Dates for the 2019 TBG Southern Zone Hunt are January 18-20, 2019
Location - Ft. Stewart military installation in Hinesville, GA
This will be the first year in recent memory that the TBG Southern Zone Hunt will be held at a location other than Chickasawhatchee WMA. Unfortunately, Chickasawhatchee was heavily damaged as a result of Hurricane Michael's passage through SW GA back in October and is not the same nor will it be even close to the same place in my lifetime. So, a change of venue is in order.
Ft. Stewart has lots of land, much of it in swamp. Needless to say, it is loaded with hogs. We'd love to have you come see us for this hunt.
You will need a valid Georgia hunting license. Hogs are not considered to be game animals, so no big game license is needed. You will need an archery license in addition to the regular hunting license. You also need a permit to hunt Ft. Stewart. There is a fee for licenses/permits to hunt on Ft. Stewart - Check the website. Link provided below.
There is primitive camping available- At Holbrook campground- I encourage people to call first-- space is limited.
https://ftstewart.isportsman.net/
Stay tuned to this thread for updates.
I read where you no longer have to qualify to hunt there. Is that a fact? I am very interested in hunting with y'all again. It has been a while.
Quote from: gregg dudley on November 30, 2018, 01:22:17 PM
I read where you no longer have to qualify to hunt there. Is that a fact? I am very interested in hunting with y'all again. It has been a while.
That's a fact, sir. They stopped that some time back, not sure when.
UPDATE: Called the post Pass and Permit office today and was advised that the archery qualification process had been discontinued, even though the website says differently...
From the GA DRN site...the portion of this that matters is the small game season shown near the bottom of the page. Hogs may be hunted in GA on any managed area during small game hunts with legal small game weapons unless otherwise noted in the regulations.
Please also note the "Special Regs" at the bottom of the page.
■ Fort Stewart &
Hunter Army Airfield
Q
912.767.4354
Deer
Archery
•Either Sex: Sept. 8-Oct. 12 c
Primitive
•Either Sex: Oct. 13-19 c.
Firearms
•Buck only: Oct. 20-21 c
•Either Sex: Nov. 3-4 c | Nov. 22-25 c | Dec. 27-31 c
•Shotgun Only Areas: Either Sex: Oct. 13-Jan. 13 c
Deer Season Bag Limit is 5 total deer, not more than 2 may be antlered, and not more than 3 may be antlerless (bonus tags for 2). One of antlered bucks must have at least four (4) points on one side of antlers (one inch or longer). In the Quality Deer Management Area (QDMA), both antlered bucks must have at least four (4) points (one inch or longer) on one side of the antlers.
Turkey
Mar. 23-May 15 c
Small Game
Aug. 15-Feb. 28 c
Dove
Sept. 1-16, Oct. 13-31, Nov. 22 – Jan. 15
waterfowl
Q Statewide season. No hunting past 12 noon c.
SPECIAL REGS
Interested hunter must visit www. stewart.army.mil/dpw/wildlife/default.htm. Mandatory phone check-in.
All hunting subject to post regulations and access for hunting is not guaranteed.
A better link. This one takes you to the regulations PDF with just about all you will need to know.
https://ftstewart.isportsman.net/SOP.aspx
Being new to Georgia I have to check this out......no better way to get your feet wet than in a swamp full of hogs. Hope I can make this happen.
Go get em Ron! :thumbsup: :archer2:
That's a fun place to hunt. One big challenge is when you find hogs in a unit one day but can't hunt it the next day because it's is closed... 😳
I plan on being there.
Dagnabit, I am going to be out of town on those dates....... :banghead:
Goodluck!
Quote from: Jeff D. Holchin on December 02, 2018, 06:24:32 PM
That's a fun place to hunt. One big challenge is when you find hogs in a unit one day but can't hunt it the next day because it's is closed... 😳
That can be a problem. Not every time, but it certainly happens from time to time. They give you a week's worth of the schedule, but that can change due to the demands of the U.S. Army...
Camping information for Ft. Stewart.
https://stewarthunter.armymwr.com/programs/campground
We are going to try and be there.
I would love to join this hunt, but that's my wife's birthday weekend and I will be gone for up to ten days starting the following weekend on my PBS coastal hog hunt. She's working thru her anger-management issues, but I'm not taking any chances....😳
Quote from: Jeff D. Holchin on December 14, 2018, 11:16:51 AM
I would love to join this hunt, but that's my wife's birthday weekend and I will be gone for up to ten days starting the following weekend on my PBS coastal hog hunt. She's working thru her anger-management issues, but I'm not taking any chances....😳
Probably a wise decision. We might try this again when all the other hunting seasons have played out. June or so... :goldtooth:
PM sent with a few questions......
Ill be there for this hunt, was incidentally planning those dates anyway so this makes it sweeter. What can a first time hog hunter expect experience wise on this kind of hunt?
Use this link for your GA hunting license. You will only need a basic license as hogs are not big game and the big game license isn't necessary to hunt hogs. Deer season will be over by the time this hunt rolls around.
https://georgiawildlife.com/licenses-permits-passes
Use this link to register and buy your permit to hunt Ft. Stewart. You can buy daily permits to cover your time there unless you plan to return in the next 12 months. A 12 month permit for most will cost $60. Veterans get a discount.
https://ftstewart.isportsman.net/
Use this link to learn more about camping at Ft. Stewart. You do not have to be a veteran to camp, but they will move you out of the RV campground if it fills up and a veteran needs your space, or so I'm told.
https://stewarthunter.armymwr.com/programs/campground
Be advised that many hotel options exist in the Hinesville, GA area that are very short rides to Ft. Stewart. So, if you don't want to haul camping gear, you have other options.
There is a PDF document that you access from iSportsman that covers everything you ever wanted to know about hunting on Ft. Stewart. I advise everyone who plans to come to read that document carefully. There are some nuances about hunting on a Federal Government installation that you'll need to know about, especially related to firearms. Since this is a bow hunt, that should be no problem, but they don't recognize concealed carry laws or rights on their property. Plus, firearms must be registered with the fort.
Prepare for weather of any kind. Prepare for hunting in wet swamps. If weather is warm, mosquitoes will likely be troublesome. Snakes come out in warm weather and cottonmouths are aggressive at times. Alligators are also present in places and warm weather activates them as well.
So, read the information found in the links provided and if you still have questions, let me know and I'll try to help.
Good stuff thanks :archer:
Is anyone planning on camping at Fort Stewart campground?
If the weather forecast is good I plan on camping. Just have get a bit of info from the base. Will be working on that.
Welp, if I am going to Georgia to hunt, probably gonna rain. :bigsmyl:
This is so out of my wheelhouse..... mountain hunter here.
What type of hunting footwear do you guys wear on a hunt like this? Rubber boots....Hippers....or just plain ole hunting boots?
Anyone packing a backup pistol with bird shot for snakes and such?
Beendare, Lacross knee boots are very good for that time of year, although there are times when hip boots come in handy depending on the unit. When it's is warmer and the snakes come out, snake boots are a really good idea. Some really big snakes there!
You will get a laugh when a local says "take that ridge over there"...and the "ridge" is about ten feet high....
Also, you can't trust the creeks as reference points because they flow both ways, depending on the tides!
Having a pistol is always a good idea when hog hunting.
Quote from: Jeff D. Holchin on January 03, 2019, 07:22:45 PM
Beendare, Lacross knee boots are very good for that time of year, although there are times when hip boots come in handy depending on the unit. When it's is warmer and the snakes come out, snake boots are a really good idea. Some really big snakes there!
You will get a laugh when a local says "take that ridge over there"...and the "ridge" is about ten feet high....
Also, you can't trust the creeks as reference points because they flow both ways, depending on the tides!
Having a pistol is always a good idea when hog hunting.
Good advice all around.
The forecast for Hinesville, GA for the period, at least as far as I can see on my weather app, is for highs in the mid 60s, lows in the high 40s. It has been a rainy fall and as we have moved into winter, the rains have continued to come. I'd expect higher than normal water. I intend to make do with knee boots. I would recommend snake boots if you have them. With the highs in the 60s, I'd expect some sightings...
As far as a sidearm is concerned, be advised that the base has its rules regarding firearms. According to the regulations on the web (see links in posts well above this one), firearms must be registered with the base. Another important note is that Ft. Stewart doesn't recognize state law regarding concealed carry, so open carry will be the order of the day.
Please read the PDF document found in the link below. Click on the text "Ft Stewart/HAAF Hunting, Fishing and Outdoor Recreation SOP/Policy Letter" to see the PDF. Read carefully...
https://ftstewart.isportsman.net/SOP.aspx
Read this if you intend to bring a sidearm for snakes.
https://ftstewart.isportsman.net/Weapons.aspx
Do it before leaving home as it takes 72 hours for approval.
One more thing, there is a requirement for the use of hunter orange outer wear (vest) during hunts where big game weapons are allowed. Our hunt dates allow the use of big game weapons so orange is required for us. Bring a light weight orange vest with you for the hunt and we can all discuss our opinions on this regulation when we get there...
Of course, if you intend to hunt in the Archery Only areas, you may disregard the communication above. But, the areas that allow firearms to be used are good pig areas...
I have a few questions. Is the hunting going to be walking, or should I bring a tree stand? When and were is the meeting place? Will we put in for a certain area then?
Thanks
Hunting for me will be on foot, trying to find pigs and then trying to work close enough for a shot. I am not bringing a tree stand.
I suppose a meeting place would be the Holbrook Campground. We have a TBG banner that we can hang if our president remembers to bring it with him. I'll remind him. I will PM you my phone number, if you'd like, so you will have someone to call should that become necessary.
Regarding units/hunting areas, that is a day to day thing always. You could go to the Ft. Stewart iSportsman site and then click on "Areas" to see the map. Then move through the days of the week for the next seven days and see how the status of the areas change. They are closing some and opening others as the week wears on and we'll all be day to day, so to speak, for the duration of the hunt. But you will have to check into and out of your intended hunting area each day.
Hunter Safety Certification is also required. Bring your certificate with you and have it on you while hunting. Your state hunter safety course will suffice.
Things to do now, while you're at home and we have a couple of weeks...
1.Set up an account on the Ft. Stewart ISportaman site. That's free.
2.Buy your permit to hunt Ft. Stewart. You can buy daily permits or a season permit.
3.Buy your GA basic hunting license. A big game license is not required for this hunt.
4.If you intend to bring a sidearm, register it. You can do that at a local ARMY post near you. But don't come to Ft. Stewart thinking you'll do it there. You will not be happy with the outcome. The process will take 72 hours to gain approval.
5. Pack rubber boots, snake boots, or whatever footwear you'd like to hunt in South GA swamplands. Not all will be wet, but lots of it will be. It's all thick.
6. Pack a Thermacell or three and bug spray.
7. Pack a lightweight orange vest. We'll talk about the details when you get here, but you'll need it.
Couple pm's sent. really looking forward to it.
:thumbsup: Got my permit all taken care of, so now I am excited to go on my first hunt as a resident of Georgia. Hope the weather is good.
Forecast for the week is not too bad. Highs in the mid 60s, lows in the high 40s. Chance of rain around 40% for the weekend, less likely earlier in the week. It'll be good regardless.
I plan on putting up a pretty good sized camp - will have a big tarp or two that we can get under if we do get rain.
The MRI (most recent information) for this hunt;
1. Water is high. With all the rain we've had, that's not surprising.
2. Mosquitoes are very troublesome. No surprise with the high water and all...
3. Campground reservation should be made now if you intend to camp. If the thing fills up, there are inexpensive hotel options very close by.
Let me know if you need help making arrangements. I'll provide information and cheer you on... :clapper:
Thanks for the info! Do we call to make reservations?
Quote from: Ulysseys on January 07, 2019, 02:30:25 PM
Thanks for the info! Do we call to make reservations?
Yes. The Holbrook Campground number is 912-435-8213. Alternate number is 912-435-8205. I encourage you to call today if you're planning on coming.
I have my campsite, I have my permit........now we pack and wait to go hunt.
It looks like this is shaping up to be a very large time!!
Sorting and packing gear, not far away now, looking forward this hunt.
Don't forget your light weight orange vest and your hunter safety card. You will need both.
:thumbsup: got both ready to go.
One additional bit of information, shooting your bow in camp is a no-no, I'm told. So, if you need the practice, it'll need to be done in the field, not in camp.
We are in the short rows now, folks...
Y'all take plenty of pics. I for one am looking forward to some stories.
Pretty much all packed and ready for the 4 hour drive tomorrow. Hope the weather holds. Looking forward to this new adventure.
Well, I'm all set up. Before dark. That's a good thing. Cool at the moment with no mosquitoes. That's a blessing.
One thing that changed this year is you need to be in the military a vet or DOD employee to use the rv sites. Was told when I called last month that civilians could camp in the primitive section during hunting season only.
You will need the isportsman app to check for open sections and to check in and out everyday. If you miss checking out you won't be able to hunt for 5 days and they don't make exceptions.
If your over 65 years old you don't have to pay the the $60 yearly fee it's free.
I'm going to be there the 3ed week of Feb.
I made it Forsyth, plan on being at the campground by noon.
See everyone Friday!
Keng, take some notes and lots of pics. The tribe wants a full report when you get back.
You're gonna miss a big storm while you are down there. We will save some snow and ice for you.
Have fun and good luck!
Some bad weather coming so left this am. I had a great time and considered it a learning experience. Neat place to hunt, ever did see a pig but a fair amount of sign. Great bunch of guys to talk to and learn from.
I was there this past weekend as well...didn't exactly hunt with the group but met a few real nice guys both at the campground and once in the woods...I pounded multiple zones and hunted nearly dark to dark from Thursday to Sunday, found tons of sign both fresh and old, fresh wallows and places where it looked like pigs were sliding in mud, found a few tiny tree frogs and followed an opossum for awhile, saw 6 deer, 4 of them bucks, one of them was huge, but never saw a single hog. Had a great time though and am planning on returning in April for another shot. Learned a lot about hunting Fort Stewart in a few short days.
TBG Southern Zone Hunt - Fort Stewart, GA – January 16-20, 2019
I arrived on Wednesday, 1/16 late in the afternoon. But, I had my tent and tarp pitched well before dark and was pretty well settled. Eight folks had already arrived; two in camp and six in a local hotel and one more came in after I had arrived. Wednesday afternoon produced one hog kill. No other hogs were seen on Wednesday.
Thursday for me was occupied in trying to find fresh hog sign, which I was able to do. However, for all the sign found, no hogs were seen by me. In fact, I think only one person saw hogs at all on Thursday. Around midday, three more guys showed up bringing our total in camp (hotel included) to thirteen. The afternoon hunt on Thursday produced one miss and that was it.
Friday we added two additional guys for a total of fifteen. Friday's hunting produced more of the same; plenty of sign found but not many sightings. KenG and I hunted together and went into a previously closed area and immediately got into some sign. Not a lot, but some. Then Ken hears some squealing. We moved toward the sound and he wound up seeing a large sow and maybe 10 runts and another large adult. We were unable to get on them however and no shots were taken.
Saturday was another slow hunting day. I really can't say how many folks saw hogs, but it couldn't have been but one or two. Most folks were into lots of sign but no pigs. The hunt ended with only the one pig killed.
But, everyone I spoke with had a good time. We had a fire every night at one camp or another and were worn out and slept well after having walked all day. I'd do it again in a heartbeat!
Ulysses, I'm sorry I missed meeting you there. I didn't know you were there until talking with one of the other guys as I was headed home on Sunday.
All told, of the fifteen guys who made it, nine were GA residents, one was from PA, one from New Jersey, and two from Michigan. We'll do it again sometime, either there at Fort Stewart or some place else.
[attachment=1]
Sounds like a fun trip, I thought about trying to make it myself, only about a 4hr drive, but saw it too late. I used to be on a lease for many years up near Irwinton and loved hunting the Ga swamps and bottom land.
Too bad there weren't more encounters, but as primarily a public land hog hunter that experience sounds about right to me. Pigs living on natural forage across large tracts of non-manicured land ain't easy. 15 guys on that much property isn't that many to figure them out in short order. Unless you just plain get lucky you'll need to cover a lot of ground. Not uncommon for hogs to travel a mile or more between bedding and feeding areas too. You may think you're close when you find some sign, but unless you can see, hear or smell them sign is only where they been. They could be a long ways off. Doesn't take many hogs to tear up a lot of ground either, esp when they work all night. You may see an acre of tilled ground and think there's at least 2 dz hogs at work when there really may only be a half dz or so, but they worked it for 3 hours straight one evening. Finding fresh sign is no guarantee they'll back any time soon, if at all, either. Can't say how many times I found sign and more mast to eat, sat the evening and the next morning and saw or heard nothing and had to keep looking. Very nomadic and nocturnal creatures. I think wild hogs invented the phrase here today gone tomorrow.
Anyway, I will try to get in on the next one, been too long since I hunted the great state of GA.
Sounds like a fun time!
Quote from: deerfly on January 21, 2019, 02:06:41 PM
Anyway, I will try to get in on the next one, been too long since I hunted the great state of GA.
The next hunt may come much sooner than you might expect. We are talking already about the tail end of February...
No worries Dutchman...I didn't expect to hunt as hard or as long as I did each day...I'd say I rivaled some of my western elk or bear hunts on that, by the time I got back I was too cooked to do anything. Is that pretty typical for a hog hunt in terms of results? I can see the obsession in seeing one building up.
Quote from: Dutchman on January 21, 2019, 03:06:55 PM
Quote from: deerfly on January 21, 2019, 02:06:41 PM
Anyway, I will try to get in on the next one, been too long since I hunted the great state of GA.
The next hunt may come much sooner than you might expect. We are talking already about the tail end of February...
Hogs are still wide open until 3/2 here in Fl, but I may cross state lines before then. Are you planning the same place or a different WMA?
Quote from: Ulysseys on January 21, 2019, 03:26:48 PM
Is that pretty typical for a hog hunt in terms of results? I can see the obsession in seeing one building up.
I think a lot people in other states see a lot of private land and bait operations for hogs and have a misconception about how difficult truly free range hogs can be to hunt. They are every bit as wary as deer, better nose and smarter. They travel great distances and are most active at night. That's a lot to overcome to get withing stick bow range.
The only thing that makes the hog a bit easier than a deer is once you find them feeding you can usually work out a stalk. Although more rare to get in on, but when boars are fighting you can move in on them pretty quickly too. Once feeding they tend to feed for a long time unless spooked. So you have more time to get close and they don't look up and around every 5 seconds like a deer. If there's more than one hog feeding they tend to make quite a bit of noise too. You have more eyes and ears to contend with but they are all focused on eating so its possible to slip in there if wind and cover is right.
The thing is you have to find them and find what they are eating. Sometimes that takes a lot of miles on foot. When they are on acorns it can be just be a matter of finding a good tree near a bedding area. If they're rooting for tube roots and what not predicting the next excavation site is a lot more difficult. If you can find someone that was on them yesterday that's who you want to talk to. But wild hogs are such nomads its far from a guarantee. Invariably you have to keep moving and thats part of the fun.
How do they use the swamps? Or don't they? I was thinking of bedding and cover during my hunts and wondered if the swamps came in to play. The bucks I saw were hanging right on the fringe between swamp and palmetto thicket and when they eventually spotted me they went straight in to the water. It sure is fun trying to figure a new animal out and a new method of hunting.
river bottoms and swamps are the first places to look as are any habitat edges like cypress transitioning to pine, etc. But hogs can bed in the middle of huge palmetto thickets among old growth pine on high ground or around ponds on dry ground surrounded by wax myrtle or willow. Depends on where the food is and how pressured they are. But they will go almost anywhere if the food is there then retreat to thick, largely inaccessible places to bed during daylight hours.
With the full moon over the weekend, the hogs were probably making a lot of that sign at night and laying up during the day. Most of the FS units have sand "roads" or 2 tracks around them - I like to drive those roads first thing in the morning and see from the tracks where the hogs headed to lay up. They do love laying up in the palmetto thickets but I don't like to get into them too much, partly because of the noise but mostly because snakes like them too and I really hate not being able to see my feets in snake county.😳
Quote from: deerfly on January 21, 2019, 04:21:38 PM
Hogs are still wide open until 3/2 here in Fl, but I may cross state lines before then. Are you planning the same place or a different WMA?
We are thinking Fort Stewart again but we'll let folks know on here in a new thread as soon as we nail it down.
I had a great time at fort Stewart. I got to meet a few new people, all of whom where very friendly and a pleasure to talk with, and even managed to see some hogs. I really didn't have a clue on the process of hunting there, the checking in and out of different areas and how to know where the different areas started and stopped. If it wasn't for Dutchman, I may never have left the campground. Thank you sir.
Quote from: keng on January 22, 2019, 05:11:34 PM
I really didn't have a clue on the process of hunting there, the checking in and out of different areas and how to know where the different areas started and stopped.
How often did you have to hunt a different section?
Free range hogs are hard enough to pin down with an arrow. I would hate to spend a day or two finally getting a handle on them then have to hunt a different area the next day.
The area we saw hogs Friday was marked as closed for Saturday. Saturday morning, it changed to open, so I beat it back to my truck and finished the day there. I don't know if anybody else was shut out of where they wanted to go. I think everyone was moving around trying to locate pigs.
I hunted quite a few zones trying to locate the best sign and settled really on 2 zones. I found each zone to be quite big but what could be productively bow hunted varied greatly from zone to zone. Some were just plain too thick or swampy to expect to sneak up or see a hog in. Again though I was a first timer so maybe I should've been more patient in fewer zones.
I really need to thank Dutchman for the lesson in cell phone use. I'm new to the tech side of hunting. Had to sign in and out with your phone.......with out his help I would not have been able to hunt. I guess 45 years of having the phone on the kitchen wall had me in a rut. Since I moved all I have is a cell phone now. Many thanks Gene :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy:
Quote from: keng on January 22, 2019, 05:11:34 PM
I had a great time at fort Stewart. I got to meet a few new people, all of whom where very friendly and a pleasure to talk with, and even managed to see some hogs. I really didn't have a clue on the process of hunting there, the checking in and out of different areas and how to know where the different areas started and stopped. If it wasn't for Dutchman, I may never have left the campground. Thank you sir.
Nah, you'd have gotten after 'em. I enjoyed our time, Ken.
Quote from: ron w on January 22, 2019, 08:43:59 PM
I really need to thank Dutchman for the lesson in cell phone use. I'm new to the tech side of hunting. Had to sign in and out with your phone.......with out his help I would not have been able to hunt. I guess 45 years of having the phone on the kitchen wall had me in a rut. Since I moved all I have is a cell phone now. Many thanks Gene :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy:
Ron, I have found out that if I can put my hands on the technology, I can often figure it out. You would have done the same, we just compressed the learning curve. It was a pleasure having you in camp.
A frequently seen landmark at Fort Stewart.
[attachment=1]
[attachment=1,msg2846231]
[attachment=1] Dutchman searching a clear cut
Some Army litter...
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More Army litter. This stuff will tear your pants...
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What some of the terrain looked like...
[attachment=2]
Drier terrain covered in oats...
[attachment=3]
We were in Longleaf country...
[attachment=1]
The Ogeechee River
[attachment=2]
Rooting
[attachment=3]
A Gopher Tortoise hole. This one may have been the home of an Eastern Indigo snake or an Eastern Diamondback!
[attachment=4]
Evening activity...
[attachment=5]
:thumbsup: great time around the fire, good conversation and company.
I'm thinking of returning in June after turkey seasons - how miserable will it be then? :knothead:
Quote from: Ulysseys on February 02, 2019, 01:21:14 PM
I'm thinking of returning in June after turkey seasons - how miserable will it be then? :knothead:
It will be warm and you are likely to encounter all that South GA is known for during that time.
Haha say no more