School me on Presidents Island

[Remington742]

Can y'all explain how long it takes to get drawn. I am thinking about putting in for it with some buddy's. We are going to do the party hunt. Is it better to do it as a party or as singles. I don't know much about how it works so any information would be great. Thanks.

 

[rem270]

I think it takes 10 years to build the points. But i may be wrong.

 

[callemquacktn]

The guys getting drawn this yr will have 10 priority points which means it will be their 11 yr drawing. Not all will get drawn since there is right at 100 with that amount of points, so the rest will carry over and get drawn in their 1wth draw with 11 pp in 2018. Starting from 0 this yr will mean 20 + yrs to get drawn

 

[catman529]

It's not worth it to me to wait that long. I have other draw hunts I enjoy, much closer to home, and I'll put in for the PI doe hunt again, since it's easy to draw, you can camp on the island and it's a lot of fun hunting out there even if not for a buck.

 

[Remington742]

Thanks guys. If you have any more information I would greatly appreciate it.

 

[Remington742]

TTT

 

[Ahuntin1]

Every year someone puts in for the hunt and does not draw a spot, they get a priority point. They only draw people from the pool if they have the 'maximum' priory points. I think that number of priority points is somewhere around 10 points right now. That means that those people have applied unsuccessfully every year for 10 years. They draw 80 people every year for the hunt (50 for the main island and 30 more for the ensley unit to the south). As time goes on, more and more people are applying. I think that it took about 8-10 years to draw all of the people that applied the first year that they started the current priority system. Now, there are way more people in the system applying every year. It will probably take at least 15 years to get drawn if you put every year from now. The sad fact is that the success rate probably averages between 10-15% of the hunters. The main island has a better success ratio, but the ensley unit definitely has a better share of trophies. The best year ever had about a 25% success rate. I was lucky enough to have been there that year. If you buy your sportsman's license every year or have a lifetime, you might as well go ahead and make a habit of apply every summer. If you get drawn, be prepared to hunt hard. The island is big and can be tough hunting, but its worth it and can very exciting. I wish you luck

 

[muddyboots]

That's pretty much it. I've been drawn once and have a buddy been drawn twice. It was awesome when I was there. It takes about 10 yrs to be Eligible. It makes no difference if you put in a party or no as long as u both have the same points.

 

[Remington742]

Thanks guys that help a bunch.

 

[TheLBLman]

. . . . . It was awesome when I was there.

Might I ask how many years ago was that?

By my recent observations, it would appear the kind of hunting opportunity that made PI so famous hasn't existed since about 2011?

It may very well remain the single best WMA in TN for a P&Y class buck, but is questionably worth the forfeitures of so many other quota WMA hunts over the years for the chance to be drawn for a PI hunt. It took me 14 years to be drawn. In my group of 3, two of us didn't even see a deer while hunting (the 2016 quota buck hunt). Other groups had good success, although most reported relatively little deer sign compared to expectations.

 

[Luckybuck16]

Seems like a great place to hunt if u can get drawn

 

[muddyboots]

. . . . . It was awesome when I was there.

Might I ask how many years ago was that?

By my recent observations, it would appear the kind of hunting opportunity that made PI so famous hasn't existed since about 2011?

It may very well remain the single best WMA in TN for a P&Y class buck, but is questionably worth the forfeitures of so many other quota WMA hunts over the years for the chance to be drawn for a PI hunt. It took me 14 years to be drawn. In my group of 3, two of us didn't even see a deer while hunting (the 2016 quota buck hunt). Other groups had good success, although most reported relatively little deer sign compared to expectations.

I went in 2008

 

[CBU93]

This past year was my third buck hunt to be drawn...I have not put forth any information or response to any PI thread as of yet, until now.

The prior years I hunted the Island, big buck sign was EVERYWHERE you looked, regardless of what you thought was a good spot on an aerial or not. You could literally step into almost any woodlot section and walk from one side to the other without stepping on leaf because of the number of scrapes. Rubs, big signpost rubs were literally within eyesight of anywhere you stood on the island. ON scout day, as soon as they allowed people in to look around deer would be running all over the fields. NOT SO THIS YEAR!

From my previous experiences, I thought I had a good game plan on where to look. Sorely disappointed on the amount of sign I saw. So, since I had pretty much gambled on one general area I placed a stand between two thickets in the woods and placed a ground blind on a field edge where the two hunts previous, I had seen a large number of deer and bucks passing from one patch of cover to another. I hunted the ground blind in the morning where I could see approximately 4-%00 yards into the field along with the wood edge. DId not see a single deer. Slipped into the treestand in the woods about noon. Around two pm I saw a doe and a spike. That is is, the only deer I saw until I came out at dark and bumped a small buck in the field in the dark.

With that said, I have a couple theories on the reasons:

First, the last few floods took a toll on the deer numbers on the Island. I think there are appreciably less deer...but there are still a good many deer and good bucks on the Island to hunt, coming from all over South Memphis and swimming the river from Arkansas. Additionally, from mankind activities and from standing water, the habitat has changed from the first couple years I got to hunt the Island.

Secondly, and IMO more importantly, the weather was not optimal for hunting the Island this year. It was a bit warm. I would have preferred it to bee about 10 to 20 degrees cooler for more optimal conditions.

Thirdly, the level of activity on the island from the pipeline work was a little disappointing, but probably had more of an effect on the hunters than the deer.

I did not hunt Saturday or Sunday this year for my own personal reasons, maybe things were different in my chosen area, but from what I saw Friday and from the reports online, I doubt it and am not losing any sleep over it.

If I had a number of points built up, I would continue to put in for it...I would NOT start trying to build points from zero now. I will not apply again for the buck hunt, but may put in for the doe hunts moving forward until the city and port commission do way with the opportunities to hunt there.

I would love to have access to hunt the Island for one full season, all weapons (even archery only for the year would be acceptable) as I still think a true monster is there and is killable under the right conditions and circumstances.

 

[highridge]

In 10 years you can take a trip out of state every year to Kentucky or Ohio and hunt public land and have a much better opportunity at seeing and getting a shot at a good buck with a bow.

 

[UpperTully]

The flood from the winter of 2015/2016 hit the deer hard. It was the 5th or 6th worst documented flood to hit the Mississippi River. I'm convinced that the flooding, temperatures dipping down teens brought on hypothermia and claimed a lot of deer. It's going to take some time to recover from this flood, I feel it hit the deer harder than it did in 2011.

 

[Mike Belt]

Debatable I guess.... I don't know which was worse on the deer population. I think the 2011 flood caught the island at full capacity and removed an extremely large percentage of the deer. By the time the 2015 flood hit the deer still hadn't recovered and the flooding was just as devastating; removing the deer again albeit a smaller number. If the numbers were already down between those 2 floods that could only mean that many were killed during the first flood and of those surviving, many never returned to the island. It would stand to reason that with fewer deer involved those numbers would be down even more. With the limited food supply on the island I would suspect that of those surviving and temporarily displaced, many were displaced into more optimum environments and took up residence in their new homes.

 

[megalomaniac]

IMO, although the ag is way down on the island, there is an insane amount of native browse (greenbrier, honeysuckle, etc) to support 3-4x the population currently.

I hunted the fall after the great flood... there were no browse lines anywhere in the woods. Semi-open woods had huge patches of greenbrier that was unpressured. Really, there is just TOO much food to concentrate the deer after the population plummeted.

It will come back as long as there isn't another flood. Figure around 6-8 more years for the population to rebound, then add another 4 years for those bucks to mature.

As far as number of years applying before you're drawn... I strongly suspect it will take 17-18 years of consecutive applications if one started today. Point creep is a b!tch.

Is the current hunt worth the wait??? heck no... will it be worth the wait in the future... maybe... but only if we go several more years without a flood, no EHD outbreaks, etc, etc, etc... a LOT of 'if's'

 

[Mike Belt]

Agreed. If you don't plan on ever putting in for any other draw hunts then you don't have anything to lose by putting in for PI. Eventually you'll be drawn.

 

[Headhunter]

In 10 years you can take a trip out of state every year to Kentucky or Ohio and hunt public land and have a much better opportunity at seeing and getting a shot at a good buck with a bow.

Also, if a 130", 140", 150" or larger clean 8 pointer walks by you will be allowed to attempt to kill that buck. At PI, that "freak" of a buck is off limits.

 

[AT Hiker]

Let's say a person should draw the Island this year, but decides to apply with someone who has no points so they can build another years worth. Would this be a decent gamble to hopefully improve the population (buck age class too).

Of course ownership could change hands and/or another flood. Just thinking of a strategy since this last fall seemed to be a down year for the island.


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[Mike Belt]

You lost me on that one AT. Not sure what you're asking. Either way, PI isn't really a gamble considering you know on the front end you don't stand a chance for the first 10 years. That sounds more like a sure bet to me. Every year there's no flood involved improves the chances at more deer using the island in the future. I don't think hunter involvement influences the deer numbers one way or the other.

 

[TN Larry]

Let's say a person should draw the Island this year, but decides to apply with someone who has no points so they can build another years worth. Would this be a decent gamble to hopefully improve the population (buck age class too).

Of course ownership could change hands and/or another flood. Just thinking of a strategy since this last fall seemed to be a down year for the island.


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It would be a decent gamble assuming that ownership doesn't change or another flood happens. Last year's age structure and antler score were a little off, but I still think that the success rate was on par. Me personally, I would draw next year if I could. I don't know if the risk that something changes is worth the reward of possibly the hunt being better in the coming years.

 

[megalomaniac]

it's all a gamble....

I'm sitting on max points for antelope in Wyoming... was planning on hunting this year, but with the insane snowfall and expected massive die-off, it looks like I'll be holding out for another few years.... Last massive dieoff was 2011 in Wyoming... was just getting great again until this winter

 

[ghostdance56]

I hunted in 2013 during an thunderstorm followed by freezing rain; from what I saw I would hunt it again. I didn't have the max number of points. Maybe a lot of people just bought a preference point and didn't apply is why I was drawn.
Did no one notice the response from the person that has hunted 3 times? And he lives in Germantown which is spitting distance of the Island.
There are other people I talked to that have hunted the Island more than once or twice.
So I'm guessing the evidence shows that you don't necessarily have to have the max number of points.
TN doesn't have any other quota hunts worth applying for; my buddy and I both have our lifetime license so we apply every year; doesn't cost anything.
There were some really old dudes hunting it the year I did.
Heck as long as I can hold up at least a crossbow and waddle into the woods I'm gonna keep applying! The wardens will help retrieve the buck.
Why not! :super:

 

[Mike Belt]

It's possible to apply successfully on the doe hunts multiple years. It isn't on the buck hunt since they went to a cumulative point system after the second or third year of the hunts.

 

[fairchaser]

What about Ensley? No one talks about it but the stats are almost as good there. How does the flooding affect Ensley? How many points does it take to get drawn there? Opinions?

 

[Bone Collector]

There are other people I talked to that have hunted the Island more than once or twice.
So I'm guessing the evidence shows that you don't necessarily have to have the max number of points.

Back in the day you didn't. Once everyone found out about it and started putting in, you did. I heard about one time in 2003, if i had started putting in then, I probably would have been drawn twice by now.

Instead I am waiting and because I am a doofus, I have less points than i should.

Hopefully it will still be a WMA by the time i draw. If not I will have my choice of hunt. :lol:

 

[easy45]

Took me 9 years to get drawn, hunted in 2014 and killed a 136" 9 point, it's the only quota hunt I'll ever put in for.


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[Headhunter]

Never put in for it and I won't. I will not spend however many years it takes to get drawn and then you cannot shoot a 130", 140" or 150" deer if it walks by, with a bow. You can shoot an 80, 90, or 100 inch buck just because it has 9 or more points. Poor management decision that is just wrong. There should be someway to let someone kill what is a "book" deer with a bow without hurting the herd.

 

[Mike Belt]

My take on PI is that if you never apply for any other draw hunts then you miss out on nothing by tying up your time and efforts applying for PI... even if it's a 10 or 11 year ordeal. You will eventually be drawn and whether you go or not is entirely up to you. I 100% don't agree with their 9 point restriction. With no more hunters and no more hunting as is done and considering it's archery only I highly doubt they'll hurt the population at all. Considering the fact that most hunters will never draw down on a 135"+ buck anywhere else, it just seems such a waste to have these 7 and 8 pointers that may score much more than that dying of old age. I suspect more die of old age than would be shot by archers. On the flip side to that I do think there should be a minimum size limit regardless of the number of points but I suspect there are many that 100% don't agree with that either. In any event, PI gives a lot of hunters the opportunity to kill a buck the likes they'd probably never be able to elsewhere, and if the Island ever gets back to pre-flood populations, the sign you see is worth the trip.