Anyone hunt Alabama WMA: James D. Martin Skyline

[philsanchez76]

I am thinking about going down for a quick 3 day hunt on this WMA. Anyone ever hunt it? Just looking for general thoughts on pressure, terrain, deer numbers etc. Defineltey not wanting you honey holes. Thx for any replies.

 

[Jmed]

Ive walked a little bit of it. I thought about buying an AL tag just to extend my season but its only open on certain days that dont include any weekends. Its rugged rough country, but that what I like and its not hard to get off the beaten path. Tons of buck sign on those points and benches and I am sure they are still doing a little chasing.

 

[philsanchez76]

Ive walked a little bit of it. I thought about buying an AL tag just to extend my season but its only open on certain days that dont include any weekends. Its rugged rough country, but that what I like and its not hard to get off the beaten path. Tons of buck sign on those points and benches and I am sure they are still doing a little chasing.

Thanks for the reply! On the maps it looks like it has a ton of access points for sure. I am not too far from it, so I may go down a do a quick day scout, then if I find some really good stuff I will purchase the 3 day license and go for it. If after a day I don't find anything I am confident in, I will just head back. Sort of hedging my bets if you will.

 

[TRHC]

I live in AL and I've hunted a lot of it in the past. In fact, my previous lease was bought by the State and is now part of the WMA. The club I was in before that was bought by The Nature Conservancy and is also part of the WMA. I don't hunt either of those tracts anymore due to having private land to hunt. In general, you can bow hunt it all season long and there are gun hunts scattered in. The gun hunts are typically a few days long and usually encompass a weekend. You are required to have a WMA license in addition to your regular license, I think the WMA is an additional $17. Feel free to PM me any questions you might have. I might can point you in a general direction depending on what you're looking for. What part of Middle Tn will you be coming from?

 

[catman529]

Never been, but I would like to take a few days to hunt there some day. I like the looks of the hill country.

 

[philsanchez76]

I live in AL and I've hunted a lot of it in the past. In fact, my previous lease was bought by the State and is now part of the WMA. The club I was in before that was bought by The Nature Conservancy and is also part of the WMA. I don't hunt either of those tracts anymore due to having private land to hunt. In general, you can bow hunt it all season long and there are gun hunts scattered in. The gun hunts are typically a few days long and usually encompass a weekend. You are required to have a WMA license in addition to your regular license, I think the WMA is an additional $17. Feel free to PM me any questions you might have. I might can point you in a general direction depending on what you're looking for. What part of Middle Tn will you be coming from?

Good to know! I will be coming from the greater Nashville area. I am thinking of bowhunting it right in the 2 weeks between the last 2 weekend gun hunts.

 

[philsanchez76]

Never been, but I would like to take a few days to hunt there some day. I like the looks of the hill country.

I am thinking of heading down there sometime next week or possibly in 2 weeks. Likely just for 3 days cuz that permit is a little less. You are welcome to carpool if interested.

 

[TRHC]

Never been, but I would like to take a few days to hunt there some day. I like the looks of the hill country.

Same offer to you catman. Holler if you have any questions. We killed some big deer on the Jacob's Mtn tract when we had it and there's been some big ones killed there since. The month of January is when we killed most of our bucks and it got better as the month went on. Now that we go into Feb here, there's plenty of time.

 

[catman529]

I am thinking of heading down there sometime next week or possibly in 2 weeks. Likely just for 3 days cuz that permit is a little less. You are welcome to carpool if interested.

Thanks for the offer. I'm probably done deer hunting for the year. I wanted to hunt Bama and KY, but with limited time to hunt, it's kinda killed the buzz not being able to get on deer before I have to be back at work. Time to shoot some rabbits and catch some fish.

 

[redblood]

Thanks for the offer. I'm probably done deer hunting for the year. I wanted to hunt Bama and KY, but with limited time to hunt, it's kinda killed the buzz not being able to get on deer before I have to be back at work. Time to shoot some rabbits and catch some fish.

For sure

 

[oldmanelrod]

Never been, but I would like to take a few days to hunt there some day. I like the looks of the hill country.

I hunted it some in the past. It's pretty rough country once you get off the top. It is part of the Cumberland Plateau, 1400-1800', steep slopes with lots of drop offs. Good place to have a hunting buddy know where you are.

 

[catman529]

I hunted it some in the past. It's pretty rough country once you get off the top. It is part of the Cumberland Plateau, 1400-1800', steep slopes with lots of drop offs. Good place to have a hunting buddy know where you are.

Yep the closest I've hunted to the plateau is the barrens, stark contrast in terrain, can see the hills in the distance. Always wanted to poke around those hills. Be some good exercise if nothing else

 

[oldmanelrod]

Yep the closest I've hunted to the plateau is the barrens, stark contrast in terrain, can see the hills in the distance. Always wanted to poke around those hills. Be some good exercise if nothing else

If you ever get a hankering to go PM me. I live just South of you in Elkmont, AL.

 

[timberjack86]

Yep the closest I've hunted to the plateau is the barrens, stark contrast in terrain, can see the hills in the distance. Always wanted to poke around those hills. Be some good exercise if nothing else

Check out bear hollow mountain, it's on the Tn side of the Alabama wma

 

[philsanchez76]

Check out bear hollow mountain, it's on the Tn side of the Alabama wma

That would be a cool trip- do the last few days of TN season at Bear Hollow and then cross the border to Alabama and keep huntin.

 

[philsanchez76]

I am headed down to Martin/Skyline on 1/26. Gonna do a few days of bow and then pull the 357 magnum rifle out for that last weekend of gun hunting. I will let y'all know if I get anything. Would love a pig and a deer.

 

[timberjack86]

I am headed down to Martin/Skyline on 1/26. Gonna do a few days of bow and then pull the 357 magnum rifle out for that last weekend of gun hunting. I will let y'all know if I get anything. Would love a pig and a deer.

Please keep us updated! Good luck!

 

[PossumSlayer]

I might have to try that place next year.... you can harvest 75 deer in Alabama?

 

[philsanchez76]

Please keep us updated! Good luck!

Will do and thx!

 

[catman529]

Check out bear hollow mountain, it's on the Tn side of the Alabama wma

Yep I have looked at that as well. I've got my eye on way more pieces of land than I could hunt in a season