President's Island questions

[Muy Grande]

As far as President's Island goes, I have a couple of questions and/or looking for advice.

I hunt 100% of the time in Unit L which has a 2 buck limit. With President's Island being in the CWD unit (and that buck limit being 3 in that unit), wouldn't I be able to still take 2 bucks in unit L in addition to one on the Island if I was lucky enough to make that happen? (feel free to PM advice on where on the island I could up my odds on this, lol)

Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, where is the safest/best area to stay as far as hotels, etc? I don't have a camper or camping gear for December weather.

At 46 years old, I am treating this like a one and done hunt as I probably wouldn't put in for again and would likely be too old by the time I got drawn again anyway.

 

[Turkeychaser]

We stayed in Southhaven, MS but that was 14 years ago. You could rent a small camper for the weekend maybe.

 

[TNGunsmoke]

The way I understand the Unit L/CWD thing, is that you'd have to kill your 2 Unit L deer first, and then the 3rd in Unit CWD. If your first or second were killed in CWD, then you'd have already hit your limit of 2 before you killed another in L. You can always call the region office at 731-423-5725 or 800-372-3928 to verify this, just to be on the safe side.

 

[Muy Grande]

We stayed in Southhaven, MS but that was 14 years ago. You could rent a small camper for the weekend maybe.

I was looking there, and I think someone mentioned Millington on one of the older PI threads.

 

[Urban_Hunter]

I'm confused? You know you got the island already?

 

[TheLBLman]

I was looking there, and I think someone mentioned Millington on one of the older PI threads.

Could have been me, as when I hunted my "one & done" PI hunt in 2016, I stayed at my cousin's home in Millington. In retrospect, the drive was a bit far and a bit unnerving driving thru downtown Memphis in the wee hours of the morning.

First morning driving thru downtown, I accidently took a wrong turn, ended up in some desolate industrial park. Didn't cost me but about 10 minutes, just a bit unnerving. I had made the drive several times before, but everything looks different @ 3 am! It's also easier than you think to end up in Arkansas on your way to PI.

If I had it do over, I would most definitely camp in the designated area of the WMA. Just would save you a lot of time, and be relatively easy compared to all other options. Much safer, too.

I just couldn't turn down my cousin's gracious offer. She had a home-cooked meal for us every night, and let us stay at her beautiful gated road country home on a horse farm. Didn't have to worry about someone breaking into our vehicles, etc. If you stay at a motel anywhere around Memphis, having your vehicle broken into is a real risk.

 

[DayDay]

I'm hoping the 2023-2024 TWRA Hunting Guide will provide better wording than last year's guide. I am surprised every year with how poorly some sections are written. One part may get cleaned up one year while another part pops up with sorry writing.

Here is what is online at the moment which seems clear that killing only one antlered deer in unit CWD still allows two antlered deer from elsewhere in the state with no mention of the order that they are killed.

Deer Seasons and Bag Limits - 2023-2024
Units A, B, C, D, L bag limit: 2 antlered deer (No more than 1 per day). Unit CWD bag limit: 3 antlered deer (No more than 1 per day; with all taken solely in Unit CWD or in combination with no more than two (2) deer taken outside Unit CWD). See the Tennessee Hunting and Trapping Guide for deer units and county listings.

 

[Muy Grande]

I'm hoping the 2023-2024 TWRA Hunting Guide will provide better wording than last year's guide. I am surprised every year with how poorly some sections are written. One part may get cleaned up one year while another part pops up with sorry writing.

Here what is online at the moment which seems clear that killing only one antlered deer in unit CWD still allows two antlered deer from elsewhere in the state with no mention of the order that they are killed.

I'm gonna call beforehand and check for sure.

 

[Muy Grande]

I'm confused? You know you got the island already?

I've got 14 points.

 

[downthebrown]

If it were me, I would stay on the NORTH end of Millington. Plenty of decent hotels and the traffic is WAY less than what you would fight in North Mississippi. Plenty of places to eat and shop if you need anything as well. May be a few more minutes on your drive, but it would be worth it to me. I made the drive from Tipton County and it wasn't terrible.

 

[Bucket]

When I hunted PI in 2007 I asked a police officer to recommend a safe Memphis hotel. He told me of a place, I stayed there, and sure enough on the last night of my stay someone redecorated my driver's side door trying to break into it. 2019 When I hunted there again I stayed in Southaven with no problems and it's an easy drive up the interstate from there. I kept my 4 wheeler and trailer on the island by the makeshift campground at the entrance and it was safe there.

 

[BigAl]

Just thought of one thing, you access Presidents Island off I55 just south of downtown. They are doing some major interstate construction in that area. When the time approaches you might want to have some alternate routes or plan your accommodations around this. One some weekends they even close parts of the intersate.

I've always heard that if you can get your hands on a camper, its best to camp on the Island as TWRA has a spot for this.

 

[Muy Grande]

When I hunted PI in 2007 I asked a police officer to recommend a safe Memphis hotel. He told me of a place, I stayed there, and sure enough on the last night of my stay someone redecorated my driver's side door trying to break into it. 2019 When I hunted there again I stayed in Southaven with no problems and it's an easy drive up the interstate from there. I kept my 4 wheeler and trailer on the island by the makeshift campground at the entrance and it was safe there.

I was hoping to be able to leave trailer/atv there for sure, so that is good to know.

 

[Gravey]

2019 When I hunted there again I stayed in Southaven with no problems and it's an easy drive up the interstate from there. I kept my 4 wheeler and trailer on the island by the makeshift campground at the entrance and it was safe there.

Buddy and I hunted it in 2021 and this is what we did.

 

[Turkeychaser]

When I hunted PI in 2007 I asked a police officer to recommend a safe Memphis hotel. He told me of a place, I stayed there, and sure enough on the last night of my stay someone redecorated my driver's side door trying to break into it. 2019 When I hunted there again I stayed in Southaven with no problems and it's an easy drive up the interstate from there. I kept my 4 wheeler and trailer on the island by the makeshift campground at the entrance and it was safe there.

Was there a big difference between those two years in the hunting? I drew in 2009 and didn't kill, but I felt like it was the best year they had.

 

[Bone Collector]

At 46 years old, I am treating this like a one and done hunt as I probably wouldn't put in for again and would likely be too old by the time I got drawn again anyway.

I'm 47. I put in for a point this year as I knew I wouldn't be able to go. I will have 11 after this draw so probably wouldn't have drawn anyway. When I go I plan to camp. I always take a small air mattress, a sleeping bag and an extra blanket. I camp at LBL in November and I am fine, so I should be fine too. I want to be able to sleep as much as possible and only have to walk/ride so far to get to my stand.

what I'm saying is you don't need anything fancy to be able to camp in the cold weather of TN. Our cold isn't that cold. So while it is definitely less comfortable, it may be easier to hunt from closer by and it sounds like your risk of theft, etc. would be reduced. May be worth roughing it for a couple of nights.

 

[Bucket]

Was there a big difference between those two years in the hunting? I drew in 2009 and didn't kill, but I felt like it was the best year they had.

Night and day. The pre-flood 2007 hunt was unlike anything I've ever experienced before or since. Fast forward to 2019, the thousand or so acres of farmland negated by the flood have grown up into impenetrable cover that gives deer an advantage, and additionally that year the annual flooding prevented basically any crops from being planted, so there was an additional 2000 acres of cockelburs that was normally soybeans. I also believe the deer herd numbers have been impacted by several flood events in that time. If I'm not mistaken I think only 1 deer was killed on the Island on the 2019 hunt.

All that said, PI can be that magical place again with a few years of good weather fortune.

 

[Bagg-it Tag-it]

I hunt a mix of private and public ground....I have 4 points built up and know that it takes 14 or more to get PI now. My goal in stacking them up was to hunt there. However, I am not sure it will be worth the wait. But I am not sure any other place is really worth burning the points over either. I mostly hunt in Unit L and sometime in unit CWD

 

[Muy Grande]

Anyone else have any PI pointers or advice?

 

[tickweed]

Reality is, even if you draw, it's still a long shot on taking a really nice buck. I have hunted it in its prime, have 12 points now. First time l did see lots big sign, two shooters, but running does, couldnt stop em. Seen lots deer. Sat all day entire hunts. Bad cold front came in. Still maybe 5 killed. At least you will be where a good deer mite be. Dont expect it to be a pushover.

 

[Andy S.]

^^^ My thoughts exactly. We always hear from the 1-3 hunters who kill a 135"+ plus buck, but we rarely hear from the other 30 who hunted all weekend and went home empty handed. It is not year 2000 when PI hunt rivaled some of the best hunts in the Midwest. Pray for cold weather and manage your expectations. With that said, we have not had extreme high water on the big river in 3-4 years, so that is a plus. No one can point to recent flooding for lack of deer sightings, lack of opportunity, etc. Best of luck if you draw.

 

[TheLBLman]

With that said, we have not had extreme high water on the big river in 3-4 years, so that is a plus.

Unfortunately, major flooding could happen a week or two before any year's draw hunt.
Major flooding is always a wild card risk for this area.

 

[Andy S.]

Unfortunately, major flooding could happen a week or two before any year's draw hunt.
Major flooding is always a wild card risk for this area.

Historical MS River hydrographs do not support this concern. Fall months are traditionally some of the lowest MS River stages of the calendar year. With that said, November is one of the wettest months of the year when looking at monthly precipitation for Memphis area. My bigger concern would be an untimely warm front like we have had a few times over the last decade, and like I personally experienced at PI in 2017. Unlikely, but possible the first week of December, and a bummer for daytime deer movement.

 

[TheLBLman]

Historical MS River hydrographs do not support this concern.

Well those hydrographs may not support this concern, but I've certainly experienced being flooded out of deer hunting in far western Kentucky (near the Mississippi River) in early December. Agree, not common in early December.

 

[DoubleRidge]

Buddy and I are sitting on 12 points currently and while the island may not be what it once was....we've come to far down river to paddle back now....and theres still an opportunity to be around some nice bucks....but when we draw, hopefully in a couple years, we plan to camp in the area TWRA has designated. Looking forward to it....good luck to those who draw this year.

 

[tickweed]

I believe some 12s will be drawn

 

[TheLBLman]

I believe some 12s will be drawn

Possibly even some 11s, even some 10s.
Many are applying with others who have less priority, many of these purposefully so as NOT to be drawn (this year). That opens up slots for those wanting to be drawn (this year).

There also is a growing number who recognize PI may no longer be worth waiting, maybe not even another year. IMO, there's a better chance this year at killing an equal or higher scoring buck at the Milan Arsenal vs PI.

One of the risks of waiting to be drawn for PI is that this WMA could be eliminated at any time. Haven't seen this risk mentioned previously (in this thread).

That PI land is leased to TWRA, originally for the primary purpose of knocking down the deer population (which was very overpopulated). Between the doe-only hunts and Mother Nature, that primary goal was achieved about a decade ago.

Contrary to what some may think, TWRA being able to lease PI had more to do with reducing the deer density than anything to do with offering hunters a better "trophy" buck opportunity. But today, the landowner could probably find plenty of people willing to pay more than TWRA is currently paying for their very limited opportunity deer-only lease. They could also just sell it, any time.

 

[bowhunterfanatic]

I believe some 12s will be drawn

I hope so. I'm going in with 12 and thought awful hard about just using those points to hunt Milan. Figured I've waited this long though might as well see it through just to say I've hunted PI. Unless I'm one of the lucky few who manages to kill I'll probably start trying to draw a good hunt at Milan every few years going forward.

 

[DoubleRidge]

Possibly even some 11s, even some 10s.
Many are applying with others who have less priority, many of these purposefully so as NOT to be drawn (this year). That opens up slots for those wanting to be drawn (this year).

As far as putting in with others who have less points to not be drawn....Isnt it possible to only apply for a preference point and not even enter the drawing? At least I think it was that way at one time? Option to "Buy" a point...which would take you out of the current year draw...but you could continue to build points.

 

[BigAl]

I've got 11 points but don't want to get drawn this year. "I'm wondering if some of the folks will start putting in for Milan rather than waiting on the Island