South Cherokee Harvest Data

[ElDuderino]

I've been looking through harvest data, looks like there were 185 bucks and only 7 does harvested for this past season out of South Cherokee.

I have never hunted South Cherokee, but why is that data so skewed towards bucks? Am I missing something?

 

[th88]

Very limited antlerless opportunity. Only can kill does during youth and archery. See regs below:

 

[ElDuderino]

Very limited antlerless opportunity. Only can kill does during youth and archery. See regs below:

Oh. LOL. That would explain it . Thanks

 

[Buzzard Breath]

Here's some wild numbers for you. South Cherokee WMA is 300,000 acres. That's 1 doe killed for every 43,000 acres and 1 buck for every 1,600 acres.

 

[TheLBLman]

Here's some wild numbers for you.

I'd also say the South Cherokee is the most lightly hunted public land (hunters per acre) of any in Tennessee?

It's actually "less hunted" than most private property in TN.

Not to say the deer density isn't relatively low, but so is the hunter density.
It's a unique opportunity, and a unique hunting experience, as this is as close as it gets to a true "wilderness" hunt in TN.

Take a look at the hunter "harvested" buck age structure.
I believe it is also the highest of any WMA in TN?

 

[Buzzard Breath]

I'd also say the South Cherokee is the most lightly hunted public land (hunters per acre) of any in Tennessee?

It's actually "less hunted" than most private property in TN.

Not to say the deer density isn't relatively low, but so is the hunter density.
It's a unique opportunity, and a unique hunting experience, as this is as close as it gets to a true "wilderness" hunt in TN.

Take a look at the hunter "harvested" buck age structure.
I believe it is also the highest of any WMA in TN?

Definitely. I've spent a ton of time hunting those mountains. Outside of the various trailheads and accesses, it is rare to run into another hunter. It's also possible to not see even a single deer for an entire season. But.... when you do, you'd better be ready. There's a good chance it'll be nice.

Poser used to have some great write-ups about his backcountry hunts there, but they all were wiped out when he got canned.

 

[Cherokee]

Ditto on comments above. I love hunting those mountains but you have to just love the woods and the solitude. Very rate to actually harvest.

 

[Rabbitkil]

I'd also say the South Cherokee is the most lightly hunted public land (hunters per acre) of any in Tennessee?

It's actually "less hunted" than most private property in TN.

Not to say the deer density isn't relatively low, but so is the hunter density.
It's a unique opportunity, and a unique hunting experience, as this is as close as it gets to a true "wilderness" hunt in TN.

Take a look at the hunter "harvested" buck age structure.
I believe it is also the highest of any WMA in TN?

More hog and bear hunters than anything else on south Cherokee

 

[younggun308]

It gets decent traffic during turkey season, too.

 

[TheLBLman]

It gets decent traffic during turkey season, too.

Yes, but mostly googans who don't kill anything

 

[reloadxx]

I hunted south Cherokee all season at most I only seen the same 8 trucks on the mountain I sent see where the 185bucks came from

 

[younggun308]

Yes, but mostly googans who don't kill anything

I confess I probably have yet to graduate from googan-ism, myself. I've only killed birds on private. Still waiting to punch a tag on public.

 

[Willysman]

I've been looking through harvest data, looks like there were 185 bucks and only 7 does harvested for this past season out of South Cherokee.

I have never hunted South Cherokee, but why is that data so skewed towards bucks? Am I missing something?

Well I hunt South Cherokee all the time. I can assure you that there was not 185 bucks killed in the South Cherokee. The deer numbers are very low and hunter participation is also low. South Cherokee used to be a bonus buck until they added it to the statewide limit two or three years ago. Some people don't know or don't care and they are still checking out deer killed elsewhere and checking them out as killed on the South Cherokee and getting by with it. I doubt if there were 185 hunters hunted SC the entire season. Hunting the mountains is tough and not many people doing it now. It is a unique experience and I love the mountains.

 

[JW01]

The harvest data in south Cherokee has been jacked up for years. Especially when it was bonus bucks.

 

[fatboy at heart]

Hard hunting for sure. But I love them big woods and solitude. Sad part is I am getting too old for the mountains

 

[CATCHDAWG]

I doubt if there were 185 hunters hunted SC the entire season.

Go ride around Chillhowee mountain in Polk and on the bear reserve south of the Ocoee. It gets hunted pretty hard but very few venture more than a mile from the road.

 

[jaybird62]

If you had to pack one out 4 miles, you wouldn't shoot a doe or yearling buck, either.

 

[reloadxx]

The thing is SC ope s before state wide and people

If you had to pack one out 4 miles, you wouldn't shoot a doe or yearling buck, either.

You got that right them mountains are not easy on someone

 

[Polarkraft]

Poser used to have some great write-ups about his backcountry hunts there, but they all were wiped out when he got canned.

Miss seeing his stuff, didn't know he got canned. What happened there?

 

[Chickencoop96]

I Know one thing about hunting critters in those mountains.. i had a trail camera over some rubs and a scrape for a couple of months and literally only had one buck and a turkey show up...both only once and never got another pic LOL