As is typical for the Ouachitas, Chinquapin is actually a series of steep mountains. These higher "peaks" are divided by deep draws along the bottoms of which often flow streams such as Narrow Creek and Trace Creek. It's beautiful country, rough and rugged. The walk-in area abuts the Flatside Wilderness on the western edge, so any hunter fit enough to brave the terrain can range across literally thousands of acres without being bothered by any other hunters to speak of.

Along the sides of the steeper elevations, such as Chinquapin and Wildcat mountains, lie numerous benches. Over the years I've occasionally heard deer referred to as lazy, but they're really logical, exploiting these flatter avenues -- especially those located along the mid-sides of the mountain -- as travel routes. Why? The deer have learned that their human predators generally confine their movements to the tops and bottoms of hillsides. If you can find a particular bench featuring stands of white oaks dropping mast, you may have located a deer magnet.

DAVE DONALDSON/BLACK RIVER WMA
I mention this one occasionally in my other articles, but I still consider it somewhat out of the way in a region virtually free of "public" land. In Clay, Randolph and Greene counties, inside Arkansas Deer Zone 4, this 21,150-acre area is mostly bottomland that's punctuated by hardwood flats cut by numerous sloughs. To access it, take state Route 62/67 northeast from Pocahontas toward Corning; then, turn off onto any of the various access roads leading to the WMA itself.

The high desirability of this spot, at least from a big-buck perspective, has everything to do with its being practically surrounded by cropland. Thus, even late in the winter, the deer here have a prime food source readily available to them.

I include Dave Donaldson/Black River in an off-the-beaten-path article because many spots within its interior are cut off by water during the late season. Like much of this part of the state, the area lies within a floodplain. If rains up north are heavy, the entire WMA may be under water at various times.

In normal years, about 7,000 acres of Black River are flooded in October to attract and hold ducks. Though the pressure on surrounding areas isn't what you'd call heavy, the flooding creates a safety zone for deer during hunting seasons. Take along waders and/or a small boat and ease back into these unhunted spots within the interior for deep-swamp hunting at its best. Always keep safety in mind, since water and cold are a potentially hazardous combination.

Here in Arkansas, we're truly blessed, as hundreds of spots just like those I've mentioned here will be found in the state -- and most of them hold deer.

When looking for promising hunting spots, topographical maps and aerial photos can save a lot of legwork, and both are aids that can give you a feel for the terrain before you leave the truck. As you scout, look for things that will influence deer movement at this time of year, such as an especially heavily producing oak grove, a thick bedding area or deep draws that funnel deer movement.

Too, the difference between success and failure deep in winter may well lie in your mental outlook. If you view hunting at this time of year as wasted effort, your hunting will reflect that; if you view it as a chance to be in the woods when both the bugs and other hunters are far fewer, that's a step in the right direction. But if -- for all the reasons that we've mentioned in this article -- you view it as one of the best times of the entire year, you've made the transition to being the complete deer hunter.

Good hunting!