Catoosa WMA Archery Hunt

[bigfoot318]

Does anyone plan on bow hunting Catoosa WMA this year? I live in Crossville and have not been on Catoosa in over 20 years. I hear the bucks are getting pretty big.

One of the reasons I have not been out there is because the place is 80,000+ acres and really don't know where to start scouting. I have heard everyone say you got to get away from all the hunters but I think that probably only applies when the gun hunt is going on.

Thanks,
Bigfoot318

 

[bobthebowhunter]

Catoosa has great deer and great places to hunt them. I went out there once on that open archery hunt. My strategy was to head in about 11ish about the time every else was coming out. I did so and sat the rest of the day. Didn't see anything and when I came out I had 2 trucks within 50 yds of mine and I thought I had gotten in pretty deep. To me the hunt has too many things going against the hunter.

-crowded
-still pretty warm and early for big buck movement
-for me lack of scouting ability

and so on. I won't be returning for that hunt. Getting drawn for a gun hunt is a different story.

 

[oldmanelrod]

No matter what part you hunt stay close to the transition areas between bedding areas and where the acorns are dropping. If you can find one of these areas that is free of other hunters you just may catch a deer coming or going to feed.You may also want to enter the area after eight-that way you can see just if there are other hunters to contend with.