General Intel for Yuchi Draw Hunts

[EastTNHunter]

Every year it happens: people draw Yuchi quota hunts and ask for intel. Here's what the WMA manager gave me yesterday:
- The corn will be cut when the sharecroppers decide to cut it. Based upon moisture content and how the weather allows. Could be 2 weeks, could be mid-December
- If you kill a deer in deep you can quarter it out and carry out it the quarters as long as you bring out the head for biological data and positive identification. The checking station will be manned all day Saturday and half day Sunday (my experience over the past few years has been to the contrary, but that's what the man said)
- Center road will be closed again for all hunts
- For earn-a-buck does you can shoot them and check them in via the app, then keep on hunting and tote them out later
- He's not sure about the mast crop yet. I can confirm that there are several loaded persimmons out there, but couldn't see the crowns of oaks on recent scouting trips to verify if they would bear many acorns

That's all that I have for now, other than that there are hotels in Spring City, and then Dayton, and then a campground right at the entrance called "Unit 3" or something like that.

 

[Hduke86]

I'm glad they will allow the hunters to check in the does by the app cause that would be a huge hassle if not.

 

[Buzzard Breath]

Every year it happens: people draw Yuchi quota hunts and ask for intel. Here's what the WMA manager gave me yesterday:
- The corn will be cut when the sharecroppers decide to cut it. Based upon moisture content and how the weather allows. Could be 2 weeks, could be mid-December
- If you kill a deer in deep you can quarter it out and carry out it the quarters as long as you bring out the head for biological data and positive identification. The checking station will be manned all day Saturday and half day Sunday (my experience over the past few years has been to the contrary, but that's what the man said)
- Center road will be closed again for all hunts
- For earn-a-buck does you can shoot them and check them in via the app, then keep on hunting and tote them out later
- He's not sure about the mast crop yet. I can confirm that there are several loaded persimmons out there, but couldn't see the crowns of oaks on recent scouting trips to verify if they would bear many acorns

That's all that I have for now, other than that there are hotels in Spring City, and then Dayton, and then a campground right at the entrance called "Unit 3" or something like that.

Good info. Thanks for posting it.

 

[arctic_cat]

Will be my first time at Yuchi. Daughter was drawn for one of the youth hunts. I've heard good things about the place.

 

[EastTNHunter]

Will be my first time at Yuchi. Daughter was drawn for one of the youth hunts. I've heard good things about the place.

I'll be out there at the same time with one of my kids. Each of them drew a hunt. My daughters also drew adult hunts. I'll be in a silver Subaru Outback "meat wagon," or a maroon Ford Expedition. Make sure to wave and stop to chat if you see us.

I want to make sure that you have the right expectations about the property. It is very diverse, and the ridges are steep and like a labyrinth. Make sure that you have GPS if you venture in there, and that you are ready for a hike. If you like hunting open woods, you can do that. If you like hunting thickets, you can do that. If you like hunting 4-5yr old clear cut then you can do that. Creek bottoms, etc, you get the drift.

Don't expect to kill a monster out there, but go out there with the expectation to see quite a few deer if you do your part. Youth hunts don't have the earn-a-buck requirement or the antler restrictions, and they want the deer thinned out, so let her shoot what she wants and bring a cooler to drop it on ice so that you can go right back in to get her another one. Hunt through lunch, as other hunters will push deer past you. And enjoy the experience more than the kill!

 

[Antler Daddy]

I'll be out there at the same time with one of my kids. Each of them drew a hunt. My daughters also drew adult hunts. I'll be in a silver Subaru Outback "meat wagon," or a maroon Ford Expedition. Make sure to wave and stop to chat if you see us.

I want to make sure that you have the right expectations about the property. It is very diverse, and the ridges are steep and like a labyrinth. Make sure that you have GPS if you venture in there, and that you are ready for a hike. If you like hunting open woods, you can do that. If you like hunting thickets, you can do that. If you like hunting 4-5yr old clear cut then you can do that. Creek bottoms, etc, you get the drift.

Don't expect to kill a monster out there, but go out there with the expectation to see quite a few deer if you do your part. Youth hunts don't have the earn-a-buck requirement or the antler restrictions, and they want the deer thinned out, so let her shoot what she wants and bring a cooler to drop it on ice so that you can go right back in to get her another one. Hunt through lunch, as other hunters will push deer past you. And enjoy the experience more than the kill!

That is an honest assessment.

I hunted juvenile once and had great expectations for big bucks for some reason....hills about killed me and my knees and we went home about 3, hot as hades in early Oct. and I have not been back.

With one guy on the board going this year, I would not go near it. Best of luck to all!

 

[arctic_cat]

How covered up with people does it get? 75 kids drawn for each youth hunts on little over 2,000 acres seems like it's going to look like a pumpkin patch come daylight.

 

[EastTNHunter]

How covered up with people does it get? 75 kids drawn for each youth hunts on little over 2,000 acres seems like it's going to look like a pumpkin patch come daylight.

Property is diverse and thick enough in places that you should be able to find spots away from people. Be ready to move if someone moves in on top of you, but don't feel like you need to move just because someone walks through.

Some people will go in the day or two beforehand and setup pop up blinds and "claim" spots, which is irritating and classless, but it also makes them less mobile. We'll go in with turkey seats and foldable umbrella blinds that pack down quick and tight so that we aren't anchored.

I'll go in with at least 3 locations in mind for the predominant wind direction for that day, and will shift if needed.

 

[arctic_cat]

Property is diverse and thick enough in places that you should be able to find spots away from people. Be ready to move if someone moves in on top of you, but don't feel like you need to move just because someone walks through.

Some people will go in the day or two beforehand and setup pop up blinds and "claim" spots, which is irritating and classless, but it also makes them less mobile. We'll go in with turkey seats and foldable umbrella blinds that pack down quick and tight so that we aren't anchored.

I'll go in with at least 3 locations in mind for the predominant wind direction for that day, and will shift if needed.

Thanks for all the info. I work with guys that hunt it but they don't say much other than it's steep. I've had topo maps pulled up for days and I have 2 spots I'm going to scout in the next few weekends and hopefully come across a few other places while I'm there.

 

[Harold Money jr]

My son has drawn it 2 times. The first time he was 9 and he killed a nice 3yo, 9 point at 11:30 deep in the area. It was traveling with another buck of similar age and size. That afternoon we set up near a field in high grass and he killed his doe. We were absolutely ate up by mosquitos and it was over 90°. He drew the hunt a couple years later and ended up missing a couple times on long field shots.
Imo the fields on the right side of the road from entrance to the checking station are the best. They border the most intensively managed private deer heard in East Tennessee, the Robinson farm. It's a great hunt, it's just not a very easy hunt.

 

[Snake]

There is no deer worth hunting @ Yuchi , STAY AWAY . How's that Houston ??

 

[Savage Knight]

Property is diverse and thick enough in places that you should be able to find spots away from people. Be ready to move if someone moves in on top of you, but don't feel like you need to move just because someone walks through.

Some people will go in the day or two beforehand and setup pop up blinds and "claim" spots, which is irritating and classless, but it also makes them less mobile. We'll go in with turkey seats and foldable umbrella blinds that pack down quick and tight so that we aren't anchored.

I'll go in with at least 3 locations in mind for the predominant wind direction for that day, and will shift if needed.

Same here, the turkey seats are worth their weight in gold! I bought some "low down" sling style seats at the turkey show they roll up to about the size of the umbrellas. I feel like these are going to come in very handy!