New to TN

[Phil]

Hey everyone.

I'm originally from Maine but TN looked like the better place to raise a family. Spent over a decade in the military and just left because I didn't take the jab. Moved to Smyrna to attend MTSU. I'm looking to make friends to hunt with or to get any good info about the area. I'm not from around here and my time is limited between family/work/school so any advice is welcomed.

I mostly plan to hunt for the meat, I don't care about trophy bucks. Food prices are too high to be picky right now. I have a license, a gun, and a good attitude but I don't have a good back, knees, or shoulders. Any bones you can throw me that will reduce the amount of bush whacking I'll be doing will be much appreciated.

Thanks,
Phil

 

[hoghunter65]

Welcome!!

 

[Apostolic Outdoors]

Welcome!!

 

[DoubleRidge]

Thank you for your service...Im not familiar with any specific hunting areas near Smyrna but I'm sure you can find an opportunity at some freezer meat. Good luck hunting and welcome to TNdeer.

 

[Snake]

Welcome to Tennessee and as mentioned thanks for your service, hope you find a good place to hunt maybe someone on here will point you in the right direction .

 

[348Winchester]

Checkout TWRA website and look at the map of public lands. The Bridgestone area is close to Smyrna.

 

[MidTennFisher]

Welcome. Right down the road from you in Smyrna is J Percy Priest lake. A lot of the land around that lake is WMA. You can't use a rifle for deer but you can use muzzleloader (I think), and shotgun slugs. Also archery. I haven't hunted it in 7 years as I now live in South Carolina, so I have no idea how bad the pressure has gotten. Being so close to Nashville, I bet it gets a lot of pressure so think about getting into areas where most wouldn't bother.

Regardless, it is right near so you it's worth checking out.

 

[BamBam77]

Being that close to Nashville, a bow would be helpful to hunt Percy Priest.

However, you're ~15 miles to Cedars of Lebanon State Forest that is open to gun.
Old Hickory WMA to the north, but access is limited without a boat, still some doable spots.
Cheatham WMA is likely a waste this year for you as it's either a quota hunt or limited to 1 antlerless starting after Thanksgiving.
You have Yanahli WMA an hour SW and Cordell Hull WMA an hour to the NE, both would be good options.

The layers on HuntStand helped me a lot. Free trial at sign up, then mil discount after. And lmk how else I can help or if you want more info on these. I also left the military due to a changing climate and found myself back in TN trying to hunt, so the info is fresh

 

[BamBam77]

Here's some notes on seasons and open areas around me

 

[BamBam77]

Also one of my HuntStand maps showing your overall area. You have some options in your backyard and plenty of space if you'll drive a bit. Nothing too ground breaking, but hopefully this gives you a good starting point

 

[C1295]

Welcome, thanks for your service Sir!

 

[MidTennFisher]

Also one of my HuntStand maps showing your overall area. You have some options in your backyard and plenty of space if you'll drive a bit. Nothing too ground breaking, but hopefully this gives you a good starting point

Why doesn't your map show the WMA around Center Hill Lake?

 

[Wrangler95]

Welcome and thank you for serving the Country!Like others ,there is lots of public hunting land in middle Tn.

 

[BamBam77]

Why doesn't your map show the WMA around Center Hill Lake?

Good eye. That pic isn't the layers I mentioned, but actually my personal map I created and work with. I saved the borders to properties that interest me. For whatever reason when I made it, Center Hill didn't make the cut, likely distance. Pea Ridge either. They do show up on the "Hunting Lands" and the "Public Lands" layers tho

 

[Phil]

Wow, I was not expecting so many responses. Thank you everyone for the replies and welcomes.

Does anyone how the bag limits work according to hunting in two separate zones? I wanted to head out to the Tri-cities and do some trout fishing and was wondering if I could also hit the bag limit for that zone if I maxed out in my zone already. I'm guessing I would need to buy more tags correct?

 

[Trnr]

Welcome Phil! I hunt Percy Priest Unit 2 90% of the season. As others have said it is archery, muzzleloader, shotgun only. Hunting pressure is a roller coaster and different each year. I've got some friends that are Mainers and I've bear hunted with them over the years down east. You'll see Percy is thick like the Maine woods just a different kind of thick. Shoot me a PM when you're available and I'd be happy to meet up and help the best I can.

Keep in mind, if you're not getting a sportsman license you'll have to get a type 094 as well to hunt the WMAs.

 

[rem270]

I'm a ways away from you and no help, but welcome to the site. You came to the right place for someone to give you pointers and possibly help out!

 

[progelk]

Welcome to Smyrna, Phil! It's great that you're focused on hunting for meat. Best of luck with your studies and hunting adventures!

 

[rifle02]

Welcome to tennessee!

 

[Iglow]

Hey everyone.

I'm originally from Maine but TN looked like the better place to raise a family.

If middle Tn is a better place it sure must have sucked bad where you left from.