GMU 673 - Private Property - Tree Farms

[Tenderfoot]

Hello all, new to this forum. Thanks for having me.

I've been interested in hunting GMU 673 during muzzleloader season and have talked with Handcock and they have no holdings there, and that the "Skidmore" unit of American Forest Management / FIA is in the GMU and it's $100 for a permit. Wondering if any of you have bought a permit and hunted it in the 2017 season. I've attached a map of the Skidmore mgt/permit area.

Thanks for any info provided...

[optic2]

Hello all, new to this forum. Thanks for having me.

I've been interested in hunting GMU 673 during muzzleloader season and have talked with Handcock and they have no holdings there, and that the "Skidmore" unit of American Forest Management / FIA is in the GMU and it's $100 for a permit. Wondering if any of you have bought a permit and hunted it in the 2017 season. I've attached a map of the Skidmore mgt/permit area.

Thanks for any info provided...

I believe the permits are closer to $350, at least that's what a local told me. Get OnX maps and it will show you all of the land holdings.

[Tenderfoot]

I've exchanged emails with AFM/FIA, $100 for walk-in, $325 for vehicle (per occupant). Not a fan of OnX maps.

[dreamunelk]

Hancock, No holdings?  Dude you called the wrong office.  Yes they manage a large chunk of land and it is free access.  For the most part walk in only.  Campbell also has land that is free access.  This is also some good sized DNR chunks of DNR land.  Go to the Pacific County map sifter to look at ownership.  No need to pay a fee.  Just camp on DNR land.

[bkaech]

Hancock, No holdings?  Dude you called the wrong office.  Yes they manage a large chunk of land and it is free access.  For the most part walk in only.  Campbell also has land that is free access.  This is also some good sized DNR chunks of DNR land.  Go to the Pacific County map sifter to look at ownership.  No need to pay a fee.  Just camp on DNR land.

I Agree!

don't buy a permit unless you know the area and know that the permit will help. 673 should have plenty of land that can be accessed without a permit. If you hunt it and learn it and then want to pay the $ that's one thing, but just because they have permits doesn't mean the hunting is any better there.

[Tenderfoot]

Sourdough... Don't know about Campbell (I have a call into them), but you're right about Hancock... my mistake... walk in, bike in, free access. Thanks for jingling my brain.

[Tenderfoot]

Agreed, bkaech. Thanks.

[dreamunelk]

Sourdough... Don't know about Campbell (I have a call into them), but you're right about Hancock... my mistake... walk in, bike in, free access. Thanks for jingling my brain.

You may not get a call from Campbell.  Drive down and read the sign on the gates.  Many would like you to do that instead of calling them. They just don't have the staff.   Read page 98 in the regs for basic rules.

[optic2]

I've exchanged emails with AFM/FIA, $100 for walk-in, $325 for vehicle (per occupant). Not a fan of OnX maps.

I'm curious why you don't like OnX?

[Tenderfoot]

dreamunelk - I appreciate the advice. I will be scouting the area very soon. While I know the tree folks prefer not to field phone calls, I like to call and ask questions and almost always get my calls returned.

[Tenderfoot]

optic2 - I tried to use it a few seasons ago and it really wasn't very good. It was a trial version through RMEF and it was riddled with ads for itself and pop-ups and froze up a lot and it was a battery suck and didn't zoom in close enough (that's a big issue) and I just didn't like the UI and UX top of that. I used to use another app a few years ago - it was affiliated with Cabela's for awhile - and it was one of the first hunting gps apps and it wasn't riddled with ads or sucked the life out of my battery or had pop ups or froze all the time. And I could interface with my hunts online via my desktop - not sure if OnX has that feature.

I read the recent reviews and see things like landowners are 3-4 year off and hunting seasons are 1+ years off. That's just not acceptable. Plus, I read that they changed their tier service / pricing structure and still auto-billed. A big no-no. On top of all that, from what I can glean, their customer service isn't very good.

As someone who has run the building of apps... free, one-time purchase, and subscription, too many things are big red flags. I'm handy with a compass and topo and google earth, etc... Hope that answers your question.

[grundy53]

I have the ONX app and have none of those issues and yes you can use it on your desktop.

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[Peewee]

Good old skidmore slough...get up in there find a gate n walk in, last time I was in there was before the pay to play...there was a bit of elk in there and people

[Tenderfoot]

grundy 53 - I downloaded the app today and also looked at it on the website. While it looks good on the web, on my iphone the satellite view wasn't good at 100 ft or 50 ft or 20 ft and the topo didn't get below 200 ft. I can reluctantly deal with the satellite view not being sharp, but bad topo is a deal breaker.

[grundy53]

I guess I'm just less picky.  Works great for what I use it for.

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