Laurel Hill WMA

[BULL MOOSE]

Looks like Laurel Hill is moving from a 5 point to a 4 point on one antler this year, Or a 15 inch spread.

I have not hunted there in 25 years but have some historical family ties to the land.

There is usually a lot of discussion about Presidents Isaland and Catoosa's management and pictures of their bucks; however, I have not seen much discussion about Laurel Hill. Nor have I really seen any photos of deer off the area. I wish TWRA kept a photo documentary of deer from these WMA's and had them in a folder on their site. Seems like this would be a great intern opportunity for some wildlife management student to take photos and start a Facebook page for each of those WMAs and post the photos.

Who has some photos or input on Laurel Hill to share?

 

[FARMTOFIELD]

Lots of people a few deer

 

[Hardwoodmaterials]

X2 on what Rockhound said. I have hunted small game, coon and deer over there for years and to be honest with you I stopped putting in for the deer hunts a few years ago. Out of all the time I spent in the woods there I have yet to see a legal buck. I only know a handful of people that's killed a buck there.

 

[Vermin93]

Who has some photos or input on Laurel Hill to share?

Go here, click on "TFWC Committee Meeting Part 4", go to the 14:15 mark in the video. There's about a 13 minute dialogue between TWRA Regional Managers and multiple TFWC commissioners on Laurel Hill and antler restrictions throughout TN. It's very interesting and definitely worth a listen. Assistant Director of Field Operations, Steve Patrick, eventually suggests that it would probably make sense to remove all antler restrictions at Laurel Hill WMA.

http://twraonline.org/TFWC/april-2015.html

 

[catman529]

5 to 4 on one side is a bad move for big buck management. Think of it this way - how many yearling bucks have you seen with 4 on one side? It's pretty common...and very common with 2 year olds. However it's not so usual to see one with 5 on a side, so this limits you to older, bigger bucks. I think 5 on a side might be a better rule than PI's 9 pt rule, but that's just my opinion

I have only been to Laurel Hill once but I've always seen it as one of the WMAs managed for better bucks. I'm against the whole state trying to reduce limits for bigger bucks. But I'm all for a select few WMAs managing for them. So the 5 to 4 change for laurel hill ain't no good to me. Won't put in for it anyway, will get a leftover December permit or bowhunt it if anything.


Sent from the talk of tap

 

[Huntseverything22]

Not very many deer and a lot of people. I have hunted there a couple times and for an antler restriction to be in place there was a lot and I mean a lot of shooting for everyone that was shooting to be seeing 5 on one side bucks or 15 in outside spread.

 

[BULL MOOSE]

Eye opening viewing .... I did not catch the lady's name in the white shirt, but she seemed to be out of her element. She tried to explain changing a rule based on illegal behavior of "ground checking" and not enough time to count points. Really, that is how you explain a reg change?

Also, it looks like the cat is out of the bag on Tully. It does not surprise me since I missed the biggest buck I ever saw in the wild there in the early 90's.

 

[Vermin93]

Yep, I thought you'd find it to be an interesting discussion. I liked the tip that the one regional manager let slip.

 

[FARMTOFIELD]

Eye opening viewing .... I did not catch the lady's name in the white shirt, but she seemed to be out of her element. She tried to explain changing a rule based on illegal behavior of "ground checking" and not enough time to count points. Really, that is how you explain a reg change?

Also, it looks like the cat is out of the bag on Tully. It does not surprise me since I missed the biggest buck I ever saw in the wild there in the early 90's.

I can't pull the video up, but I would say the lady would be pam, who is over laurel hill, and she is right there is a ton of ground checking going on

 

[BULL MOOSE]

I just don't understand why anyone apply for a quota hunt with a point restriction if they were not willing to follow the rules.

 

[FARMTOFIELD]

I just don't understand why anyone apply for a quota hunt with a point restriction if they were not willing to follow the rules.

I think it's more to do with the 15" spread is what scares people, heck I killed an 8 pt. Up there that had a 14-3/4" spread. I checked it in without problem. It's impossible to distinguish that extra 1/4" but it scares people to death.

 

[TLRanger]

Just checked 2014 records for Laurel Hill:

Buck-----------63
Doe------------39
Total----------102

 

[Hardwoodmaterials]

63 bucks killed and I would guess around 2,000 hunters including archery season. Does the archery season have the antler restrictions like the m/l and rifle hunts?

 

[BULL MOOSE]

Antler restrictions in place on every hunt. I believe there was an early Oct. ml hunt last year then 2-3 quotas starting during statewide ml.

The quota hunts were 500 hunters and bucks only. I got drawn for one of the hunts last year but did not go because of a conflict.

It is really the only quota hunt that I am interested. Many of the WMA's used to have early gun hunts that were popular and now it seems most WMAs are open with statewide seasons. I always enjoyed Catoosa for the buck/hog opportunity and fellowship with relatives, but feel I have just as good opportunities for the caliber of bucks that come off Catoosa where I hunt now.

I don't bow hunt anymore so a ten year wait for PI does not interest me, nor will I likely still be living in Tn past 3 years from now.

 

[Boone 58]

Looks like Laurel Hill is moving from a 5 point to a 4 point on one antler this year, Or a 15 inch spread.

I have not hunted there in 25 years but have some historical family ties to the land.

There is usually a lot of discussion about Presidents Isaland and Catoosa's management and pictures of their bucks; however, I have not seen much discussion about Laurel Hill. Nor have I really seen any photos of deer off the area. I wish TWRA kept a photo documentary of deer from these WMA's and had them in a folder on their site. Seems like this would be a great intern opportunity for some wildlife management student to take photos and start a Facebook page for each of those WMAs and post the photos.

Who has some photos or input on Laurel Hill to share?

Rockhound and his brother have taken some nice studs from there........I will dig up some if I can find them from late 90's and early 2000's of some awesome ones.

 

[FARMTOFIELD]

Looks like Laurel Hill is moving from a 5 point to a 4 point on one antler this year, Or a 15 inch spread.

I have not hunted there in 25 years but have some historical family ties to the land.

There is usually a lot of discussion about Presidents Isaland and Catoosa's management and pictures of their bucks; however, I have not seen much discussion about Laurel Hill. Nor have I really seen any photos of deer off the area. I wish TWRA kept a photo documentary of deer from these WMA's and had them in a folder on their site. Seems like this would be a great intern opportunity for some wildlife management student to take photos and start a Facebook page for each of those WMAs and post the photos.

Who has some photos or input on Laurel Hill to share?

Rockhound and his brother have taken some nice studs from there........I will dig up some if I can find them from late 90's and early 2000's of some awesome ones.

No we haven't, no deer there

 

[Boone 58]

Lmbo!

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

 

[BULL MOOSE]

Let's see some pics