. Probably the deer hunters seeing them feeding through because of the cut corn but spring is tough but good things to look at is its one of the easier draws to get in this state the tales of mosquitos and snakes sounds exaggerated this isn't swampy SC or eastern NC land is river frontage and farmland type with plenty fields  of course there will be some but seen way way worse just take the thermocell and you'll be fine . Like BowBndr said there are some birds there and some will get killed in there just scout it hard find where they are and have good time. If you've turkey hunted much you already know that most what people say is usually based on limited experience you may go and hear some in spot and think the place is loaded but there are people in 10 ither spots listening to nothing but crows and songbirs that is what you'll encounter there  just make sure your the one listening to gobbles and that is by boot leather scouting you won't ave any trouble finding bird sign if its there the soil will show the tracks easily if they are in that area

[tha bugman]

Man yeah!  Good luck to you hope ya'll bust some!

[BottomLand54]

Thank ya bugman hope the Lord blesses all y'all with a good bird this year. I hope to see some vocal mature birds put on a show.

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[BB30]

Hunt the noxubee refuge in Mississippi quite a bit can be some great hunting just stick with them. Usually some of the prettiest woods you will have the price age to hunt.