Nealmeally
Well-Known Member
I may have missed it but is there any pics of the bucks killed there this year?? Link maybe..?
President's Island??
- Thread starter Nealmeally
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stik
Well-Known Member
Nealmeally
Well-Known Member
Preciate it!
Columbia Scott
Well-Known Member
You know, these are Tennessee deer. I know they say that soil and agriculture dictate how big your deer can get. I was raised in that neck of the woods and That is all mostly delta bottom clay, river silt and short growing soybeans are the only nutrition. Maybe they are eating cotton?
deaddownwind
Well-Known Member
Cades Cove deer are TN deer too! And all you hear is East TN deer dont get big! TN deer can't get big. Those deer there at Presidents Island and Cades Cove just get old and TADA big deer! That's weird isn't it! Age is what produces big deer. TN doesn't have big deer bc we have a 3 buck limit and everyone thinks they have to kill those three every year bc that's how many tags you get. Therefore most hunters kill the same 2.5 year old 8 point every year 3 times, cut the rack off, and store in a plastic tub in the shed with the rest of the little racks. Ive seen many TN deer that would be trophies in any state, yet everyone complains about small TN deer. Sure deer in other states get bigger but I believe if managed the correct way, TN can produce as good of deer as any state just maybe not as many.
Nealmeally
Well-Known Member
deaddownwind said:
How many of those hunters don't know the difference in a 2.5 year old and a 4.5 year old? And how many don't really care??
deaddownwind said:
It can be done but you have to have big chuncks of land to do it on. Still a whole lot of hunters that care nothing about hunting trophy deer also. But if you can get several pieces of joining property working together to manage for big bucks, it can happen anywhere IMO...
Crosshairy
Well-Known Member
President's Island has a lot of browse, and a lot of black locust bean pods 
I think I've counted about 12 oak trees on the whole place (not much exaggeration)! Deer will survive just fine on honeysuckle, ragweeed, poison ivy, and persimmons. The planted fields certainly don't hurt, as a big bonus.
I agree that TN can grow some huge bucks, but until the opportunity to hunt unpressured land improves (yeah, right), most folks like myself worry about filling the freezer first. If I see a 2.5-year-old 8 point on public land in daylight hours during muzzleloader season, he is getting shot 98% of the time, because in 2 weeks I will only be seeing a deer 1 out of every 2-3 trips, and most of those I won't get a shot at.
My tune will change when I buy some property and don't have to compete with others so much, but there are LOTS and LOTS of people that think an average 8-point is a big deer, because the amount of extra effort to kill a trophy outside of the rut is a lot higher (most of the time), and the average person is unwilling/unable to make that commitment.
I had that same scenario this year...opening of MZ season, a really nice 8-point with a cool rack came out within range. I said "I can let this guy walk until next year, or I can fill 1/3 of my freezer with this big deer and go spend some time with my family without thinking about the woods every 2 seconds".
BANG! In one shot, I get meat, fun, happy kids, and marital harmony. Screw giant deer
I think I've counted about 12 oak trees on the whole place (not much exaggeration)! Deer will survive just fine on honeysuckle, ragweeed, poison ivy, and persimmons. The planted fields certainly don't hurt, as a big bonus.I agree that TN can grow some huge bucks, but until the opportunity to hunt unpressured land improves (yeah, right), most folks like myself worry about filling the freezer first. If I see a 2.5-year-old 8 point on public land in daylight hours during muzzleloader season, he is getting shot 98% of the time, because in 2 weeks I will only be seeing a deer 1 out of every 2-3 trips, and most of those I won't get a shot at.
My tune will change when I buy some property and don't have to compete with others so much, but there are LOTS and LOTS of people that think an average 8-point is a big deer, because the amount of extra effort to kill a trophy outside of the rut is a lot higher (most of the time), and the average person is unwilling/unable to make that commitment.
I had that same scenario this year...opening of MZ season, a really nice 8-point with a cool rack came out within range. I said "I can let this guy walk until next year, or I can fill 1/3 of my freezer with this big deer and go spend some time with my family without thinking about the woods every 2 seconds".
BANG! In one shot, I get meat, fun, happy kids, and marital harmony. Screw giant deer
GREAT point!! the fact that you was happy with it is pricelessCrosshairy said:President's Island has a lot of browse, and a lot of black locust bean pods
I agree that TN can grow some huge bucks, but until the opportunity to hunt unpressured land improves (yeah, right), most folks like myself worry about filling the freezer first. If I see a 2.5-year-old 8 point on public land in daylight hours during muzzleloader season, he is getting shot 98% of the time, because in 2 weeks I will only be seeing a deer 1 out of every 2-3 trips, and most of those I won't get a shot at.
My tune will change when I buy some property and don't have to compete with others so much, but there are LOTS and LOTS of people that think an average 8-point is a big deer, because the amount of extra effort to kill a trophy outside of the rut is a lot higher (most of the time), and the average person is unwilling/unable to make that commitment.
I had that same scenario this year...opening of MZ season, a really nice 8-point with a cool rack came out within range. I said "I can let this guy walk until next year, or I can fill 1/3 of my freezer with this big deer and go spend some time with my family without thinking about the woods every 2 seconds".
BANG! In one shot, I get meat, fun, happy kids, and marital harmony. Screw giant deer
