Hi:
For the last 20 years I have been stomping the woods of the Roanoke area looking for game. I have found turkeys and deer but no grouse or pheasants.
I went on a three road trip to Bristol and all of the backwoods areas that I could find in S.W. Virginia. The area contains a large number of defunct farms that have grown over with cover. I asked on this site if anybody hunts in that area and all replies came back negative. I would try that area as it looked too good not to hold upland birds.
One okd timer told me how great hunting in the GWNF was but he did not say when it wss good, past or present All of the hunters that I talked to about hunting upland game said the same thing. It used to be great but I don't even keep a dog anymore.
One person on this site said that their son hunted from Roanoke to Buchanan and did not see a bird.
I hope you do much better than I did but if you want deer and turkeys, you will be happy. Oh yes, forget about eating the fish from the local waters as the fish have excessive amounts of PPCBs in them for human consumptations.
Good luck,
Franchi
