The deer in this part of Virginia are not Boone and Crockett-class by any means, but there are plenty of animals around, as witness the fact that the state allows hunters to take a deer a day of either sex up to a maximum of three a year. You can take even more deer than that on private land by purchasing what are called Bonus Permits. Last year, the lodge accommodated roughly 40 bow, black powder and rifle hunters, most of whom took at least one deer. The Swoopes say about 35 percent of the animals killed last year were does. A lot of the remainder were forkhorns, with something like 20 percent being eight-pointers and larger. "We get a lot of hunters who simply shoot the first deer they see," said Ron Swoope. "The hunter who wants a larger deer and is willing to work for it has a decent chance at taking a good deer." Swoope says the largest deer he has seen taken in the area was a 17-pointer which he took himself.
As for accommodations, the lodge the Swoopes own is not fancy, but it is comfortable. It can accommodate only eight hunters at a time. Hunting fees are $350 for a three-day hunt and $700 for six days. They cover hunting, the lodge, meals,........(continued)
