I know several of you are avid national forest hunters and I don't ask you guys to give me your honey holes!! However, can yall point me in the direction of how I can find/locate/ do "homework" on some public land hunting for the future!? I am very limited to my hunting spots, and want to explore other areas and im finding that private land is coming extremely hard to get access to. I am thankful I have a small area to hunt but as many of u know, its nice to have options when things are going slow! I live in bedford co, near vinton! Any advice...? Websites? Maps?... etc. U can gove me would be great! Thanks guys!!

Look on the vadgif site it has maps and tells you where state forest and wma are.

I have several ways of locating National Forest that I hunt on. GIS web pages are a great tool as to see where the boundaries lay. Not every county in SWVA has this fantastic tool but Google the county name with GIS to find the county webpage. I also really like the maps on http://www.bing.com . The road map will show you the shaded green for the national forest and then switching over to the birds eye view will show you what to expect. I also do it the old fashion way by driving roads and looking for that magical red paint.

Good luck

I normally go out and scout a little bit to see if I can find sign. I write the GPS coordinates down and then make pinpoints on Google Earth to see if there is a cluster of sign. I have several areas I frequent as I always have plan B, C, D....if someone is in "my spot" (where I planned to hunt). I use Google Earth or Google Maps to look for areas that might be okay. But nothing beats getting out there and finding sign and where the acorns are located. I have on occasion put a trail cam out but it was boxed and locked!

Google earth and my Gps kills my bucks. Google Earth is probably my most lethal tool second to my weapon.

During the off season drive a forest svc road in area you are considering and strike up conversations with people camping along the road. Some of them will be hunters and may be forthcoming with advice, especially regarding how to access the more remote spots, especially if there are any good ways to get around private land blocking access, etc. Bear hunters, especially, know the land real well and may be willing to give some advice to a deer or turkey hunter.