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Bow Hunting Public Land

Headhunter said:
Not wanting to argue to fight, but I have read UT's comments for a while and he is just wanting to learn.

UT replied "Maybe next year...good info and letting me know the "reality" of what to expect.

To me the responses discouraged him from spending time on public land this year. Rich, to say Priest gets little pressure is unbelievable. I can find many (a hundred people no problem) who would differ with that thought. I would bet those deer are pressured almost as much as any deer in this state. One exception is hunting the meanest thickets I can find, most will not do that, but those deer are pressured plenty, from hunters to 4 wheeler to horse riders, to small game hunters and who knows what else.

The best way in the world to learn is to get in the woods. Maybe he messes up, maybe he ecucates some deer or whatever happens, maybe he kills a deer, several deer, or a state record? Who knows? I can guarantee you that if he does not get out and hunt, scout, or just spend time in the woods he will get absolutely nothing. I have learned from MANY mistakes I have made and I am still learning from my mistakes. I spend as much (or more) time hunting that most anyone (I generally spend some amount of time almost every day of any open deer season in Tennessee hunting) and to me being in the woods is the best education you can get.
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I agree with a lot of this. I really would like to post the reason I posted the way I did but only a few would understand. It isn't worth the confusion but a lot of good info has come from this thread.

The several times I have hunted percy priest I only have had a few hunters ever in the woods. Maybe we hunted different parts and it was when I first moved to TN. Maybe it has changed.
 
The online Topos are great. I was using the Sumner GIS site just last night to look at the Gallatin Steam Plant. So this is some good advice.
 
I went on a scouting trip behind my house last night. I only saw ~20 deer from my 4wheeler :D
 
I see where everybody is coming from. On the one hand if I show up unprepared and hunt my chances are not as good, but if I sit on the couch, I will have no chance. I don't have a 4 wheeler, so that limits my ability to get deep onto some public land.
 
UTGrad said:
I see where everybody is coming from. On the one hand if I show up unprepared and hunt my chances are not as good, but if I sit on the couch, I will have no chance. I don't have a 4 wheeler, so that limits my ability to get deep onto some public land.
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Most public land won't allow you to use a 4- wheeler. If you are serious about getting out there and doing this get a map and do it. Have you ever scouted any of the wma's like Yanahli? How serious are you about this?
 
My question is if you look at the maps, find your spot, then get there and a guy is up in a stand, what's next? Maybe I'll stick to the private land I hunt in Lebanon. Heck, I might get an opportunity to hunt some other property as well so maybe the Yanahli won't be necessary.
 
what's next??? acknowledge, apologize(quietly or by gesture), back off and go to spot 2. always have a back up spot. if it is bow season and the leaves are still on the trees, you can get 100 yds away and not see or interfer with that hunter.
Dude, you're talking about public land. you have just as much right there as he does. main thing is to be polite and respectful and hopefully that will be returned.
 
UTGrad, as long as you don't make a big fuss, most guys realize that having someone step on them is just part of the game on public land. Just nod wave and go your way, quietly as possible.

Now if you are hunting on certain areas always make sure that now more than two hunters are in the tree you selected. If more that two in that tree move on to a different tree. :grin:
 
No 4 wheelers allowed on Priest, but it sure does not stop most.
Use your legs and just hunt. For myself, the thicker the better. Most will not get in rough, tough places, but the deer will. A few years ago, on the Priest WMA the week of Christmas I killed 6 or 7 does with a shotgun and a muzzleloader out of one tree and passed hunters on the way in and out. I have hunted many days where I saw zero deer (I probably have hunts where I do not see any deer more ofter than not) , but it can be that way anywhere you hunt. It is amazing how many hunt a spot or an area just one time or a couple of times and do not see deer, so that is a bad spot. I may space it out or I may hunt hard many days in a row, but just because I do not see deer does not mean there are not any there. Just hunt.
 
I've had people climb a tree within shooting distance of me at AEDC. I've also heard of people climbing a tree beside another person just 2 tick them off.

Some people are sorry, main thing is keep walking til you don't see anyone.. Then stay in the woods until everybody else comes down for lunch.. The deer will start moving when the pressure is gone.
 
Shane - I was hunting AEDC on a draw hunt in 2003. I was in a tree and about 8AM a hunter came through still hunting. I whistled at him and he walked right under my tree just smiling at me. He hunted straight through in front of me in the direction I was facing.
 
JayMc said:
Shane - I was hunting AEDC on a draw hunt in 2003. I was in a tree and about 8AM a hunter came through still hunting. I whistled at him and he walked right under my tree just smiling at me. He hunted straight through in front of me in the direction I was facing.
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Now you see, that's just low down. He has every right to be there but that don't mean he should. Jay I wish he would've walked within whizzing distance. :grin:
 
I assure you there were no deer within a mile by the time I'd climbed down the tree. ;)
 

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