Been hunting forestry land and no cropland anywhere near, does have some grass with cows along the border but not much. Been hunting some ridges but not much movement, also creek beds only seen 1 doe, harvest it. Trying to locate some thick cover and hunt the edge but not going well with that plan. Any input
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Hunting big woods
- Thread starter earlytime
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An Ariel view?
Dude... you have chosen to hunt the hardest critter in the woods. A whitetail in the ridges and hollers of Tennessee. The only thing tougher is SE Tennessee.
ACORNS aND TERRAIN FEATURES. I LOOK FOR ROOT BALLS AND too features like bluffs.
ACORNS aND TERRAIN FEATURES. I LOOK FOR ROOT BALLS AND too features like bluffs.
garnermtn
Well-Known Member
I hunt the mountains of Franklin County and can tell you there is nothing harder to pattern or hunt
![20211224_201238[1].jpg](http://data.www.tndeer.com/attachments/86/86133-7a4052c95245ba0cc6ca5cfe2427d880.jpg?hash=ekBSyVJFug)
Hunt the oaks, benches, or the best trails that you can find. Also see what green food is around and if it is feasible to catch them on their way during the later season. If I'm in there after it rains take note of which trails have been freshly traveled and that is a good sign that those trails are frequently used.
I don't hunt big woods in TN but grew up hunting in WV big woods. It definitely is a different type of hunting.
The most success I had over those growing up years was hunting primarily the heads of hollows where you can see both sides that lead to the face of the ridge or mountain. Most of the deer I seen and killed would run the trails just below the top of the peak at the head of the hollow from side to side (ridge to ridge) I very seldom seen deer walking the ridge lines for many distances. I always heard people say that some years the deer where low and sometimes high…that may be true but I only hunted high away from others hoping they would push deer up the mountains and also tended to believe that some always stayed high as well.
The only other luck I had was hunting saddles vs. hollow heads but didn't do that as often. A saddle for me was a low spot on a ridge line that connected to mountains or elevated terrains. These worked better if the ridge had a flat spot at the saddle.
Good luck!
The most success I had over those growing up years was hunting primarily the heads of hollows where you can see both sides that lead to the face of the ridge or mountain. Most of the deer I seen and killed would run the trails just below the top of the peak at the head of the hollow from side to side (ridge to ridge) I very seldom seen deer walking the ridge lines for many distances. I always heard people say that some years the deer where low and sometimes high…that may be true but I only hunted high away from others hoping they would push deer up the mountains and also tended to believe that some always stayed high as well.
The only other luck I had was hunting saddles vs. hollow heads but didn't do that as often. A saddle for me was a low spot on a ridge line that connected to mountains or elevated terrains. These worked better if the ridge had a flat spot at the saddle.
Good luck!
catman529
Well-Known Member
You're doing right bunting the edges of thickets. Just a matter of where the deer actually are. They are creatures of the edges, and a thicket in big woods provides not only a good edge habitat but also good bedding cover and browse. Big woods deer are tough, but I'd rather hunt big woods in the hills than big woods in the Mississippi river bottoms where there's no terrain.
Rancocas
Well-Known Member
You have already received some good advise here. Nothing I can add to it.
I hunt the South Cherokee, and I can say it is difficult. This season I only saw one doe. I let her pass. No venison for me this year.
I hunt the South Cherokee, and I can say it is difficult. This season I only saw one doe. I let her pass. No venison for me this year.
BSK
Well-Known Member
You said a mouthful there 102. I've been a lot of places, and outside of a Cypress swamp in the Deep South, I think ridge-and-hollow hardwoods is the hardest deer hunting there is. It all comes down to finding subtle differences in ridges and points that draw more movement. But even then, today a buck walks this ridge. Tomorrow a different ridge, third day a different ridge. Patterning deer in this habitat is virtually impossible.
I miss hunting bear hollow, bear hollow is like a deer farm compared to south Cherokee
garnermtn
Well-Known Member
I hunt over in Cowan and dragging one out is almost as hard as killing one thereI miss hunting bear hollow, bear hollow is like a deer farm compared to south Cherokee
I'm originally from Monteagle, Thats where I learned to pack them out. Some real good deer in there.
Rageman
Active Member
Timber jack 86 they are probably more easier to get than Cherokee for sure not at all by much I don't know the glory days of Cowan Carter MTN areas as to back when it was a dirt road my dad tells me in the late 70s and 80s it wasn't uncommon to see 20 or 30 deer a day but I have hunted good sign and walked my legs off and not seen anything at bear hollow for days it's super though too
Rageman i used to go in the valley about 10 yrs ago. My best buck came from in there. Took about 7 hours to get him out with 5 people. Last time I was in there was a hunter in every field driving in. I'm not sure if it is still that way?
garnermtn
Well-Known Member
It's not too bad this time of year especially if you aren't afraid to walk. I hunted above the tunnel growing up but it's tough access now. I bet it hasn't been hunted in 30 years
At the end of poplar spring rd at the moment, beautiful but hard hunting.I miss hunting bear hollow, bear hollow is like a deer farm compared to south Cherokee
