Catoosa

[MidTennFisher]

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.

During small game season you're not allowed to shoot them with a .22? At close range you can shoot them right in the earhole with a fully jacketed .22 and it'll kill them. A .22 mag is even better.

 

[Volbuck777]

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?

I'm not saying the deer movement wasn't affected by weather, moon, or whatever. I'm not saying it wasn't a terrible weekend to hunt. I'm saying there is a substantial problem with less deer sightings on catoosa over the last few years. Do you hunt catoosa? do you hunt any Tn. Public? If so you'd see what the rest of these hunters are saying. I didn't conjure this up so I could fuss on the forum about our game wardens. I've personally met the new guy over catoosa, he's a nice guy and I believe he was put in place 3 years ago, and he may not like me saying this but he personally told me that it's not what it was 20, 15, even 5 years ago but he's going to change things. We'll I'm not sure what he's done I've not personally talked to him in the last couple of years. But my eyes and ears aren't lying when I see and hear things from fellow hunters. You might say well 3 years isn't long enough to change things give it time. Maybe your right. But 3 years with low kill numbers and no more bonus bucks and no plots being grown for road hunters to shoot should change something. An adult deer with top end head gear is about a 4y/o. I believe there's great deer to be killed there, but it's not near as common as it should be. I'm not knocking anybody, I've never managed 80,000 acres but if a man says that catoosa hasn't dramatically declined he's either blind or hasn't hunted it in the last few years.

 

[Carlos]

Well said @Volbuck777.

The new guys who are working at Catoosa don't believe in mowing the fields, they'd rather use spray for some reason.
I could go on, but I'll stop there.
Hopefully someone straightens them out before long.

What needs to happen, is the group of people who disapprove- setup a meeting, and let the agency know just how many folks see what's really going on out there, and how ridiculous it really is.

 

[Volbuck777]

Well said @Volbuck777.

The new guys who are working at Catoosa don't believe in mowing the fields, they'd rather use spray for some reason.
I could go on, but I'll stop there.
Hopefully someone straightens them out before long.

What needs to happen, is the group of people who disapprove- setup a meeting, and let the agency know just how many folks see what's really going on out there, and how ridiculous it really is.

I wouldn't mind sitting in on that meeting. I'm not against them and not trying to do their job, I do however know their is room for improvement and if you and I have to pay, we should have a say. It's doing nothing but hindering the process by not allowing the public to have an input on our ground.

 

[Volbuck777]

I think sharecropping is a great idea. Cant imagine why they never thought of that. Big fields of soybeans and corn wouldn't cost the TWRA. I really don't understand why they won't plant the fields. But I've asked them why not more fields planted. Answer I got was biologist say an unplanned field doesn't mean there isn't good there. 80 or more percent of the deers diet is browse. And it more important to have the browse than it is fields planted. I also asked about hogs and was told they trap lots of them every year. I can't prove any of this. But that's the answers I got.

80percent of their diet is browse theyre right but 80 percent of my diet growing up was fast food, fried food, mtn dew and candy, but the other 20 percent was meat, taters, and beans. That 20 carried over and with my genetics made me a solid 6'0, 200 pd man. Get it. Lol, some things put the muscle on you, and some things make a turd. So in the deer woods it's great to have acorns but what about the down years. They need that 20 percent. Minerals, plots, and nutrients. I'm not just talking to make big horns I'm talking healthy does that are able to birth and build strong fawns. It's a lackluster answer to talk browse when you have the wallet to build a whitetail paradise. Not that browse doesn't have its place just that they make excuse for laziness and where you're money goes. I hunt thickets/cutovers almost every time I hunt, but dang it if I don't appreciate a good plot for the night time eats for the deer it all plays a role. Their just isnt enough balance. What gives?

 

[killingtime 41]

I wish I had the answer as to what gives. Why the fields are not planted. Or let me say why most of the fields are not planted. When I was told that about the browse it was before this new manager. Why I didn't think of it then I don't know. But it hit me later. Even if they planted all the fields. There's 80,000 acres plus. The deer would still have all the browse they could stand. So yes it's an excuse as to why not. Why can't anyone just give you a straight answer anymore. Instead you get half truths if not total B. S. Catoosa has more potential than most WMA's in East/middle TN. Big fields of soybeans/corn in the summer and some winter greens later would have that wma exploding in no time. I don't hunt fields either. But like you said that's not the point. And some roads need to be graded. I've not been there this year yet so sorry if they already done that.

 

[Volbuck777]

I wish I had the answer as to what gives. Why the fields are not planted. Or let me say why most of the fields are not planted. When I was told that about the browse it was before this new manager. Why I didn't think of it then I don't know. But it hit me later. Even if they planted all the fields. There's 80,000 acres plus. The deer would still have all the browse they could stand. So yes it's an excuse as to why not. Why can't anyone just give you a straight answer anymore. Instead you get half truths if not total B. S. Catoosa has more potential than most WMA's in East/middle TN. Big fields of soybeans/corn in the summer and some winter greens later would have that wma exploding in no time. I don't hunt fields either. But like you said that's not the point. And some roads need to be graded. I've not been there this year yet so sorry if they already done that.

No they've not graded many roads, they blame the bridge not being built back on the state. I'm not sure how it's the state being as it's on a wma which is a whole other topic that I won't get into. Also I think your spot on with more potential than most. It just has that feel to it. That may be the most frustrating part.

 

[dr]

I'm starting to think this is what they are wanting.

Yep, I suspect the bear are being released, and they want the numbers to go up.. Beauracrats may be trying to discourage hunting by making deer scarce. This nation is becoming more anti gun, anti hunting. Deer wont thrive when elk, and bear numbers continue to increase.

 

[tanasirivertea]

Yep, I suspect the bear are being released, and they want the numbers to go up.. Beauracrats may be trying to discourage hunting by making deer scarce. This nation is becoming more anti gun, anti hunting. Deer wont thrive when elk, and bear numbers continue to increase.

So you're saying TN is becoming an anti-gun state? You mean after that whacko trans idiot went and murdered a bunch of toddlers and our state did nothing about...but they're the same people you think want to ban guns by placing bears at a WMA?

 

[tanasirivertea]

Hey yall, here's why TN aint doing big ag projects at catoosa. for one, all those gravel roads went to people's homes. All those people were essentially paid to move out because the soil quality was so bad. Also wildlife biology is trending away from mono-cropping and food plotting. Check out this post from MSU Deer Lab. Explains why letting catoosa go wild will be better for the animals.

 

[lawdog]

Would like to see more large expanses of logging roads closed to ATV's and open to foot travel only. Maybe break the area down into compartments and hunt only the compartment that is drawn for to better disperse hunter numbers more equally throughout the area ( similar to what LBL does.) Make the second muzzleloader hunt non-quota as there is almost always vacancy permits leftover.

 

[knightrider]

Hey yall, here's why TN aint doing big ag projects at catoosa. for one, all those gravel roads went to people's homes. All those people were essentially paid to move out because the soil quality was so bad. Also wildlife biology is trending away from mono-cropping and food plotting. Check out this post from MSU Deer Lab. Explains why letting catoosa go wild will be better for the animals.

Theres a difference in managing for natural warm and cool season forage, and just letting everything growup in woody brush head high like twra is doing with its wmas

 

[Carlos]

Theres a difference in managing for natural warm and cool season forage, and just letting everything growup in woody brush head high like twra is doing with its wmas

Right.
I wasn't understanding the magnitude of exactly what everyone was complaining about.
I mean, I've noticed the area being let-go recently, with many areas growing up to where they're impassable.

I took my Son out there to scout/setup for the juvy hunt a couple weeks back. There were 2 areas that I'd planned on checking that have been great in the past. I wasn't able to access either one with the truck, like I always have before. So we came back and picked up the 4 wheelers to get back in there. There were several large trees across the road, and they had been there for awhile.

Anyways, after we got around all that, the plots that were always sewn with winter wheat and clover had grown up, head-high with briars. There were a few hog trails meandering thru here and there, and after we busted our way thru 300-400 yards of briar thicket, and checked for deer sign, without finding any- we came home.

I'd checked 2 additional areas prior to those, they both were lacking deer sign as well. Keep in mind, I've hunted out there for over 20 years, and never seen a lack of game in these areas like this.

Maybe when guys stop applying for Catoosa quota hunts, someone will change their mind about how it's being managed. ? Of course by then, it will require much more labor to clean the areas up, and may require a dozer instead of a bush hog.

 

[Tenntrapper]

Just my 2 cents...
I started hunting Catoosa in about '85. Hunted there several years, then skipped about 20 yrs...till just 3-4 years ago. We didn't even put in for it this year...it's just not the same.

 

[timberjack86]

After talking with a buddy I'm seriously considering a catoosa archery bear hunt next year. Several bear were killed by deer hunters is what I'm told.

 

[Carlos]

After talking with a buddy I'm seriously considering a catoosa archery bear hunt next year. Several bear were killed by deer hunters is what I'm told.

Yes, I thing there was 4 checked it on the bow hunt, and I'm not sure they were even going after bears.

 

[41Magnum]

I've seen 13, that's by far the best ever here for me. 3 of the 4 were legal bucks but 3 of 4 were also seen on scout day. I saw the 4th this morning and could've shot him but he was a young deer. Taking away a bonus tag saved him. I've noticed they're very vocal and I've called in most every deer I've seen from the stand, even rattled a small 4 in. The bear are getting out of hand here and had one belly growl at me yesterday morning. Also had one come walking in on me yesterday evening. He/she was decent size I'm thinking 250-300. I'll try to upload a video. By the way I'm hunting with 3 other guys and they've seen 2 small bucks between the 3 of them. People aren't happy with where this WMA has ended up. Can't say I blame them.

Calling it a wildlife MANAGEMENT area is almost laughable, it could/should be way better than it is. I haven't hunted there in 4 years.

 

[41Magnum]

Need to allow bear to be killed on every hunt after archery. And possibly have a special hunt for bears. I can't stand bears. Ruined tons of deer hunting with the bear reserves over here in North Cherokee. How many bears does a place need.

Agreed!!!!!

 

[Shanman]

Problem with Catoosa is money, you only get so much in a fiscal budget. Can't get local farmers to plant crops on the area because there is no money in it. From what I've been told by the previous manager was that most the seed they used to plant with was donated by different organizations like Quail Unlimited etc. Catoosa has the potential to be a prime WMA and poster child for what a WMA should look like. Imagine if Catoosa had it's own branch of QDMA just for the area, and folks actually brought in equipment and gave 100% effort to make it work. Have test plots that UT and QDMA educated folks on, better seed donated, work days for the hunters to help out with….could be something really amazing. But folks would expect the state to do it all and just a handful would be 100% in. The rest would still throw beer cans out the window. fluffy kitten about how the area sucks, walk in on fellow hunters, etc…etc. Bears belong in the GSMNP and not in the numbers they are on the plateau, bridges need fixed (how many of us have called our elected representatives?), and biologists that aren't doing their jobs need replaced! Catoosa should be managed for deer and everything else will flourish, especially the local businesses during the season. Ok…sorry for the rant…. just 2cents if that.