Camping is not allowed at the area. Additional information, including possible nearby camping areas, can be obtained by calling the Region 6 office in Opelousas at (337) 948-0255.

FORT POLK WMA
Owned by the U.S. Army, this is one of the more interesting public sites for the deer hunter. Actually a military reservation, it's 10 miles southeast of Leesville in Vernon Parish just east of U.S. Highway 171, a mile south of state Highway 28 and a mile north of state Highway 10.

The area contains many all-weather roads that make the entire area accessible for hunting. The terrain consists primarily of rolling hills interspersed with flats. Several fairly large stream bottoms and numerous small creeks are present. In roughly 70 percent of the area, longleaf pines are dominant.

Approximately 110 acres are planted each year in wildlife foods such as browntop millet, sunflower, sorghum, cowpeas and winter wheat -- excellent attractants for deer and other species of wildlife.

Camping is not permitted at Fort Polk, but camping areas are available at nearby U.S. Forest Service lands. A free special use-permit from the Army is required, as is daily check-in. For more information, contact the Region 5 LDWF office in Lake Charles at (337) 491-2575.

You've learned the whereabouts of several areas prime for taking a bragging-grade buck straight from the horse's mouth, so now's the time to make plans to visit one of these topnotch areas in the latter part of this deer season.

Much of the southern portion of the state was devastated by hurricanes last year, but as of this writing, no other similarly fierce storm has marred 2006. The areas highlighted by Durham were generally spared the ravages of Katrina and Rita, so hunters should find the woods intact and ready for exploration and scouting.

As they would with any public hunting lands likely to see substantial hunting pressure once deer season arrives, hunters will do well to plan to hunt the interior of these areas for the best chance to waylay a buck.

The majority of hunters will take the easy way out, walking in only a few hundred yards before hanging stands. Successful hunters like Rayville's Eric Broadway follow deer trails into the heart of such public areas.

"I'll hang my stand far away from other hunters," he offered, "because I know the deer try to get as far away from hunting pressure as they can. This means I'll put in the miles on foot until I find the core area and funnels deep in the management areas where deer are more likely to come through. I don't worry about other hunters; I let them push the deer my direction when they leave the woods around 9 a.m. or so."

Looking for a change of pace this hunting season? Well, get your venison in the freezer early on, and then spend the rest of the time visiting one or more of these promising areas that are widely celebrated for producing top-quality bucks. Expect to burn up some boot leather getting into the heart of the area, and plan on staying for the whole day. Your chances at having your buck of a lifetime walk out by your stand will improve significantly if you do.