Cherokee Run Hunting Lodge

Submitted by: Warren W

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Review Submitted: Feb 21, 2016

Hunt Date: Jan 27, 2016

Species Hunted:

Days Hunted: 3

Hunt Type: Semi-Guided

Primary Terrain:

Method: Rifle

Price Range: 500-999

Go somewhere else.

Go somewhere else. Lodge was nice. Stands were in good shape. Feeders were in poor shape and very little feed if any. Outfitter ignored wind directions and placed us in stands with the worst possible winds blowing right to the feeders. No game sighted by any of the 8 hunters in camp for the 3 days. No attention to details. I should have paid more attention to the other poor reviews.

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Submitted by: Bill Smith

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Review Submitted: Feb 11, 2016

Hunt Date: Jan 28, 2016

Species Hunted: Wild Boar

Days Hunted: 2

Hunt Type: Semi-Guided

Primary Terrain: Wetlands

Method: Rifle

Price Range: 0-499

a great time!

I was down with my 10 year old son Jacob, my son was not shooting just enjoying the stand with me. I arrived the first evening as the hunters were coming in from the field. I was advised that the animal activity was minimal and no harvest were made. Tom introduced himself to me and my son and made us feel welcome. My son is shy and I felt him become at ease around tom and the lodge. I met some great guys there, aj, and some others. Aj and I hit it off like brothers and will be hunting again together!! Ok, this was not my first rodeo, I have spent probably 10000 dollars with 10 different outfitters over the years, I have killed game at several, but honestly most were fenced properties. toms operations is a free range hunt ,with no promises’ I know hogs as I have hunted them avidly for years, full moons arrive and they are going to do their business at night and windy days they are going to ride the wind, they rely heavy on their ears and nose. We hunted some beautiful stands, corned feeders and roads, good hogs sign all in the roads, on our last morning, we heard hogs in the water and unfortunately, though we had a hog working in and a stray dog came through the swamp and busted him deeper back. Tom, told us when we arrived the activity was slow but he would put us on stands where there had been hog activity. He did just that. I saw several huge Turkey gobblers and deer. The cabin was comfortable, had a small heat problem with the furnace. But I made good friends, my son was treated nice, I slept well and I went on a hog hunt like I paid to do. Is it a guaranteed hunt, no. if you want a guarantee, hunt a fenced property. Want a good solid clear-cut’s, timbers and, swamp free range hunt with a possible chance to kill a good one. Tom will get my business again; he did not shoot us full of bull as I have had some do!! Looking forward to a gobbler hunt in the near future!!

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Submitted by: Anthony Jones

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Review Submitted: Feb 11, 2016

Hunt Date: Jan 28, 2016

Species Hunted: Wild Boar

Days Hunted: 3

Hunt Type: Semi-Guided

Primary Terrain: Wetlands

Method: Rifle

Price Range: 500-999

Had a blast at Cherokee run

Just got back a couple weeks ago from a hog hunt at Cherokee run..I had a blast met a lot of really good people that I hope to be able to stay in touch with. I've never been to an outfitter and so tom was my first experience with one. The lodge was really nice, wish he had a photo album of the harvests and that the heater would stay fixed but over all I'd give the lodge a 4 star rating..the hunt was a success in my mind. And success means different to everybody..my first day on stand just about 30 mins before dark I heard what sounded to me was 2 hogs fighting at the stand to my right which was about 150-250 yards away never could get em to come in. I also heard to my left out in the swamp some more hogs but they continued on in that direction. The next day I sat in the perfect setup ladder stand #10 which was the stand to the left of where I was the previous day..bout 30 minutes to dark the hogs start workin the way to the feeder just as it's barely any sight at all they stop just inside the pine thicket an wouldn't come to the feeder I believe they stopped cause of a pack of coyotes that sounded as if they were in my lap. The third day I sat in a stand that I thought would be a perfect morning ambush catchin the hogs coming from the field that was behind me and working their way to their bedding area. I used a sow grunt call that evening heard 1 reply and that was it never did see the hog..overall I give the hunt a 4. I didn't kill a single hog but I heard a bunch I enjoyed being in Gods great outdoors and I will be going back to do another hog hunt but a night one instead..they just had a full moon and the hogs were not moving during the day I think that is why they did not come in till dark..I give tom and his guide Wayne a 5 rating they were awesome men to talk to both God fearing Christian men and I can't wait to hunt with them again..a guy that I met there is going back with me to hunt there so maybe this time we will put some bacon on the table..if your looking for a deer hunting or turkey hunting outfitter this would be a good place..saw more deer and turkeys then I ever could imagine

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Submitted by: Thomas Tyls

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Review Submitted: Feb 11, 2016

Hunt Date: Jan 27, 2016

Species Hunted: Wild Boar

Days Hunted: 3

Hunt Type: Semi-Guided

Primary Terrain: Wetlands

Method: Rifle

Price Range: 500-999

Pig Hunting

My buddy and I Hunted Cherokee Run for feral pigs and were disappointed in the quality of the hunt. The outfitter and guide were personable.The lodge was comfortable for up to 6.(with laundry facilities). Stands in V/G condition. Sites were not sufficiently baited, with feeders running without corn being spread. Pigs are generally nocturnal but bait sites were not close to swamp or heavy cover but in a field with grass 2 feet high only open at bait. All hunting was done with the wind blowing from the hunter to bait site. Out of 3 hunters/3days,2/2 days no pigs were seen by any of the 5 hunters. Two days on stand 12-6:15. 1200 acre swamp is over an hour away. Only one rooting spot seen in 3 days. At one stand site a doe stared intently at my stand location as it fed oblivious to the bait site. Outfitter could not give us a YTD harvest number (only 1 in a month)

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Submitted by: Harry Swallow

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Review Submitted: Jan 4, 2016

Hunt Date: Dec 4, 2015

Species Hunted: Wild Boar, Whitetail Deer

Days Hunted: 2

Hunt Type: Semi-Guided

Primary Terrain: Farmland

Method: Rifle

Price Range: 500-999

Very Disappointed

Three friends and I booked a combination hog/deer hunt in early December 2015. We arrived at the lodge on a Thursday evening, and found it to be very clean and comfortable. There are 2 bunk rooms, 2 bathrooms, a kitchen, dining area, TV room, and game room. Unfortunately, the lodge was the highlight of the trip. There were 4 other hunters in camp, both father/son pairs. Tom gave us an introductory talk that evening, and we found that in the morning, we were going to be hunting a parcel of property an hour and fifteen minutes away (Yes, an hour and fifteen minute drive from the lodge). We were assured that this parcel provided the best hog hunting, which was our priority. When asked about hunter success rates, Tom was evasive, stating that the "majority" of hunters were provided an "opportunity". Not sure what that means, but it raised a red flag with me. I was placed on a stand with an active corn feeder 100 yards away, and there were fresh tracks on the trail leading to the stand, and around the feeder. However, the feeder was about 600 yards from I-95. From the stand, I could see and hear the interstate traffic whizzing by about 5 degrees above my shooting line. No hunters spotted any game that morning. For the afternoon hunt, our party of 4 were placed in stands around the perimeter of a pasture that supposedly had lots of hog activity. The stands overlooked a swampy creek bottom, that looked good. The drawback was that directly across the creek, on the opposite hillside, was an active dirt bike course. There was a corn feeder 50 yards in front of my stand. About 150 yards beyond the feeder, I was treated to the sights and sounds of dirt bikes whizzing by until dusk. When there was a lull in the bike activity, I could clearly hear the riders loudly discussing the virtues of their respective bikes. We were warned ahead of time about the motorcycle track, and assured that the activity wouldn't bother the deer or hogs. I've hunted deer near suburban areas, and know they get acclimated to human activity, but is it reasonable to place a hunter within 200 yards of a very active dirt bike track, and expect them to see game? I don't think so. No game was spotted that evening by our group, and the other hunters in camp saw no game, either. I would have complained to Tom, but he was gone for the weekend. Our "guide" informed us that we would be hunting the same stands the next evening. When we asked about the morning hunt, he handed us a hand drawn map, and asked "Where do you want to hunt?". I was so disgusted, I left the next morning. Those hunters that stayed saw no game the next day, either. I know that there are no guarantees in hunting "free range" animals, but this experience was extremely disappointing. After leaving Cherokee Creek, I drove 3 hours to my hunting club in North Carolina. I didn't see any game that day, but at least I didn't have to worry about my shooting lines putting travelers on I-95 in danger, or listen to high pitched dirt bikes the entire time I was in my stand. Needless to say, I won't be going back to Cherokee Run.

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Submitted by: Dana Piasecki

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Review Submitted: Nov 16, 2012

Hunt Date: Oct 12, 2012

Species Hunted: Whitetail Deer, Wild Boar

Days Hunted: 2

Hunt Type: Guided

Primary Terrain: Foothills

Method: Rifle

Price Range: 1000-1999

SUPERB EXPERIENCE

Cherokee Run is an outstanding hunting outfit. I've hunted northeast, mid-atlantic and west/mid-west, for just about everything from bear to elk. This experience was the best of all of them. The owner, Tom Naumann, is a truly solid guy - truly the kindest and most honest outfitter I've ever hunted with - and knows his deer and boar population like the back of his hand. Feeders, stands and terrain were all top notch, and the game population has been exceptionally well managed. Multiple close range (50 yards or less) trophy opportunities in a single sitting. You will not be disappointed by this tremendous operation.

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Submitted by: John Latz

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Review Submitted: Sep 4, 2012

Hunt Date: Sep 1, 2012

Species Hunted: Whitetail Deer, Wild Boar

Days Hunted: 3

Hunt Type: Guided

Primary Terrain: Farmland

Method: Rifle

Price Range: 500-999

A Family Tradition Continues

Thanks to Tom Naumann and Cherokee Run Hunting Lodge in Chesterfield, SC!!!! This was our fourth trip down in the last two years. We've previously been for hog and whitetail. Tom always scouts well, sets stands in high probability areas where there's LOTS of sign, and is a gentle, knowledgable hunter. This time around we went for an early season hunt and my 15yo son harvested his first deer on this trip - a bruiser we've nicknamed Buckzilla! Huge bodied, over 200lbs, mature 10 point buck. Tom helped teach him to skin and cape (you know teenage boys don't listen to their dads like they should - lol) and carried him through all aspects of the post-harvest procedures. Mr. Naumann provides comfortable accomodations with all the basic amenities of home - there's a great tv room with comfortable couches, an abundance of good reading and satellite tv, adorned by harvested creatures ranging from whitetail to boar to bass. It's a relaxed environment where Mr. Naumann doesn't baby you by carrying you directly to the stand (thereby disrupting potential activity in the area). He and his team do their scouting ahead of your arrival and let the area settle down before placing you into your spot. I've always said, carrying my three sons and, at times, three generations of male hunters from our family, that it's all about the fellowship, not necessarily the harvest, but check out this bruiser we harvested this weekend. Talk about an incredible first deer! It's all fair chase; you're not gonna find a deer staked to the ground in front of your blind. Tom has several leased properties under his wing and rotates them to assure there's never excessive pressure on any one property. This is true hunting, not "killing", as my father-in-law says. It's everything good about hunting and tradition in families.

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Submitted by: Bob Cralle

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Review Submitted: Mar 12, 2012

Hunt Date: Mar 8, 2012

Species Hunted: Wild Boar

Days Hunted: 3

Hunt Type: Guided

Primary Terrain: Any

Method: Rifle

Price Range: 500-999

Hog Hunt

Great lodging, neat and clean. Saw lots of sign of activity. Stands are located in good areas with a good view of travel paths. Staff was very helpful and polite and took the time to give clear instructions on where we would be hunting what to look for and what gear we would need for the day. It was truely hunting which was what I was looking for, no fenced in areas, just you and the great outdoors. I'm going back again. I got a nice 170 lb. Boar Hog for my freezer too!

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Submitted by: Bob Gallicchio

Review Submitted: Aug 15, 2011

Hunt Date: Feb 3, 2011

Species Hunted: Wild Boar

Days Hunted: 2

Hunt Type: Semi-Guided

Primary Terrain: Farmland

Method: Rifle

Price Range: Any

Boar Hunt

My son and I were invited on a hunt at Cherokee Run by my brother-in-law. It was my son's first hunt. He was 11 at the time of the hunt. The first day in the stand we heard several hogs, but unfortunately, they stayed in the brush. We did see four large doe. The following day a nice sow was harvested from this stand. We were in another stand on the second day. We saw signs of a lot of activity, but no hogs. We did see 15-20 turkeys and my brother-in-law and his son saw 25-30 turkeys. The wildlife is there and Tom must have done a lot of upgrading over the past few years. After reading some of these negative reviews, I almost believe we are talking about a different outfitter. The accommodations are more than adequate and Tom has things for hunters to do while in camp. The stands and blinds are well maintained and well baited. We are returning to Cherokee Run in mid November for a whitetail hunt. I would certainly recommend Cherokee Run, especially for hunters with kids.

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Submitted by: Steve Baird

Review Submitted: May 22, 2011

Hunt Date: May 21, 2011

Species Hunted: Wild Boar

Days Hunted: 1

Hunt Type: Guided

Primary Terrain: Farmland

Method: Bow

Price Range: 0-499

Iron Sharpens Iron

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note: The following reviews predate the numeric rating system and are not included in this outfitter's overall rating.

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