Well got drawn for Garner December archery deer. From what I understand they have nearly wiped out the Axis so not really worried about them. They say in the pamphlet that archery is by compartment. I was surprised by that, I figured because it was Garner they would just drop you in a pop-up with feeder like they do in Rifle. Any answers and advice would be appreciated, I am there just for meat. Deer / Axis, whatever. Anyone done the Archery hunt there?

I hunted the Exotic rifle hunt in 2021. Once the shooting starts, the axis vacate the hunting areas for 1-2 months but will come back. When I was there only three axis deer were seen. Those three got shot. Nobody else saw any deer at all.The archery hunts are the best hunts since the axis have not yet been pressured. There definitely are fewer axis around Garner than years back. A good attractant feed for the axis out there are "frito" corn chips. Good Luck.

My son hunted there two years ago for a youth gun hunt. He shot an axis and a white tail spike. I figure they will have feeders up for the other hunts so I'd find the map of those and hunt near one. We hunted stand 6 and his buddy hunted stand 7. Both killed WT and axis. These are on the old side of the park. Lots of places to set up for archery there.

Congrats and good luck.

Whenever we visit there in the summer I always see the axis in between the ranger station where you come to a T in the road.

Thanks for the responses. I figure for archery they may allow places that they don't during the gun hunts. I could be wrong, but I know nothing about it. I had 13 preference points in the category so this is my first archery draw.

I gun hunted it ten or so years ago before they brought in the real professionals that thinned them out.

Even then, it mattered which blind you drew. Some blinds were awful, three days of seeing birds. The guys that had the blinds stuffed into the thick cedar were pretty much all skunked.
Other blinds you’d be covered up in axis. Seemed to be the blinds that had more open areas by the campgrounds.

I shot five axis in one evening. Ten years back, the main herd was up by the entrance. Like I shot five but saw fifty-seventy five in one herd in the big field by the entrance. Per google earth and my hazy memory, the blind I was in was near the persimmon hill camp area.

If they give you compartments, that really opens your options up. Even with the axis numbers being down, they are still there. I’d give up my preference points to have the tag you got. Enjoy it. Hope you post up a semi live hunt.

Congratulations on the draw. I would call the number on hunt brochure and ask them what they mean by compartment before the hunt. I would bring a pop up blind for sure.

I hunted Garner state park 20 plus years ago and got an axis a couple of white tail does. Been applying again ever since and have never had any luck.

Good luck!