Cheatham early muzzleloader

[jfclarktn]

Anyone hunting in this weather this weekend?

 

[Knight250]

I was suppose to be there but decide against it today

 

[Swampthing]

I'm out here off Deer Den. Passed up a small 8 and that was the only thing I've seen so far, now I'm regretting not taking it lol

 

[Swampthing]

Any luck out your way?

 

[jfclarktn]

Saw one deer all day. First light, a buck that I didn't think was legal. By the time I could get enough of a look to count 4 points on one side I didn't have a shot. I'm soaked to the bone

 

[THE DUKE]

Never hunted Cheatham they have restrictions on bucks?

 

[Swampthing]

Saw one deer all day. First light, a buck that I didn't think was legal. By the time I could get enough of a look to count 4 points on one side I didn't have a shot. I'm soaked to the bone

You're a better man than me, I don't know if I woulda made it through the day without my little umbrella. Hope you drop a big boy tomorrow!

 

[Swampthing]

Never hunted Cheatham they have restrictions on bucks?

Yes, at least 4 on one side

 

[FTP]

These little quota windows this dude has put in suck. The weather this weekend is exactly a perfect argument against them.
We could muzzleloader on Monday and have perfect weather. But hell no... gotta have a freakin quota.... what a fool!!!!!

 

[jfclarktn]

Been hearing some shots this morning

 

[catman529]

These little quota windows this dude has put in suck. The weather this weekend is exactly a perfect argument against them.
We could muzzleloader on Monday and have perfect weather. But hell no... gotta have a freakin quota.... what a fool!!!!!

So they should look up the 12 month forecast before setting quota hunt dates?

 

[FTP]

So they should look up the 12 month forecast before setting quota hunt dates?

No bro, they should remove the quotas and let the place be open with statewide. Always a funny guy out there!

 

[Swampthing]

These little quota windows this dude has put in suck. The weather this weekend is exactly a perfect argument against them.
We could muzzleloader on Monday and have perfect weather. But hell no... gotta have a freakin quota.... what a fool!!!!!

I like the quota hunts, I think it will improve the quality of hunting here. What I'm not a fan of is the logging that was going on when I showed up Friday. Scouted this spot all year. came back to check on it last week and all was fine. It sucks that he started logging the week of the quota hunts beginning.

 

[FTP]

you made a perfect argument to get rid of the quotas. There has been nothing wrong with the hunting up here since the herd recovered from
The 2007 Blue Tongue outbreak. Their rationale was to increase hunter participation. Straight out of their mouth. So let's severely limit the days, throw in some weather, like we've had the last three days, and there ya go. Let's hunt the place tomorrow thru Thursday. Perfect weather in the forecast. Oh wait, the place is closed....
Come on dude!!! Real stupid logic.

 

[deerfever]

No bro, they should remove the quotas and let the place be open with statewide. Always a funny guy out there!

I don't think he was trying to be a funny guy but rather point out that no one can control the weather. Most WMA's around me are quota only. There is one that's not and it is the worst place in the world to hunt. People on the place all the time, pressured deer that rarely move. I would take my argument before commission with my reasoning as to why Cheatam would be a much better WMA with quality deer if it was hunted every single day of the season as opposed to limited quota hunts on certain days. They may change it so you can hunt it every day , you never know.

 

[pockets]

I think archery there is same as state wide season. Open every day.

 

[tahtah]

Actually, it's not. Archery at Cheatham closed on Oct 17.

 

[Antler Daddy]

I like the quotas.

Normally, the First ML is a good hunt. The weather was not optimal.

I'm going on the first gun one more time and then I'm retiring from the place.

I do wish they would do smaller clear cuts. The timber companies will do it if that is their only choice.

They should take a bulldozer and doze some simple strips through the middle of some of the old cut overs. Manage the place to optimize hunting opportunities! That is who pays for it.

 

[FTP]

I don't think he was trying to be a funny guy but rather point out that no one can control the weather. Most WMA's around me are quota only. There is one that's not and it is the worst place in the world to hunt. People on the place all the time, pressured deer that rarely move. I would take my argument before commission with my reasoning as to why Cheatam would be a much better WMA with quality deer if it was hunted every single day of the season as opposed to limited quota hunts on certain days. They may change it so you can hunt it every day , you never know.

So I've hunted the placed for a quarter century.
The belief that it is over hunted is a fallacy.
The place is crawling with BIG deer.
The place is not being managed properly.
The commission rarely listens to the people. They are just another tone deaf group of folks in the government.
Anyways, I clearly have much better ideas on how to increase hunter participation. Remember this is the rationale they have told us for the quota hunts. They have been approached with them many times in the past, they don't listen.

 

[Deer Assassin]

No bro, they should remove the quotas and let the place be open with statewide. Always a funny guy out there!

if they did that
you couldnt hunt this weekend it would be juvi

 

[FTP]

That's not a problem

 

[jfclarktn]

Sub-optimal weather to say the least, and a missed opportunity early, but I still had a good time and till put in again next year. Heading to Montana Tuesday to help my brother find a big one…hopefully.

Good luck the rest of the season!

 

[deerfever]

So I've hunted the placed for a quarter century.
The belief that it is over hunted is a fallacy.
The place is crawling with BIG deer.
The place is not being managed properly.
The commission rarely listens to the people. They are just another tone deaf group of folks in the government.
Anyways, I clearly have much better ideas on how to increase hunter participation. Remember this is the rationale they have told us for the quota hunts. They have been approached with them many times in the past, they don't listen.

I do believe your plan will work to get hunter participation up at Cheatam! Posting it's crawling with big deer on an internet forum should be just what the doctor ordered if they go non quota. I love to hunt big deer and Do a lot of traveling. Cheatam will now be on my list of places to try when they drop the quotas. Not being managed properly but crawling with big deer? I can't wait to try it out if you get this passed!

 

[tnpete]

I like the quota hunts, I think it will improve the quality of hunting here. What I'm not a fan of is the logging that was going on when I showed up Friday. Scouted this spot all year. came back to check on it last week and all was fine. It sucks that he started logging the week of the quota hunts beginning.

Back in the early 90's was hauling logs. Not sure what it was about the cut pine. But always seen the biggest bucks. Always around that cut timber. You would think with all that noise, they would run. No come right to it, like a kid wanting to know whats happening.

 

[oldmanelrod]

No bro, they should remove the quotas and let the place be open with statewide. Always a funny guy out there!

Some of the WMAs might not have enough deer to support being open same as the season. That said I would favor expanding the quota hunts to a week long hunt. That might give a Hunter some relief from weather conditions such as we experienced the last several days.

 

[Hillbilly Hunter]

So I've hunted the placed for a quarter century.
The belief that it is over hunted is a fallacy.
The place is crawling with BIG deer.
The place is not being managed properly.
The commission rarely listens to the people. They are just another tone deaf group of folks in the government.
Anyways, I clearly have much better ideas on how to increase hunter participation. Remember this is the rationale they have told us for the quota hunts. They have been approached with them many times in the past, they don't listen.

Its being mismanaged AND it has big deer crawling all over it?

 

[Levee Jumper]

Cheatham wide open statewide would turn into a gar hole like Turkey hunting has become. Too close to Nashville to be wide open with all roads open.

 

[FTP]

Some of the WMAs might not have enough deer to support being open same as the season. That said I would favor expanding the quota hunts to a week long hunt. That might give a Hunter some relief from weather conditions such as we experienced the last several days.

So the Cheatham WMA is almost 22k acres, it is located smack dab in the middle of Unit L.
There is no shortage of deer in this place.
You have to know the history of the place and how it has been used and hunted. It was open for years and years right with the statewide. There were no problems. Many, many more deer were taken off the place during those years as opposed to since the EHD outbreak of 2007. The TWRA was very .... let me be kind to those who get their panties wadded... the TWRA SEVERELY underestimated the die off percent from the outbreak... every different time I had a conversation with one of the biologist or game wardens, their estimates went up and up. It was finally admitted by a biologist who is no longer with the agency that 80-85% of the deer died that summer. I know a couple of land owners who have property that border the WMA, they've told me multiple times they did not see a deer for 4-5 years. The agency did not manage this outbreak with any kind of efficacy. So if you hunted the place, as I did, between 2007-2011/12 you did not see many of any deer. The hunter left the place. So this quota gizmo is their attempt to bring hunters back. I clearly have better ideas to entice them to return. I have expressed them multiple times to the powers that be. It's like talking to a brick wall. They are a government agency.... need I say more?
The place is now full of big deer.....

 

[FTP]

Its being mismanaged AND it has big deer crawling all over it?

Yes, you clearly don't know the history of the place.

 

[FTP]

Yes, you clearly don't know the history of the place.

Once again, I'd love to discuss the issues, but you may not be able to do that