Sleepy creek wma
West Virginia
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Just spend a few hours walking over 3 miles across the dam at sleepy creek wma.. not a single scrape or rub found. Camp sites have not been mowed since before labor day and roads are horrible. There is one pot hole that is 6' across and a good foot deep. Really bummed at how it has deteriorated up there over the last couple years. Still going up next week for a few days of camping and bow hunting.
Maybe it will keep a few people out for you? I will pass info along.
Did see 4 other vehicles while we were there, 3 with VA tags and and 1 from. MD. Must be that grass is greener syndrome.
Not sure what happened. They fixed the road a few years ago and had a manager out there that was making a difference and it was getting nicer up there, but the last couple years it seems to be going down hill. Shot gun range was a mess. I do not know if there is a different manager, or budget cuts and there is no one out there. They did do a bunch of logging and clear cutting last year. I assume to improve the habitat. We have camped and hunted there for the last 18 years. Hate to see it going down hill.
I was talking to the new guy getting ready to take over there just the other week. There is still some work being done there - working on several areas to improve the turkey habitat. So my guess is once they are finished with it and get the heavy equipment out of there maybe they will address the road then.
I have hunted down around the lake a good bit in my younger years - I actually found a few better places when accessing from on top of either mountain. You can access the East side off of Mountain Lake Road out by The Woods Resort or the West side by turning off of Rt 9 before Berkeley Springs on to Virginia Line Road.
He actually said the access off of the Va Line road is in good shape - the work up in that area was completed. I forget who on this forum last year that I suggested to go into that area - but if I remember they saw quite a bit of game. There is a previous post about it from just about this time last year.
If you access from the East side - instead of driving all the way down to the Lake - take the first trail to the right after you go past the sharp turn (overlook) above the ranger's station - that will take you out to Pinkerton's Knob (highest point in Berkeley County). Just past the turn off to go back to Pinkerton's Knob - where you get to the point where if you go straight you go down to the lake or if you go to the left you go out to the gun range. There is a field right there that they use to let you camp in.
Use to do a lot of my hunting in both of those places - killed a lot of deer up there. Now I agree with gobbler and enjoy using the tractor or 4 wheeler to get my deer back home!
I used to love to hunt there.
I've only been there once and that was to bass fish and that was decades ago. IDK for sure how long ago the lake was built. I remember the bass fishing was great. There was a huge amount of dead standing timber in the lake . That has been so long ago I don't know if all that standing timber is still even there?
A lot of old trees still in lake - plus a lot of lily pads.some would say too many ... LOL
I am like JR though use to live to hunt there, but I have grown lazy and like the ease of using my tractor or 4wheeler to haul deer back home now instead of a lengthy drag! LOL
Thanks JayD. So it sounds like they are in a transition of managers. Good to know. We have camped and hunted up there for the last 18 years. We use to hunt rifle out by the fire tower(per Wee point). Then for a couple years, we went out the west ridge a couple miles and camped there. We tried a few times at Piney point and would canoe across the lake at the south end. We decided to try down at the north end last year and now that we are all getting older and are now a group of retired military friends taking the campers and really just enjoying the time as a reunion. It is more about the hunt than the harvest. Just gonna be a little slower getting the camper down to the dam.
When i was in college I had an old jeep that I took all over that area. I knew every road in there. I took a lot of deer from there. The drive in the jeep to get where we were going was as much fun as the hunt. I wouldn't mind hunting it some again if they had Sunday hunting in Berkeley county. Bowhunting is great there. Rifle season used to take a pounding but you can have it to urself if you get off the road bowhunting. In those areas I just cut the deer up and put in in my pack like elk hunting.
It took almost an hour to get from the managers house down to the Dam. Slow going with camper. Some new damage in the area from stupid people. Someone drug a post and boulder out, so they could drive down into the overflow and do doughnuts. They are driving around the barrier to get out and drive up the powerlines. It really posses me off that people go there and tear the place up.
JayD- We had thought about camping at that upper field, but that is where they are doing all that clear cutting for grouse habitat and was pretty busy. Going to do some scouting around the other end of the lake for next year. Maybe camp at upper and then hunt at the headwaters Found a ground blind, looks like someone got mad and slashed it up with a knife and then it was just left behind.
sounds like it has turned into a playground for good ole boys to go 4 wheeling
Man that is so sad about the damage! I would love to catch someone doing that! Well good luck - it is a good place to hunt and fish! Can have some fun riding your mountain bike there too - the one you pedal that is! LOL
wonder how it would be going off the beaten path like we used to do back in the 70"s?
We gave the Dam a try for two seasons now. We have gone back the West ridge for miles and camped and hunted there for a few years. Just getting too old to sleep in the back of the truck when it is that cold anymore, not to mention having to walk up and down that ridge. We have done out to PeeWee point. We even canoe'd across the lake in the dark years ago (I do not recommend that ). Always see a few. Our group of 4 have taken a few. It is more about getting together and camping.
Better be careful, you might end up like me, fat and having to use a ranger. LOL
Ur right it's about getting together.,