Priest WMA Hobson Pike

[CoachJohnson]

I've been going in from the TWRA parking off of Granny Wright/Hobson Pike. I have gone the last two weekends and have seen nothing from the ground blind (except a turkey or 3). I have pushed a few doe out of thicket on my walk out usually early afternoon. This is my second season hunting deer this wma and still haven't taken a shot. Many signs of life(deer) and haven't ran into any of the craziness(hunters/sword fighting) that I've read about on other threads. If anyone has hunted the priest wma successfully, I'd love to hear from you. Any advice for public land hunting for a second year hunter is welcome.

I'm glad I found this forum. Tons of great information and stories that keep me getting up early. Good luck to everyone going out in the morning and Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

 

[Bush Wacker]

Pm sent

 

[Bone Collector]

I am still lost as to where this area is? i had someone else ask me about Priest and said they were hunting there.

I advised them to try a new spot. I only hunt the south end of the WMA so down around Smyrna and off 840. If you have a boat, that will help you greatly, but if not, there are more spots down that way that you can park and walk into.

once ML and gun starts the deer get skittish, but they are in there.

 

[TNDeerGuy]

BC, he is hunting the area that I got opened back up several years ago that you and a few others went to that meeting with me over at Long Hunter State Park.

 

[TNDeerGuy]

Your best bet is to get rid of that blind and either get a treestand or build a natural blind out of fallen timber and brush�deer will pick a ground blind off in a minute....especially on very high-pressured land like Priest and especially the area you're hunting. I also agree with BC....look to the southern part of the lake�the land is a little more plentiful and offers opportunity to get away from people and pressure. North of Hobson Pike gets a ton of pressure.

 

[UTGrad]

Your best bet is to get rid of that blind and either get a treestand or build a natural blind out of fallen timber and brush�deer will pick a ground blind off in a minute....especially on very high-pressured land like Priest.

X1000

Hunting from a ground blind set up that day is not a good idea on private land much less high pressured public land. Deer will instantly pick it out and know its not natural. Ground blinds work if put out several weeks before season. Turkey are different. Turkey don't spook at ground blinds like deer. That's probably why you're seeing turkey but no deer.

Get a climbing stand and start climbing trees. You have much better odds.

 

[wtdhunter1]

I hunt Priest every year, best bet is find somewhere too thick to hunt and hunt it. I kill 3-4 does a year and usually a nice buck or two. Best buck yet was only 200 yards from the backyard of an adjoining home. Don't be afraid to ride around with a map and knock on doors. It worked for me