Deer Hunting Ames Plantation

[Andy S.]

He has a Mexican drive the border all day keepin trespassing out.

He probably focuses his attention on the south and east property lines, as I highly doubt someone would try to access it and trespass from Hwy 18 or West Fork. I have hunted that general area a good bit over the last 12 years.

 

[nick2720]

Actually he and I have both had more trespassing from hwy 18 more than you'd think the people that live across the rd are not worried about property lines. Nowhere is safe in that area. The old trussle runs through another neighbor and me and iv had people come in off west fork down the trussle in on me . Had a guy drive in and trespass on a neighbor from hwy 18 one morn, he shot a 9 pt off 4 wheeler and drove across the road home . I went and confronted him be he denied it . Gw was tied up for three days so nothing ever happened. Before he put a gate and fence up it was real bad but it has helped but now the Mexican is a Lil sketchy he literally shoots whatever he sees and has shot 4-5 bucks in the same season and he tends to drift off their property. Iv hunted the last 17 yrs and it's always been a struggle with trespassing. I had a guy and girlfriend ride up during muzzleloader last yr within 30 yards of me never knew I was there

 

[Andy S.]

Interesting, but I can believe what you say about the guys across the street, especially the one that has/had 5-6 mounts on his front porch.

Generally speaking, I have seen very few hunters over that way, but I rarely hunt that area after November 1, primarily bow hunting in October and muzzle loading early November for a doe.

 

[nick2720]

Interesting, but I can believe what you say about the guys across the street, especially the one that has/had 5-6 mounts on his front porch.

Generally speaking, I have seen very few hunters over that way, but I rarely hunt that area after November 1, primarily bow hunting in October and muzzle loading early November for a doe.

Yep that guy was a straight poacher on his land he would drive in and hunt everyday he could . Once he put the gate up it stopped him somewhat. But he and his brother are sketchy, he had the nerve to come up to our house and walked around our tractor shed which was secluded from the road, to find me dressing a buck . I was pretty pissed but shows they type of people they. That area is full of people that have no respect for one another . Most times when hunting I hear constand semi auto rifle shots or pistols shootING across the road. Worst year I had with poachers I took down 5 stands in 3 weeks .. Only reason I put up with it is because it's been in my family for over 50 years and there are some monsters in that area

 

[bowhunt25]

I'll piggy back off M. Belt. Ames really is a great place to hunt and a hunter can just get lost and submersed in the woods and truly be isolated. True enough it has rules for ATV's but for good reason. How many hunters here want other hunters to just come and go anywhere on their property while he/she may be in the stand ? I will probably remain there unless its dissolved. However, the biggest opportunity AMES faces, is changing what their idea of QDM is. Unfortunately we allow mature under scoring bucks to be left each year to do all the breeding when those bucks should be targeted without tax. Additionally too many does are and have been harvested over the past 6 years to the tune of north of 1000. QDM doesn't target taking does the way AMES does and by the way of this practice promotes mature bucks to roam further to neighboring properties looking the first does to come in leaving the immature and cull bucks to do the breeding. Its still a great place to hunt even with my negative outlook.

 

[fairchaser]

I'll piggy back off M. Belt. Ames really is a great place to hunt and a hunter can just get lost and submersed in the woods and truly be isolated. True enough it has rules for ATV's but for good reason. How many hunters here want other hunters to just come and go anywhere on their property while he/she may be in the stand ? I will probably remain there unless its dissolved. However, the biggest opportunity AMES faces, is changing what their idea of QDM is. Unfortunately we allow mature under scoring bucks to be left each year to do all the breeding when those bucks should be targeted without tax. Additionally too many does are and have been harvested over the past 6 years to the tune of north of 1000. QDM doesn't target taking does the way AMES does and by the way of this practice promotes mature bucks to roam further to neighboring properties looking the first does to come in leaving the immature and cull bucks to do the breeding. Its still a great place to hunt even with my negative outlook.

I would argue BH25 that Ames greatest challenge today is getting back to a healthy deer herd. We've had a big decline in the herd from CWD or some other diseases. We'll know soon enough. These other challenges can be tweaked with harvest goals but it's all a moot point without a healthy deer herd. Sadly, that might be impossible now with CWD because Ames is the best place I've ever hunted and I hope and pray it's best days are ahead.

 

[BULL MOOSE]

I'll piggy back off M. Belt. Ames really is a great place to hunt and a hunter can just get lost and submersed in the woods and truly be isolated. True enough it has rules for ATV's but for good reason. How many hunters here want other hunters to just come and go anywhere on their property while he/she may be in the stand ? I will probably remain there unless its dissolved. However, the biggest opportunity AMES faces, is changing what their idea of QDM is. Unfortunately we allow mature under scoring bucks to be left each year to do all the breeding when those bucks should be targeted without tax. Additionally too many does are and have been harvested over the past 6 years to the tune of north of 1000. QDM doesn't target taking does the way AMES does and by the way of this practice promotes mature bucks to roam further to neighboring properties looking the first does to come in leaving the immature and cull bucks to do the breeding. Its still a great place to hunt even with my negative outlook.

I would argue BH25 that Ames greatest challenge today is getting back to a healthy deer herd. We've had a big decline in the herd from CWD or some other diseases. We'll know soon enough. These other challenges can be tweaked with harvest goals but it's all a moot point without a healthy deer herd. Sadly, that might be impossible now with CWD because Ames is the best place I've ever hunted and I hope and pray it's best days are ahead.

A thread revived from the dead! Now,a three letter acronym has changed the landscape and mood. Is Ames also extending season dates for members to hunt? I ask because I thought that the dog practice heats up starting now and leading up to the nationals.

 

[fairchaser]

Not only has Ames extended the season, they temporarily lowered the buvk standard until we kill 10 sample bucks for CWD testing. We will work around the field trials like we always do. Two large units are closed this week.

 

[BigAl]

Not only has Ames extended the season, they temporarily lowered the buvk standard until we kill 10 sample bucks for CWD testing. We will work around the field trials like we always do. Two large units are closed this week.

What's the new standard?

 

[Andy S.]

^^^ Any buck 2.5 or older for sampling, but no fines assessed during sampling, period. We killed 11 "sample bucks" in about as many days, and now we're back on QDM buck standards (125" gross or 4.5) for remainder of extended season.

 

[BULL MOOSE]

^^^ Any buck 2.5 or older for sampling, but no fines assessed during sampling, period. We killed 11 "sample bucks" in about as many days, and now we're back on QDM buck standards (125" gross or 4.5) for remainder of extended season.

So.....for the rest of the season, an 18000 acre hunting club in the hot zone is not providing a random sampling? This is a UT research facility correct? Are not tax dollars invested here?

Hurley McMillion has a good stand... guy kills 2 bucks every year....https://amesplantation.zenfolio.com/p302619949 .

What about the 4-h multi million dollar camp? Who is shooting deer on this taxpayer owned land?

 

[BULL MOOSE]

How is that tax dollars and foundation dollars and dog dollars are accounted for at Ames?

 

[Thirty-06]

^^^ Any buck 2.5 or older for sampling, but no fines assessed during sampling, period. We killed 11 "sample bucks" in about as many days, and now we're back on QDM buck standards (125" gross or 4.5) for remainder of extended season.

So.....for the rest of the season, an 18000 acre hunting club in the hot zone is not providing a random sampling? This is a UT research facility correct? Are not tax dollars invested here?

Hurley McMillion has a good stand... guy kills 2 bucks every year....https://amesplantation.zenfolio.com/p302619949 .

What about the 4-h multi million dollar camp? Who is shooting deer on this taxpayer owned land?

What 4h multi million dollar camp are u talking about?? I was looking at pictures and him and a few other must have some nice spots


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[BULL MOOSE]

Gotta love the Internet... Lone Oaks 4 h camp...government camp for kids paid for by your tax dollars. http://archive.commercialappeal.com/new ... 71311.html

When was the last time TWRA or state invested that kind of money in public hunting land.? They don't.

 

[Thirty-06]

Gotta love the Internet... Lone Oaks 4 h camp...government camp for kids paid for by your tax dollars. http://archive.commercialappeal.com/new ... 71311.html

When was the last time TWRA or state invested that kind of money in public hunting land.? They don't.

Thanks, I've forgotten about that place. That's way above my pay grade and getting more into the politics side. Seems like a good idea for kids but in my opinion i think the state could spend that kinda money spread out into other things for kids to learn about the outdoors and use resources we already have. Ex. Chickasaw state park, all the other WMA's.


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[Andy S.]

So.....for the rest of the season, an 18000 acre hunting club in the hot zone is not providing a random sampling?

Unless directed otherwise by TWRA, we will be supplying samples of older does (3.5+) and bucks that are 4.5+, or 125", unless a member makes a mistake on a buck, which is possible. Bottom line is every deer killed on Ames between now and January 31st will be sampled for CWD. Older deer are sought after for sampling, so that is our goal at this point.

This is a UT research facility correct?

From Ames website:

"Ames Plantation, as a Research and Education Center for the Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station system with the University of Tennessee, to evaluate various varieties within the major row-crop commodities grown in the southwestern corner of the state for area producers. cientists from UT and other research institutions implement an array of research projects to evaluate major row-crop commodities and their viability on Ames Plantation in southwest Tennessee for the Mid-South. For additional information on field crop variety evaluations go to http://www.utextension.utk.edu/fieldCrops.

Are not tax dollars invested here?

I'm not sure of that answer, never been involved with all of the funding for the Plantation.

Hurley McMillion has a good stand... guy kills 2 bucks every year....

Best pure outdoorsman/hunter on the club, hands down. He knows how to scout, find deer sign, and hunt it properly, with the right wind, and execute the shot when given the opportunity. I think he is part deer, as he kills them all over the plantation, not in one single stand as eluded to. He has hunted Ames since the early 80s. Deer, and all other game for that matter, better hide when he comes in their area.

 

[megalomaniac]

What's the age structure of the does killed this year vs 5 years ago?

 

[Andy S.]

What's the age structure of the does killed this year vs 5 years ago?

I have not seen this year's doe harvest plotted, but I did see 2004-2017 plotted and age distribution of harvested does was pretty constant across all of those years. That was Dr. Craig Harper's defense about the membership possibly over harvesting does.

This year's doe harvest will be in the neighborhood of 90-100 does, where as years past was 165-235. We had planned to stop around 75-80 does this year, but the CWD sampling kicked us in the groin and made us do a 180 degree turn from what we had all agreed to do early December, which was lay off the does remainder of the season, and finish out season with 80 or so does killed.

 

[BigAl]

Saw where Ames is back to 125/4.5 limit. Not many Ames shooters are killed outside of the rut (I'm going on pics/post dates). All of this years bucks were killed from 11/9 to 12/6. Of course, it might just be the pics have not been updated. Will be curious if anyone is able to take a shooter this month. Are Ames members, such as McMillan getting a bonus buck?

 

[Andy S.]

Will be curious if anyone is able to take a shooter this month.

If a member does not have 2 bucks on the good board (125" or 4.5+), then he/she can kill a shooter buck in the extended season. As of right now, two members have 2 bucks on the good board, both killed during the regular gun season, so they cannot shoot another buck on Ames during the extended season. They have an extra statewide tag, but they do not have but 2 "good buck" tags on Ames all year, and they have already filled them. They can still kill does.

Are Ames members, such as McMillan getting a bonus buck?

No. Members are limited to 2 good bucks per year as Ames, regardless of what statewide regulations say.