Deer hunting in East Tennessee.

[saddle hunter]

I'm going to be moving to eastern Tennessee within the next year and am wondering what to expect when deer hunting. Particularly in the Rogersville/Sneedville/ Morristown triangle?

 

[348Winchester]

You will be seeing fewer deer overall most likely. Hawkins County, however, has always held higher populations than the surrounding counties.

 

[Tenntrapper]

And likely much smaller deer than you are used to in NY. This is my home turf..
It's mountainous, so expect some long difficult drags. Also, lots of tva land around here, so should have plenty of opportunity.

 

[saddle hunter]

And likely much smaller deer than you are used to in NY. This is my home turf..
It's mountainous, so expect some long difficult drags. Also, lots of tva land around here, so should have plenty of opportunity.

Smaller is good especially with the longer drags! What's the average weight of these deer?

 

[Tenntrapper]

Smaller is good especially with the longer drags! What's the average weight of these deer?

Just a guess... around here..100 lb for a good size doe, and maybe 135-150 for average buck. Of course, there are exceptions.
I haven't weighed a deer in close to 30 yrs. I just process them and put in the freezer...then enjoy my bounty throughout the year.

 

[killingtime 41]

You're about number 10 thousand that's moving or moved here from New York. I use to think Florida was the only place New Yorkers moves to. Lots of people from Florida moved to TN to get away from being overrun. Now it's a mass migration from NY to TN. Morristown has blown up in 2 or 3 years along with every town in East TN you can think of.seems the only ones that can afford to buy a house or land is all the people swarming from out of state. I'm sure the prices seem cheap to them. But locals can't afford a pot to piss in. East TN has a very sparse deer population compared to middle and west. Straight up and down type of hunting. You'll sit and often wonder if there's a deer in these woods at all. These mountains are relentless and unforgiving. Good luck

 

[saddle hunter]

So is Rogersville really that mountainous? What about farther west in the Cookville and Crossville area?

 

[Tenntrapper]

So is Rogersville really that mountainous? What about farther west in the Cookville and Crossville area?

Cookeville/Crossville are on the plateau...fairly flat. Rogersville...not so much.

 

[saddle hunter]

Thanks for the info. Are there more deer in the Cookville/Crossville area than Rogersville or will I have to go further west?

 

[GreeneGriz]

Hawkins and Hamblen county is loaded with deer. Hawkins has some of the most liberal doe bag limits in East Tennessee.
As for sizes…. You'll see the entire gambit of deer sizes…. Small bodied southern looking deer to big bodied northern strain looking deer.
I've seen mature bucks that field dressed 135# and I've seen mature deer that dressed over 200#. I've seen several bucks that scored 130-160 in this area. The mountains usually have the bigger racks , but I've seen more large mature bucks this summer than I have in the 16 years I've lived and hunted this area.

 

[killingtime 41]

Basically the farther west you go the flatter it is and the higher the deer population

 

[killingtime 41]

Hawkins and Hamblen county is loaded with deer. Hawkins has some of the most liberal doe bag limits in East Tennessee.
As for sizes…. You'll see the entire gambit of deer sizes…. Small bodied southern looking deer to big bodied northern strain looking deer.
I've seen mature bucks that field dressed 135# and I've seen mature deer that dressed over 200#. I've seen several bucks that scored 130-160 in this area. The mountains usually have the bigger racks , but I've seen more large mature bucks this summer than I have in the 16 years I've lived and hunted this area.

Hawkins and Hamblen county is loaded with deer. Hawkins has some of the most liberal doe bag limits in East Tennessee.
As for sizes…. You'll see the entire gambit of deer sizes…. Small bodied southern looking deer to big bodied northern strain looking deer.
I've seen mature bucks that field dressed 135# and I've seen mature deer that dressed over 200#. I've seen several bucks that scored 130-160 in this area. The mountains usually have the bigger racks , but I've seen more large mature bucks this summer than I have in the 16 years I've lived and hunted this

3 doe's a day in west Tn gets hard to match that. That's 3 a day all season long. Lot more wide open spaces and places to hunt out that way to. East Tn is mostly hunted by private land owners.

 

[saddle hunter]

Thank you guys for all the info. My brother lives just slightly north east of Jamestown. I'm heading down there the first week of September and will check out both the Cookville/Crossville and Rogersville/ Sneedville areas.

 

[Chiflyguy]

Hawkins and Hamblen county is loaded with deer. Hawkins has some of the most liberal doe bag limits in East Tennessee.
As for sizes…. You'll see the entire gambit of deer sizes…. Small bodied southern looking deer to big bodied northern strain looking deer.
I've seen mature bucks that field dressed 135# and I've seen mature deer that dressed over 200#. I've seen several bucks that scored 130-160 in this area. The mountains usually have the bigger racks , but I've seen more large mature bucks this summer than I have in the 16 years I've lived and hunted this area.

Shhhhh
It's gonna be a good season

 

[Chiflyguy]

Try and check out some TVA land.

 

[Snake]

Just a guess... around here..100 lb for a good size doe, and maybe 135-150 for average buck. Of course, there are exceptions.
I haven't weighed a deer in close to 30 yrs. I just process them and put in the freezer...then enjoy my bounty throughout the year.

Sounds like live weight to me , field dressed much lighter .

 

[Chiflyguy]

Sounds like live weight to me , field dressed much lighter .

Seen some pretty hefty ones tonight.

 

[Jcalder]

Thanks for the info. Are there more deer in the Cookville/Crossville area than Rogersville or will I have to go further west?

It's Cookeville. No deer here. Keep going west

 

[mike243]

Most of the bucks I have shot here in E Tn have been 2.5 years old, most have weighed in the 125lbs range, have shot 2 that were 3.5 and were 160+, that was field dressed. big difference in frame size when layed out with other deer imo. lot of tall ridges and deep hollows in Cumberland County so I can't say its flat, if you don't like the terrain walk a little farther it will change lol

 

[Snake]

Seen some pretty hefty ones tonight.

Oh yeah some of the older bucks could top the 200 lb . mark but on average not so much a 125 lb field dressed buck under 3 years old should be the norm .