#1961278 - 06/16/10 08:34 AM
Re: Laurel Hill WMA
[Re: RKenney]
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Longhunter
10 Point
Registered: 09/03/08
Posts: 3788
Loc: Brewstertown in Morgan County...
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What are the deer densities at Laurel Hill?
I usually hunt the Cumberland Plateau where densities are no where near what they are in middle or west Tennessee.
How would this WMA compare to Catoosa in terms of population?
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#1961290 - 06/16/10 08:43 AM
Re: Laurel Hill WMA
[Re: Longhunter]
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AlabamaSwamper
12 Point
Registered: 06/03/04
Posts: 5024
Loc: Southern Wayne CO and NW Alaba...
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BGG,
In the 90's it wasn't uncommon to see 20+ deer a day just about anywhere you climbed a tree. I used to love bowhunting there. Never really killed anything but never got bored either.
I didn't hunt there from about '99 til '05/'06 and have hunted the mzl hunts three times since '06 and bow hunt the early hunt. The place is nearly void of tracks and sign. I see deer so don't get me wrong and the potential for a 130" deer is as good as anywhere in the area (it should be) but seeing one deer a sitting is good now.
Used to, trails were easy to find. Looked like cattle were in there. Big beat down trails everywhere. THe challenge back then was being on the right one. Now, if you find one beat down, you better get there 2 hours before sunrise to beat 100 other folks to it.
I think you guys made a good step last year not having doe hunts on the rifle hunts. I understand the big timber is an issue, although the herd was as high in numbers as anywhere within 100 miles of there at one time but the lack of food plots compared to then isn't helping but I understand money is the issue there and out of your control.
The numbers are waaaaayyyyy down there. Perhaps the coyote population is greater now than before. If they got that high to begin with then it can get that high again (given the chance), which may or may not be a good thing for the herd there.
Edited by AlabamaSwamper (06/16/10 08:45 AM)
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#1961808 - 06/16/10 05:53 PM
Re: Laurel Hill WMA
[Re: BigGameGuy]
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Boone 58
16 Point
Registered: 06/23/04
Posts: 13540
Loc: Food Plot
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Bgg....and alot of those Mature Hardwoods are wide open. There must be a fortune in oak timber on that place. Why not thin it instead of totally clear cutting it?
_________________________
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NRA lifetime Mem & Crockett Friends of NRA
Hoyt Razor Tec
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Carpe Diem.
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#1961824 - 06/16/10 06:10 PM
Re: Laurel Hill WMA
[Re: Boone 58]
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AlabamaSwamper
12 Point
Registered: 06/03/04
Posts: 5024
Loc: Southern Wayne CO and NW Alaba...
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A 4000 acre (or there about) section of James Martin WMA (near Bear Hollow in TN) is a mirror image of Laurel Hill. Big mature hardwoods and gently rolling with a few deep creek bottoms on the plateau.
Alabama owns that tract. They have clearcut several 5-10 acre blocks throughout the property. Spaced out just about right. They allow them to grow up naturally, no pines with most having a plot in the back. It appeared, as those cuts started seeing a thinning of undergrowth, they simply took a dozer and pushed them down allowing it to grow back up again. These were no doubt down in stages. A certain percentage every year was dozed down while the majority was still thick blocks.
The deer, turkeys, quail and rabbits thrived in these.
I wonder if TN could do the same with LH?
I'm assuming they used the money for improvements there. The roads were awesome on most of the WMA and plots everywhere. It was the most well groomed WMA I've ever been on and there is loads of 150"+ bucks there with 0 antler restrictions.
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#1961835 - 06/16/10 06:33 PM
Re: Laurel Hill WMA
[Re: AlabamaSwamper]
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BigGameGuy
TWRA Biologist
12 Point
Registered: 05/14/04
Posts: 6354
Loc: Nashville
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I don't know much about how Laurel Hill is managed. Most of those decisions are made by the regional personnel and the WMA manager.
_________________________
If given the choice between education and regulation, I'll choose education every time.
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#1967871 - 06/21/10 10:21 PM
Re: Laurel Hill WMA
[Re: BigGameGuy]
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Boone 58
16 Point
Registered: 06/23/04
Posts: 13540
Loc: Food Plot
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I thought there was a major outbreak of ehd during the early 2002 or 2003 period? Since then seeing many numbers is almost impossible......
Still there are some awesome buck sign there.
_________________________
Romans 10:9-13
NRA lifetime Mem & Crockett Friends of NRA
Hoyt Razor Tec
CVA Accura V2 Nikon BM BDC 3x9x40
Winchester Mod 70 Weather SS 270 WSM
Nikon Monarch 3x12x42SF
Carpe Diem.
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#1967968 - 06/21/10 11:28 PM
Re: Laurel Hill WMA
[Re: Boone 58]
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RKenney
10 Point
Registered: 03/15/08
Posts: 3633
Loc: Maury Co.
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With the numbers of deer down at Laurel Hill and the numbers of
deer hunter interest of Laurel Hill down......look out.....there
could be a new "grand opening"........soon.
I will never forget the original grand opening in the early 70's
when my brother and I were there.
We went scouting there a week before the first ever deer hunt
that was held on LH. We ran across two wildlife officials along
a remote road and I ask the question...."I'll bet there are some
monster bucks in here, aren't there?" They both looked at
one another for a few seconds and grinned. One of them looked me
in the eye and said....."yes son, there are".
They were exactally right and I will never forget that.
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#1970702 - 06/23/10 09:10 PM
Re: Laurel Hill WMA
[Re: RKenney]
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Boone 58
16 Point
Registered: 06/23/04
Posts: 13540
Loc: Food Plot
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Oh yes.....i saw mature buck sign on large trees etc on the dec hunt there last year. Dandies for sure. I have seen many deer taken from there and there are some awesome bucks i tell you.
_________________________
Romans 10:9-13
NRA lifetime Mem & Crockett Friends of NRA
Hoyt Razor Tec
CVA Accura V2 Nikon BM BDC 3x9x40
Winchester Mod 70 Weather SS 270 WSM
Nikon Monarch 3x12x42SF
Carpe Diem.
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#1970723 - 06/23/10 09:18 PM
Re: Laurel Hill WMA
[Re: Boone 58]
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Carlos Viagra
16 Point
Registered: 11/20/04
Posts: 12934
Loc: Cumberland Plateau
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I saw some very large trees rubbed @ LH. Only saw a few deer out there on the past few trips hunting. I heard EHD really hit that area hard.
_________________________
Do not be slothful- for yesterday and tomorrow are thieves of today.
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#1971489 - 06/24/10 02:23 PM
Re: Laurel Hill WMA
[Re: Carlos Viagra]
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BGobbler
6 Point
Registered: 12/23/04
Posts: 584
Loc: Lawrenceburg
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EHD hit Laurel Hill really hard you could not bear the smell of that place that summer. It is starting to come back and i know of two 140 class deer killed there last year by the same family one was killed by a 10 year old
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