#1738137 - 01/21/10 09:33 AM
Re: Presidents Island, how long?
[Re: Duke]
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BigWes50
10 Point
Registered: 03/04/07
Posts: 3207
Loc: Chattanooga, TN
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When one puts in for the PI hunt, which unit would one recommend and why?
I've always heard the 50 quota hunt is the best, the actual island, the other buck hunt is the Ensley unit I do believe
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#1738160 - 01/21/10 09:43 AM
Re: Presidents Island, how long?
[Re: BigWes50]
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Winchester
Non-Typical
Registered: 12/05/03
Posts: 25335
Loc: TN
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Im with Wes on the point of managing a few other WMA's for Trophy hunting, which is what is going on at PI. I know this isnt what everybody wants and I undertstand that, but taking say 5 more small WMA's across the state, and making them true Trophy areas would take a lot of the pressure off PI, and make a lot more hunters happy with an increased chance in getting to hunt an area where all yearlings and most 2 1/2's are off limits. And an 8 pt, 4 on a side rule wont accomplish this, it actually gets mostly your top end 2 1/2's killed instead of allowing the best young bucks to live until 3 1/2 or older. IMO an 8 pt, or 4 on a side, rule is going backwards if you are trophy managing, especially when dealing with the average hunter who will shoot the first legal 4 on one side that he see's.
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#1738211 - 01/21/10 10:05 AM
Re: Presidents Island, how long?
[Re: Winchester]
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Wes Parrish
16 Point
Registered: 06/12/02
Posts: 17068
Loc: Knoxville-Dover-Union City, TN
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And again, what makes the PI WMA have such a high success ratio on the actual harvest of 3 1/2-yr-old and older bucks is
. . . . . NOT the soil,
. . . . . NOT the antler restrictions,
but rather the lack of hunting, with no buck hunting prior to the best days of the rut.
The older bucks on PI (much like the ones at Cades Cove) grow accustomed to having little to fear by walking around during daylight ---- something that's not happening on other WMAs ----- then when the daytime deer movement is at its peak, TWRA allows hunters to come hunt them for a 3-day weekend. Try this on most any other WMA of adequate acreage and see if the harvest results aren't comparable.
I'm not saying do this on Catoosa WMA (as I do realize there are many other considerations), but can you imagine what it would be like 3 or 4 years down the road if Catoosa WMA had a single 3-day weekend of annual buck hunting on Thanksgiving weekend?
But do something like that on a single WMA the size of Catoosa, and something akin to the PI experience, with the stroke of pen, would be provided to about 10 times more TN hunters.
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#1738221 - 01/21/10 10:13 AM
Re: Presidents Island, how long?
[Re: Wes Parrish]
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Winchester
Non-Typical
Registered: 12/05/03
Posts: 25335
Loc: TN
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I agree completely, lets take say ORWMA and close it to hunting for just 2 seasons. Now on the 3'rd season we will have just one 3 day hunt, and no scouting day either. When the hunters hit the woods they will be carrying guns and bows according to which area you draw. I can guarantee there would be quite a few super bucks killed, probably more % wise than there are at PI because it would not be Archery only.
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#1738227 - 01/21/10 10:14 AM
Re: Presidents Island, how long?
[Re: Wes Parrish]
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tndrbstr
16 Point
Registered: 10/06/05
Posts: 12157
Loc: knox co tn
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ot abit but....From going to cades cove my whole life and looking at the harvest pics from PI, I am just not convinced the bucks in the cove has near the overall average inches on thier heads that the island does...maybe thru herd reduction/managment in the proper direction that could be improved..but in the natural setting I just don't see it...but thats jmo... I was talking about harvest success on mature bucks more than at which place a 5 1/2-yr-old buck would normally "average" the largest antlers. Cades Cove has essentially no agricultural crops and relatively poor soil compared to PI ---- but I've seen larger antlered mature bucks roaming in Cades Cover than have yet to be legally killed since PI became a WMA. "So what" if the average mature buck in Cades Cove averaged 125 while it might be more like 140 on PI? Wouldn't the opportunity to take what most consider a "wall-hanger" still be better than other traditionally managed WMAs? I just used Cades Cove for comparison because the bucks there already have an advanced age structure and most people are familiar with it. Put the PI regs (don't even need those 9-pt antler restrictions) on many of the WMA's, and a similar hunting experience could be produced in about 3 years. Doesn't even have to be the best soil, as the soil is not what's making those mature bucks move in daylight at PI.
I agree with you 100%,...The Oak Ridge wma (E Tn)provides plenty enough evedince of what you are saying and it is nowhere near as strict as PI concerning the quota access restrictions. (altho it has declined overall antler wise substantially since the removal of the point restictions)..
There is no doubt in my mind cades cove would mirror PI on the average age harvest given the same quota restriction. But reality is that (most) folks don't apply to PI just because the want to kill an old deer.
When compared to a hunted population, Cades cove does have an above average number of bucks with head gear that anybody would be proud to hang on a wall. Altho there usually seems to be an exceptional buck or two that seem to emerge there every several years or so, there never have been to many of what most hunters would just awe at at anyone time...
I just bring this up because often folks will use an example of the cove in relation to buck limts in an attempt to over ride the reality between soils and large antlers (not age). when the reality is, lots of above average racks, much less monsters, in the cove area are just not that common when compared to our geographical region as a whole. There are exceptions...again jmo.....
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#1738244 - 01/21/10 10:23 AM
Re: Presidents Island, how long?
[Re: tndrbstr]
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Wes Parrish
16 Point
Registered: 06/12/02
Posts: 17068
Loc: Knoxville-Dover-Union City, TN
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When compared to a hunted population, Cades cove does have an above average number of bucks with head gear that anybody would be proud to hang on a wall. Altho there usually seems to be an exceptional buck or two that seem to emerge there every several years or so, there never have been too many of what most hunters would just awe at at any one time...
Drive thru the cove on Thankgiving weekend, especially if it's seasonably cold ---- you'll see plenty that will awe you.
Outside the rut, many of those older bucks in the cove don't like getting out where people can see them in the open fields, as all too often, people get out of their cars and approach them.
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#1738246 - 01/21/10 10:26 AM
Re: Presidents Island, how long?
[Re: Wes Parrish]
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tndrbstr
16 Point
Registered: 10/06/05
Posts: 12157
Loc: knox co tn
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I awe pretty easy... 
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#1738424 - 01/21/10 12:04 PM
Re: Presidents Island, how long?
[Re: Winchester]
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spitndrum
Team TLBB Woodpile Boys
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Registered: 03/09/06
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Loc: Cumberland Plateau
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We have been putting in for 5 years!
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#1738723 - 01/21/10 03:46 PM
Re: Presidents Island, how long?
[Re: BigWes50]
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j-bo
Spike
Registered: 02/20/09
Posts: 57
Loc: Alabama
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Where and when does one apply for th PI hunt?
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#1738759 - 01/21/10 04:03 PM
Re: Presidents Island, how long?
[Re: j-bo]
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strutandrut
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Registered: 07/03/06
Posts: 28621
Loc: signal mountain
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Where and when does one apply for th PI hunt?
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