White Rock WMA advice

[tboard24]

Hello all, I'm new to this site and am hoping to gather some much needed information. I'm a student at the U of A and recently stumbled on an article or something talking about the White Rock WMA. I've tried to find as much information on it as I can, but besides from the write-up done my a member of this site, I haven't found much. I'd like to know any information you guys have on it, as far as the best way to access a good spot from the North, what size of deer to expect, basically anything you guys have that could help me learn more about it. Also I will only be hunting the modern firearms season. Thanks and I look forward to the responses, -Tucker

[Kevin]

Well it may be a little more crowded during moder gun season (but not as crowded as, say, Wedington WMA), but because it is so damn big (280k acres) all you have to do is get off the road a ways and you won't see another hunter. Overall, White Rock is a petty good WMA for sure. I'm not sure how much more I can tell you than what I wrote in the article, but I'll sure give it a try.

Access from the north can be obtained off State Hwy. 16 by way of several county and Forest Service Roads located at Dutton, Delaney, Combs, St. Paul and Pettigrew. h. You can find a link to the White Rock WMA map here: http://www.arkansasoutdoorsonline.com/arkansas-wma-maps

The bad news is, White Rock pretty damn rugged. The good news is, there area  lot of access points and lots of old service roads throughout as well. But again, everybody else is going to be using these as well. It would help you out a lot to go scout it. Not that that is any breaking news to you. However if you spent a day hiking with your GPS and topo map you could get a good idea of the terrain, acorns, water sources, etc. The farther you hike on opening day, the higher chance of getting away from the crowds and finding a good buck. The topo map would help you find some travel ridges and heavily traveled draws, and may, most importantly, help you avoid the roughest terrain that is going to wear you out fast!

As far as deer go, people say the population is good, but it's not a banner place for giant bucks. Then again, just think about how much of it is never hunted because it's too hard to get to, and let your imagination run wild. You know there has to be good bucks in there. I know of some people that have killed some good ones in there too.

[tboard24]

Thanks Kevin. Earlier today I got a chance to drive through the western edge of White Rock on my way back to Fayetteville from Alma. I went in around Shepherd Springs and up to county road 38 (blacktop) and over to Winslow. It was a beautiful drive but a very rough one. It also brought many questions to mind, most of which I already had though...

So is basically any land without a fence part of the land we can hunt on? Since it seemed like all the openings and clearings I saw were private farm ground, it made it obvious I need a topo map. I found a website to order one (http://www.geology.ar.gov/topographicmaps/topo24000.htm) but it seems like the area per map is quite small and I wouldn't know which one or how many to order. Obviously I need to first narrow down where I am going to be hunting and then order that map, but I find it hard to do that as finding the draws and clearings I'd like to hunt would be achieved from looking at those maps. Any advice to sort out this confusion? Kevin, in your report you mentioned several well managed food plots. What kind of food plots are you referring to and where are these located?

Any help is greatly appreciated. BTW, from CO rd 38 to Winslow, I saw 14 deer, all on fenced open land though... 

[Kevin]

If it isn't posted, you should be able to hunt it. Ninety percent of the land in there is federally owned by the U.S. Forest Service.

You are right though, because you have to order those maps per area it would help you out to narrow down where you want to hunt. Not sure how much they are on that site you have, but you can get them for $6 here: http://www.geology.ar.gov/catalog/maps.htm

As far as the food plots, I'm not sure of their exact locations, but I know there are several plots scattered around within the wma. If I were you, I would just get hunkered down as far back as my legs would take me, find an area full of white oaks and sit for the day. They probably won't be hitting the food plots all that crazy this time of year, and you're more likely to run into human company near the foot plots anyway.

Maybe somebody that has hunted it more recently than I have can give you some more info?

[rrowley42]

Kevin,

I have been using GAIA GPS app for my iPhone.  It uses the maps from myTopo.com so you can go look at the maps to see if you like them, and there is a free trial version.  The good news is that you can download the sections that you want for offline use.  it is $8, which is high for an app but when you consider that it replaces an $300 topo GPS, or a bunch of paper maps at 8.00 each.  The price is great and there is no wait time to get the maps.  Hope this helps.

Rod

[Kevin]

Wow that is pretty awesome. Thanks for the input and welcome to the forum!

Here is the link for everyone: http://www.gaiagps.com/

[blindset61]

Tboard-I'm just going to advise you to keep on looking, those good spots are out there.  Always take a good compass and if possible a GPS with you when on your forays in the Ozark Mtns.  Study those maps, plan your trips, but don't go into those woods without the compass and gps.  I've hunted and worked all over this state's woodlands and been in some remote locations, it's pretty easy to get turned around.

Let someone know where your going when you go.  Keep a log of gps coordinates of your forays and you can enter and delete them as  you need.

Good luck.