First hunt: Monocacy NRMA

[MDfish99]

Although I’ve had some past luck at places closer to me, I’ve been curious about trying Monocacy NRMA later this week. Haven’t gotten a scouting trip in, so this is all based off maps and on-X. Looking at the map I was trying to decide between East or West of the river, but wasn’t sure if corn/crops were still out. Also had my climber stand stolen earlier in the year, so this one’s going to be still hunting from the ground.

Not looking for anyone’s best spots, but was curious where to start with this decent chunk of land.

 

[outrider58]

Stolen off your porch?
By this time of the season, most sane deer have fled to Miami until spring. Late seasons could hold reasonable expectations back when the west side of the Monocacy was bow hunting only. I still do not understand the thinking when they opened that side up to guns. I got my first bow kill there about a hundred years ago. Lol

 

[MDfish99]

Stolen off your porch?
By this time of the season, most sane deer have fled to Miami until spring. Late seasons could hold reasonable expectations back when the west side of the Monocacy was bow hunting only. I still do not understand the thinking when they opened that side up to guns. I got my first bow kill there about a hundred years ago. Lol

Late season definitely gets them acting cagey. Not porch pirates on that one, just someone swiped it from the back of the truck. Thinking of getting a saddle setup for next season- definitely seems nicer than lugging a climber around. Must have been wild to hunt a place that was half bow half rifle, I’d imagine you’d get plenty pushed over from the east side.

 

[outrider58]

Late season definitely gets them acting cagey. Not porch pirates on that one, just someone swiped it from the back of the truck. Thinking of getting a saddle setup for next season- definitely seems nicer than lugging a climber around. Must have been wild to hunt a place that was half bow half rifle, I’d imagine you’d get plenty pushed over from the east side.

Yes. On the rare season I wouldn't have private property to hunt for gun season, I would bow hunt that side on opening day of gun season. I never shot anything. I was always looking for that big guy sneaking across the river into the bow side, as not many people hunted it during gun. There are some pretty decent spots along the river to hunt, though it's been some years since I last walked back there.

I would assume the few deer that stay there are nocturnal.

I actually hunt a private farm about 3/4 mile up river from there now.

Good luck!

 

[SummitCnty]

The deer are all up on Sugarloaf waiting for the season to end. Hunted adjacent private land for years and the deer make a B line with their bags packed at around 7:30am opening morning.

 

[outrider58]

The deer are all up on Sugarloaf waiting for the season to end. Hunted adjacent prive land for years and the deer make a B line with their bags packed at around 7:30am opening morning.

Those are just the poor ones who can't afford the plane ticket to Fla.

 

[eruby]

Mike Hunt

 

[Sundazes]

Mike Hunt

has anyone seen...

 

[remrug]

has anyone seen...

who hasn't ?

 

[akalma]

Yes. On the rare season I wouldn't have private property to hunt for gun season, I would bow hunt that side on opening day of gun season. I never shot anything. I was always looking for that big guy sneaking across the river into the bow side, as not many people hunted it during gun. There are some pretty decent spots along the river to hunt, though it's been some years since I last walked back there.

I would assume the few deer that stay there are nocturnal.

I actually hunt a private farm about 3/4 mile up river from there now.

Good luck!

Hmm, it is a news for me that Monocacy NRMA has some division for bow only. Where is the border between bow and firearm areas? The map is at

https://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/Documents/Monocacy-Hunting-Map.pdf

And at https://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/Pages/parkmaps/monocacy_map.aspx they say:

Whitetail deer seasons are open for bow, muzzleloader, and firearms-rifle and shotgun.

 

[outrider58]

Hmm, it is a news for me that Monocacy NRMA has some division for bow only. Where is the border between bow and firearm areas? The map is at

https://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/Documents/Monocacy-Hunting-Map.pdf

And at https://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/Pages/parkmaps/monocacy_map.aspx they say:

HAD a bow only area. It's all gun now

It was the NW portion of NRMA. Everything south and east of the river was always gun or archery.

 

[akalma]

HAD a bow only area. It's all gun now

It was the NW portion of NRMA. Everything south and east of the river was always gun or archery.

Ah, got it, I never hunted the area close to ramp, only from Park Mill Rd, two parkings from Ed Sears Rd and from the 28th and bridge.
The most eastern part which is closer to Sugarloaf Mt is sweet but long hike.

 

[fabsroman]

The deer are all up on Sugarloaf waiting for the season to end. Hunted adjacent private land for years and the deer make a B line with their bags packed at around 7:30am opening morning.

That would explain why my buddy kills a bunch of big ones every year around Sugarloaf. He is the grounds manager of Sugarloaf. I got to hunt there once during muzzleloader season. Good gracious, lots of deer moving around that morning and this was 20 years ago. I saw a decent buck, pulled the trigger, and realized I forgot to put the 209 primer in the gun. lol 20 years ago he had something like 20 large bucks mounted all over his place.