Catoosa

[tanasirivertea]

Don't forget Elk has shown up too. They tend to not share the land well with whitetail

 

[tree_ghost]

Not sure if you're on here or not but I just spoke with a realtor about a piece of land I was interested in purchasing who just happened to be on the hunt up there, if you are it was nice speaking with you Al!

 

[oldmanelrod]

I'm not against the bucks going against statewide limit as long as they would go in and manage the area better. I've hunted this wma for a long time and it gets worse every year. I believe they need to get real serious about the hog problem first and foremost.I'm not talking about Billy bob shooting one while deer hunting I'm talking eradicating the problem. I believe they should clean up and plant plots like you said and which we here every year, but I'm telling you it's less and less, very little planting happened. I'm not sure how it works but why couldn't they let agriculture come into the area it's not that the land won't grow it. My family had a few 100 acres on potato farm road which touched catoosa and cropped every year. Catoosa is 80,000 acres and half is a cutover. You could clean up and have 5-10k acres of ag spread throughout. I believe we'd see a jump in the deer herd. Quality and quantity. By the way I'm from sevier county and I'll tell y'all where bear get out of hand deer leave that area. Might take a year or so but bear push deer out.

What you're saying makes a lot sense.

 

[timberjack86]

Yup. The 9 day archery hunt isn't going to allow many bears to be killed.
It's evidently turning into a bear/hog reserve. I imagined the new area manager would have tried to make some changes for the better.

They should a deer bear hog combo rifle season. Lots of people would flock to catoosa for a chance at 3 different species at once. Georgia does it on their mountain wmas and lots of bears are killed by people deer hunting.

 

[TheLBLman]

The seasonally warm weather may have been the most significant factor contributing to this year's low harvest on Catoosa 1st muzzleloader hunt.

Additionally, I suspect a growing number of this subset of hunters (muzzleloader hunters) are at least somewhat raising their standards as to what constitutes a "shooter" buck to them. It may not just be a buck that barely meets the Catoosa legal buck standards any more, and some are targeting 3 1/2 & older.

 

[MickThompson]

What would make it an amazing place. I hunt it also every year. And also hear lots and lots of complaints. Wondering what other folks think would turn back into a no complaint type of area. I know fields are mostly unplanted and overgrown these days. And No longer a bonus buck. And it's logged to death

Public land will never be a "no complaint" area. There's always someone, somewhere that has never managed an 80,000 acre property for public use but knows how to do it better. How would you define "amazing" in the context of public hunting? A certain success rate? Or is it experience-based?

 

[MickThompson]

Less of this would help, too

 

[BuckHunter511]

I think 15 was the final number. Hopefully the November rifle gets better….

 

[Carlos]

I think 15 was the final number. Hopefully the November rifle gets better….

Right.

Here's a post from the WMA FB page.

"So 15 will be the final number for the 2023 CatoosaWMA first muzzleloader hunt. Yes this number is lower than previous years. However look at the other WMAs that also had hunts this weekend. Those number are also way down. Temps were near or exceeded record highs. This alone can significantly reduce daytime deer activity.
So let's compare:
2022-47
2021-26
2020-71
2019-52
2018-25

Look at the high in 2020 of 71 with the next year being well below at 26. The numbers have bounced around significantly over the last 6 years. Lots of outside influencers factor into these numbers. So let's see what the next hunt has to deliver."

 

[dr]

I believe the bear, and elk are ruining Catoosa. A friend sent me a pic of a young bull elk on Catoosa.

 

[Volbuck777]

What you're saying makes a lot sense.

That might be the problem. It makes to much sense and they may have to put the money back towards the conservation program, Instead of wherever it's going now.

 

[Volbuck777]

Right.

Here's a post from the WMA FB page.

"So 15 will be the final number for the 2023 CatoosaWMA first muzzleloader hunt. Yes this number is lower than previous years. However look at the other WMAs that also had hunts this weekend. Those number are also way down. Temps were near or exceeded record highs. This alone can significantly reduce daytime deer activity.
So let's compare:
2022-47
2021-26
2020-71
2019-52
2018-25

Look at the high in 2020 of 71 with the next year being well below at 26. The numbers have bounced around significantly over the last 6 years. Lots of outside influencers factor into these numbers. So let's see what the next hunt has to deliver."

The post says look at the other Wma's. That's a terrible thing to say. That angers people even more. Now the poster shows that the Twra isn't managing any of our public lands. We can fuss all day about the temps not being great and full moons or road hunters, but the problem throughout the state falls back on the management programs. Have the big wigs got our conservation guys hands tied, is it laziness, are they pocketing our money. I'd love to know. I know a guy that hunted a wma this week in another state where it was warmer, the moon was just as full and the roads were still busy. I'm not going to mention where for fear of the internet running and ruining a good wma but I can say he saw numerous deer and everyone he talked with was happy with what they had seen. Minus a couple, which is common. I've also talked to guys that hunted catoosa this week and have yet to hear anything good. One of those guys was a guy that killed and he said this was his worst hunt at catoosa and it would be his last so he shot any legal buck he seen. It was the only deer he saw. I'm not sure how to change anything but I do know I'm sick and tired of buying license in a state that doesn't care about conservation of the deer herd.

 

[MickThompson]

So we just completely disregard a bumper acorn crop, full moon, and late May weather? TWRA can't move the deer or shoot the deer.

@Volbuck777 have you looked at the juvenile numbers from this weekend? How bad were they down compared to last year?

 

[DoubleRidge]

No doubt a bumper acorn crop, warm weather and frustrated people stomping around the woods looking for a better spot doesn't help anything...hopefully the rifle hunts will improve...(bear not being open in rifle is ridiculous).

 

[knightrider]

So we just completely disregard a bumper acorn crop, full moon, and late May weather? TWRA can't move the deer or shoot the deer.

@Volbuck777 have you looked at the juvenile numbers from this weekend? How bad were they down compared to last year?

No but they could damn sure take some of the money their blowing in the wind and plant em something to eat, and start controling some hogs and bears

 

[Madbowh]

I live in crossville, seen a nice 5x5 2 miles north of 40 exit 317 2 weeks ago I know they've been spotted from here to Jamestown that I know of since 2013

 

[deerfever]

The weather was awful, my son and I hunted and seen 0 deer in places that I know have deer and plenty of sign existed. My guess is lots of people did not even bother going and deer movement was minimal it was so hot. If the weather holds out nice and cool of the mornings this week , they will kill several on the hunt this weekend. I do not believe Catoosa is mismanaged at all the crew up there is great. I would just like to see some more of the fields done as some of them have not been done in a few years, especially on Bicolor. One problem is the bridge is out at devil's breakfast table so it makes it harder to get equipment over. Just put it on a trailer and come on with it before you lose some fields, small trees are starting to grow in some that used to look great. I don't hunt fields but just hate to see them looking like they do when I have the memories of what it used to look like. They absolutely do need to allow more bear hunting, they have been growing in population for several years .

 

[east_tn_gk]

I hunted up there this weekend. I saw a few deer, but right at the fringes of daylight. I think the temperature had them on their belly during the day. I did see several hogs come through before legal shooting light. I'm hoping it cools down for the rifle hunt in 2 weeks. If so, I would bet the numbers will be pretty good.
I 100 percent agree with opening bear during rifle and muzzleloader hunts. They will be thick in no time if they don't.

 

[MidTennFisher]

Does TWRA not let you shoot any hog you see, with whatever weapon is allowed? I can't understand the logic behind not allowing hogs to be shot on during any legal hunting season. Am I missing something?

 

[Carlos]

Does TWRA not let you shoot any hog you see, with whatever weapon is allowed? I can't understand the logic behind not allowing hogs to be shot on during any legal hunting season. Am I missing something?

Well, kinda. Only during the big game hunts.
I've seen them several times while scouting, and small game hunting- and they've been off-limits.
Still tempting, but I followed their rules.