Deer hunting in a national wildlife refuge swamp is not quite like hunting anywhere else. Generally speaking, deer hunters are universally advised to scout and then hunt well off the beaten pathway used by the majority of other hunters.
This is especially true for public lands that typically see a lot more hunter traffic, which can often create considerable pressure on the wildlife resources.
However, getting off the beaten path on a national wildlife refuge the likes of Yazoo NWR is more of a challenge than the average deer hunter is willing to take on. And therein lies the precise reasoning behind why Randy Pearcy chooses to hunt public lands like Yazoo and Hillside.
“Hunting Yazoo, Hillside or any number of other national refuges in Mississippi requires not only some special equipment, but some special talents, a lot of personal desire and a great deal of commitment to the whole effort,” he said.
Deer activity is rarely thwarted by water unless it is in the form of something like a short-term catastrophic flood. Extremely high water may drive deer off or away from a property for a while, but as soon as the flood recedes, the whitetails file right back in.
This is often the reality of a public hunting area like Yazoo or Hillside.
“Deer hunting on a property that is basically total wetlands is certainly a unique challenge,” Pearcy said. “Dealing with knee-deep standing water on top of boot-sucking mud is a lot more trouble than most hunters want to deal with. For me, that is a good thing because it means fewer hunters venturing into the areas I scout and identify as good places to hunt.
“Then there is the ‘getting to the tree stand spot’ part that can absolutely overtax the average deer hunter. I have to carry a boat on top of my truck along with all my other bowhunting gear. I unload the boat and drag it to a canal and then tote all the gear to the boat to secure it — bow, portable stand, arrows, gear bag, chest waders and whatever else.
“I paddle the loaded boat to the area I hunt sometimes in horrible weather, and then the gear goes on my back. I may hike up to 300 yards in water and mud. It’s tough, but I don’t expect to run into anybody else along the way. I usually hunt all day, then repeat the return trip in the dark.”
Editor’s Note: This story appears as part of a feature in Mississippi Sportsman’s October issue. To ensure you don’t miss any information-packed issues, click here to have each magazine delivered right to your mail box.
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