New season same ole public land

[Cheatham35]

Lookin forward to bow season. Im looking for one now. Hoping to have better luck at cheathan WMA this year. Any advice tips and tricks appreciated.

 

[ROUGH COUNTRY HUNTER]

Don't know anything on that place but good luck

 

[Cheatham35]

Wondering if any has been there this year? Whats the chance of being able to set up a perma stand and it not be stolen?

 

[eightpointer]

Ive seen several lease openings on Craigslist and here.

 

[Cheatham35]

Ive seen several lease openings on Craigslist and here.

Honestly I cant afford a lease or I would.

 

[TLRanger]

Once upon a time, Cheatham was my favorite WMA. I quit hunting there when they made it "Same as statewide". With it being a small area (approx 18,000 acres) and within 50 miles of over a million people, it was devastated by over hunting. I live within 10 miles of the area but rather drive 100 than go there just to watch the trees grow. Although they have made it buck only during gun season, it still has not recovered and probably never will. Good luck to you but I think you would be much happier going to some other WMA.

 

[Cheatham35]

Once upon a time, Cheatham was my favorite WMA. I quit hunting there when they made it "Same as statewide". With it being a small area (approx 18,000 acres) and within 50 miles of over a million people, it was devastated by over hunting. I live within 10 miles of the area but rather drive 100 than go there just to watch the trees grow. Although they have made it buck only during gun season, it still has not recovered and probably never will. Good luck to you but I think you would be much happier going to some other WMA.

My only other option is Ft Campbell and its covered up with pressure too plus its an hour drive. Clarksville has grown a lot in the last 5 years. I watched this happen in GA when I lived there in the 80s. The growth killed hunting for anyone but those with long term leases 75 miles or more away form ALT or those with money that can afford their own land or hunting club. Its the reason I gave it up for many years. I may have to again since Cheatham is so sparse.

 

[treefarmer]

I hunted Cheatham before buying our own property. With 18,000 acres to hunt it can support 180 hunters at 100 acres each if it were a hunt club. I doubt there are 180 hunters using it. There are easy to get to spots where you will find most of the hunters and some out of the way spots a long walk where you can have the place to yourself. Talk to the manager and ask for ideas where to hunt, or get a topo map, compass and a .22 rifle or 20 gauge and do some walking during squirrel hunting season to see what you can find. The hunters will push the deer to you if you find the right spot. The price is right.

 

[Cheatham35]

I hunted Cheatham before buying our own property. With 18,000 acres to hunt it can support 180 hunters at 100 acres each if it were a hunt club. I doubt there are 180 hunters using it. There are easy to get to spots where you will find most of the hunters and some out of the way spots a long walk where you can have the place to yourself. Talk to the manager and ask for ideas where to hunt, or get a topo map, compass and a .22 rifle or 20 gauge and do some walking during squirrel hunting season to see what you can find. The hunters will push the deer to you if you find the right spot. The price is right.

Yeah walking a long way up and down that terrain carrying my gear and a climber stand aint gonna happen. I got 2 bad knees and it sucks. Years ago you could drive in to a place and be OK but they tightened it up and many places are now off limits to even a 4 wheeler.

 

[gobblegrunt]

Once upon a time, Cheatham was my favorite WMA. I quit hunting there when they made it "Same as statewide". With it being a small area (approx 18,000 acres) and within 50 miles of over a million people, it was devastated by over hunting. I live within 10 miles of the area but rather drive 100 than go there just to watch the trees grow. Although they have made it buck only during gun season, it still has not recovered and probably never will. Good luck to you but I think you would be much happier going to some other WMA.

My only other option is Ft Campbell and its covered up with pressure too plus its an hour drive. Clarksville has grown a lot in the last 5 years. I watched this happen in GA when I lived there in the 80s. The growth killed hunting for anyone but those with long term leases 75 miles or more away form ALT or those with money that can afford their own land or hunting club. Its the reason I gave it up for many years. I may have to again since Cheatham is so sparse.

If I only lived an hour away from the fort I would be there almost every chance I had. An hour drive is not much considering the odds of seeing a big buck.

 

[fishboy1]

Chetham is a hard hunt. Not because of pressure or lack of deer but because of terrain and the road closures.

You can have success but you have to work for it. Once you get it "figured out" your sightings will go way up. Going deep is one option.
Hunting the pressure is another. Find the dumbest spot in the world close to the roads and hunt it on the weekend when there is pressure. All the hardcores going deep will pressure deer off their normal patterns and push them into "stupid spots".

Last time I hunted there I went deep. Hiked a couple ridges to hunt near an old grown up clear cut with great sign. Didn't see squat. My buddy who was hunting literally 40 yards from the truck shot a deer at 7am that was sneaking along the down hill side of the ridge the road was on. There was no sign where he was hunting, and the deer came from where I was. My suspicion is that the deer knew that hunters liked to hunt the end of that ridge, smelled me, and was sneaking off when my buddy killed it.

 

[Cheatham35]

Ive seen deer over there but they were does during the buck only time. One problem I ran into last year was perma stands. They were everywhere and the game warden seems to not mind.

 

[Cheatham35]

Aaaaaaand looks like no hunting for me. Transmission just went out and no bow money .. Life huh

 

[catman529]

18,000 acres is a lot of land...I hunt Williamsport at 1700 acres with a quota of 100 hunters per hunt. So if half of the hunters show up, that's only 34 acres per hunter. Regardless I still enjoy the challenge of poking around the hollers and thickets trying to find where the deer come through. Good luck on cheatham


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[catman529]

Aaaaaaand looks like no hunting for me. Transmission just went out and no bow money .. Life huh

that sucks, keep trying to make it work, if you don't have a bow I have one you could borrow if all else fails


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[Deer Assassin]

i quit going up there when it changed to buck only