Anyone have any recent experience hunting on WMAs?

I'm considering Phelps or Thompson this season (if I don't make it in the Fairfax Urban Archery Lottery.)

From what I've read: weekends should be avoided, scouting pre-season is smart, and the more remote you go - the better.

Thanks in advance for any info. And if there are other (hunting/archery specific) forums that I should check out - let me know.

-ProtectThisHouse_VA

I tried hunting a WMA one time just to try something different. My advice would be to avoid them if at all possible. If you must hunt on one then get there early and get as far from the road as possible. This helps you in two ways, when the others arrive they will push game to you and you stand a lesser chance of being shot. If I didn't have a pile of private land to hunt where I am the only one there, I believe I'd give up hunting before hunting on public lands again.

Seconded.

Wear lots of orange, get a good sheltered position.

Scout a few times, before the season and during. There is a decent amount of dog hunting in Phelps - if you can figure out what routes they run, they'll push deer right into you.

And yeah, be prepared to hike.