Over on the western end of the GCP lies Pond Creek NWR, a Sevier County area that consists of 27,000 acres of rolling ridges and draws, some of them steep. A few years back, I listed this area as being a "sleeper" for big bucks, and thanks to Jerry Gennings taking his tremendous 172 5/8 typical bow kill (the state's No. 3 typical archery buck of all time) there last fall, it's not a sleeper anymore!

However, before you head that way, I'll interject a word of caution. Several years back, Scott Montgomery and I hunted Pond Creek, and being the superior deer hunters we are we didn't bother to do any advance scouting, other than what we could work in on the Friday afternoon after we arrived.

That next day, which happened to be overcast, I've never been closer to being lost in my life! Naturally, I didn't take my GPS unit, and if it hadn't been for one of those tiny pin-on compasses, I'd probably still be there! Pond Creek is truly land that all looks the same, so if you do decide to give it a shot, take the time to do some serious scouting . . . and don't forget your GPS!

Improved timber harvest practices seem to be having a positive effect on the deer herd, opening up new food areas, and the same could be said for the long-term effects of the major ice storm some years back. But the limited gun hunting is what helps Pond Creek the most. Muzzleloader season consists of three days in October; gun season is just a two-day youth hunt, followed by a three-day quota gun hunt. The "slot limit" antler restriction that has been used there (deer must have 4 points on one side/or less than 4 points total) also seems to have had a positive effect. Primary access to the area is by State Highway 71 between Lockesburg and Ashdown. The number to contact for information and to obtain permits is (870) 364-3167, which by the way is the same number for Felsenthal NWR.

When you consider the mountain ranges of the Natural State, the Ozarks and the Ouachitas, you think first of their beauty, along with the millions of acres of open public hunting available there. But since upland food sources are limited, because of the generally thinner and less nutritious soil, and since genetics, even though on the upswing, are still below average, age has to be the primary variable when a big buck occurs here. The sheer size of the two regions dictate that there are remote pockets where deer live out their lives pretty much free of human intrusion, and if you hunt bigger bucks, you have to find those spots.

One method I use is to take topographic maps and aerial photos, then look for spots that are more than a mile from roads and even trails. Since ATV use has been pretty much banned in the Ozarks, and may well be headed that way in the Ouachitas, that may become easier in the future. If you can locate remote spots, they may well be an old buck's sanctuary. If the cover there is thick, and a stable food source nearby, he may just stay there. One place I always look is within the designated wilderness areas, which prohibit motorized travel, and are thus pretty much ignored by a vast majority of the hunting masses.

The high doe harvest of a few years back, which many believe almost wiped out the herd in some areas, still brought buck-to-doe ratios more into line than at any time in my memory. That is a good thing for buck hunters, since it creates more competition among the bucks for breeding rights.

Located east by southeast of Fort Smith, Fort Chaffee WMA is a staple for the area's bowhunting crowd. The sprawling 66,000-acre area differs from most in this part of the state in that it is relatively flat, consisting mostly of gently rolling hills covered with a variety of trees. Openings created by the military provide feeding locations, and more food plots are now being planted. Locals tell me that the resident deer have come to understand the various ins and outs of troop movements, and more than one hunter mentions that good bucks are often seen inside the impact areas, leaving when the firing starts and returning as soon as it is over. Since those spots are off-limits to hunters, it does make you wonder just how smart deer really are. Gun hunting is limited to a two-day muzzleloader hunt and a two-day modern gun hunt, with 650 permits for each day. Since this is a military base, myriad of special rules apply, including the purchase of a $15 bi-annual sportsmen's permit and attendance of an on-base orientation class. Call (877) 478-1043 from more information.