BuckMerker
Active Member
I was fortunate enough to get drawn for the President's Island hunt next week. Anyone willing to share information (places to scout, places to rule out) that has hunted there within the past few years? Thanks!
Presidents Island
- Thread starter BuckMerker
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Headhunter
Well-Known Member
Find one of the giant 8 pointers and kill him.
DoubleRidge
Well-Known Member
I've never hunted the island but have several preference points and should be drawn in the next year or two....and like everyone...I've read the island hunt is tougher currently than it was in previous years due to past floods, not as much Ag, etc....So you may not get many positive reports... But I wouldn't let that get in my head... you've come this far...scout hard, hunt hard and make the best of it...Good Luck on your hunt!!
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@AThiker may be able to offer some tips. He got on a nice buck up there a few years ago.
DoubleRidge
Well-Known Member
LOL...and actually your correct...that would be a good goal to set....the regulations say 9 point or 20" outside spread...so it's possible you could take an 8pt that's 17.5" or 18" inside...not saying it's likely...but certainly not impossible.
Headhunter
Well-Known Member
The regs are ignorant and not based on deer management of any kind. I mean any giant 8 pointer. One of the most stupid, uneducated the TWRA has ever done is the "trophy" regs at PI. What is most likely a once in a lifetime opportunity for those who go, and you could have a 130", a 140" and I have heard of 150" and larger 8 pointers there and you cannot legally kill that deer on a BOWHUNT?? You can shoot a tiny buck with 9 or more points though. And regardless of what the TWRA says, I believe you could win that case in court. It has been proven they are not the almighty, judge, jury and executioner, which the TWRA is not and should not be. It is truly sad the TWRA is becoming.
Also, those that can afford it, will pay thousands of dollars to a kill an 8 pointer (like has to be passed up at PI on a BOWHUNT) with a gun. Top with that there are ZERO biological, deer management based, etc. reasons to have to pass up a large 8 pointer on what is considered a "trophy hunt", I believe that could be won and maybe the TWRA could be restructured and start managing with the hunters and fishermen more in mind, especially since license sales are where they get most of their money.
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Solid plan here. LOL
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Headhunter
Well-Known Member
If I put in for PI and if I got drawn, it would be my plan and an attorney would be on standby.
I suppose every man must pick their fights. Good luck on the ones you pick. I personally would pick another.
You should lose that battle. If you sign up knowing the rules, you should abide by them. If I don't bowhunt, can I just carry a rifle?
Headhunter
Well-Known Member
I agree about following the rules but how to change a rule that is wrong in every sense of the word and it is even on record that a previous big game rep for the TWRA publicly said in his opinion it would make zero difference if there were no restrictions on bucks killed. Something that can be proven to be scientifically, biologically, deer management, etc. wise to be WRONG, I believe that could be won. The TWRA had no basis when that rule was implemented, at least nothing that makes sense.
If someone filed that lawsuit, the TWRA should just eliminate the hunt on President Island. I do not want my license money spent fighting a stupid lawsuit. Just my opinion.
Headhunter
Well-Known Member
The TWRA wastes so much money it is not even funny. 40,000 dollars to build ONE duck blind? And the TWRA is going to maintain it? I would bet any amount of money that will turn into complete crap. Based on the fact of how much the TWRA wastes, that alone means it should be replaced. All this while the game wardens are overworked and under paid and I believe are instructed to ignore poaching by the illegal immigrant population on all the Tennessee lakes. The illegal immigrant population, blatantly, in full public view, catch under size fish, over the limit, etc. most every single day and almost not one thing is done about it.
My comments were strictly on filing a stupid lawsuit towards the PI hunt. Appears you have a full anti TWRA agenda.
Headhunter
Well-Known Member
Not full anti, but there is for sure more negative than positive. I am far from alone with my thoughts about the TWRA.
megalomaniac
Well-Known Member
To be fair to TWRA, the antler restrictions were set up to protect far more younger age class deer than prevent harvest of older age class deer with few points. TWRA recognizes that only a tiny subset of hunters are capable of aging a deer on the hoof, while at least 99% of TN hunters can count points to 8 or less vs 9 or more.
Is it an ideal rule? Absolutely not. And the managers of PI hunt would say so. But if they allowed 8pts or better ( or any antlered buck) you would see half the bucks killed being 2.5 or younger. Sure, it's mind-blowing someone would spend 12 years of applying to shoot a dink, but yes, that what you get with a draw open to the public. The current regs protect 80% of the 2.5yos (unfortunately while preventing the harvest of over 50% of the fully mature bucks)
There is not enough hunting at PI for any kind of buck regs to matter whatsoever and they are unnecessary in my opinion , just do 4 points on one side or 8 points total if you just have to put something in writing. With that being said the current rule has been in place for years and everyone knows it when they apply. I hope you guys that got the hunt found lots of sign today and see the buck of a lifetime on the hunt. Good luck and keep us posted if you get a chance!
Headhunter
Well-Known Member
Correct and I still say the reg is not only wrong by many measures, deer management, biology, etc. but stupid and ignorant. It is a bow hunt. You very possibly may have to let once in a lifetime buck walk, and then shoot a scrub just because of the number of points. And it is not like there is a ton of hunters, also TWRA only has part of the island. The others hunting it can shoot whatever they want. Also, I haven't looked but they have a hunt where SPIKES are allowed to be killed. That is just as bad if not worse. It has been proven a spike can grow into a great buck, maybe even a giant. Stupidity is what I have come to expect from the TWRA in the last few years and like I said, I am FAR from alone in my feelings.
megalomaniac
Well-Known Member
So...
what would you propose as a regulation for PI to protect 90% of 2.5y/o bucks and younger, yet allow harvest of older/mature bucks the general public (many are not hardcore deer hunters) can follow?
UpperTully
Well-Known Member
Mississippi utilizes a rule of main beam length and width. It is easier to identify a buck by his width and main beam length than to count points on a moving buck where you're looking for the 1-2" sticker just to make him legal.
That would be more ideal and would increase the success rate hunters have on the currently protected class of bucks.
Deer like this stud of a 6 pt is why TWRA needs to eliminate that 9pt/20" rule.
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