The NWR turkey hunts

[Spurhunter]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought when you applied you were applying for all the hunts.

You may be correct, but I have called them a couple of times, and as recent as last month, to get clarification on that, but yet to get in touch with anyone that sounded like they had any confidence in answering my question. Needless to say, I am still not sure on how the draw works for sure.

I would rather NOT get drawn for a weekend I know I will not be there, and afford another hunter that opportunity, than get drawn, throw my notice in the garbage, and no one gets to hunt in that slot. Make sense?

Absolutely. I would hate to keep another hunter from getting drawn on a hunt I can't make. Let us know if you ever get a reliable answer.


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[Andy S.]

The brochure states this exact verbiage:

"Indicate hunt preference (1st [Youth Hunt], 2nd, 3rd, or 4th) on the Turkey application."

The way it is worded leads me to believe you can only choose one hunt, due to the word "or" being used.

 

[SKFOOTER]

I talked with someone at Reelfoot NWR and had it explained to me this way----You can pick each hunt date in your order of preference but you'll only be placed in your first choice if you're drawn and there are still openings available for that hunt. If one of the other hunts that you choose as your 2nd or 3rd choice does not fill up(which they normally do) and your 1st choice is not available when your name is drawn, then you will be placed in the draw for the hunts that did not fill up for another chance. Now, I realize that is as clear as mud but that is the way it was explained to me. I always thought that by picking 1st, 2nd and 3rd choices, once your name was drawn each hunt that you listed in preferential order would be checked for available openings until one was found available. I suggest calling Refuge Complex Manager Randy Cook at the Dyersburg Complex Office @ 731-287-0650 for clarification on exactly how the draw is managed.

 

[Andy S.]

Thanks Keith. I just talked with two of my buddies who were drawn for Chickasaw hunt dates that they intentionally did not apply for, due to them being in TX that weekend. Talk about a stupid azz way to run a quota draw..... :bash:

 

[PickettSFHunter]

I didn't think I applied for the 4th hunt but couldn't remember for sure.


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[Andy S.]

I drew Chickasaw 4th hunt, not sure if that's good or what.

I am not one to be negative, but my honest opinion is it's usually not that great of a hunt for several reasons:

1. Typically, the birds have been pressured, spooked, shot at and killed by then. Assuming the first hunts went on as planned and were not affected by flood waters.
2. The foliage and mosquitoes will be thicker than hair on a dogs azz.
3. Temps and moccasin activity are on the uptick by then, we are in the SW corner of the state. Weather more akin to MS than north central TN.
4. Later in the spring it gets, higher probability for a MS River flood to bust out of it's banks, impacting access, and possibly requiring a boat.

With all of that said, you could still go out there and kill a bird on the 4th hunt. I have hunted the last hunt one time, and SEVERAL of my buds have drawn the last hunt over the last decade, with very few kills and very little good to say about their experience.

Best of luck, and hit me up if you come this way as you will be an hour from my house tops.

 

[Andy S.]

I always thought that by picking 1st, 2nd and 3rd choices, once your name was drawn each hunt that you listed in preferential order would be checked for available openings until one was found available.

This is how it should be, and if there are no hunts left available based on your postcard order of preference, your card should be thrown in the garbage and you not awarded a hunt. It makes no sense to award hunt dates to applicants who intentionally did not put in for those dates because they knew ahead of time they would not be able to attend. That is asinine at best!

I am from the government and I am here to help .......

 

[UpperTully]

I drew 4th hunt at Chickasaw and 1st hunt at Reelfoot (Grassy). Here is the best part; I am 99% sure I did NOT apply for 4th hunt at Chickasaw due to the dates conflicting with other plans I had.

I will call them in the coming days and inquire. I will take a pic of my postcards from this point forward.

I drew the same hunt for Chickasaw, I applied for the second hunt myself. One of my buddies that was in my group won't be able to hunt either, he'll be chasing Rio's that weekend. So that's another wasted spot.

I'm thinking I didn't draw the hunt I wanted and there wasn't enough applicants to fill all of the hunts, so the unsuccessful hunters were placed on later hunts.

I'll be there regardless, boat, snake boots, deet and thermacells in tow.

 

[UpperTully]

I am 99% sure I did NOT apply for 4th hunt at Chickasaw due to the dates conflicting with other plans I had.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought when you applied you were applying for all the hunts. You can obviously state a preference, but you are all in. I always state a preference but only one hunt.


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They USED to do it like that a few years ago.

 

[UpperTully]

I got my "You were selected" card for Chickasaw this morning, still waiting the results for Lower Hatchie.

Which hunt?

4th hunt.

 

[Southern Sportsman]

I drew 4th hunt at Chickasaw and 1st hunt at Reelfoot (Grassy). Here is the best part; I am 99% sure I did NOT apply for 4th hunt at Chickasaw due to the dates conflicting with other plans I had.

I will call them in the coming days and inquire. I will take a pic of my postcards from this point forward.

I put in for the Champion Lake duck hunt this past winter for a specific weekend. Got drawn for Little Champion lake (different place) on a different weekend. Buddies got drawn for the right place, but different weekend.

 

[Spurhunter]

I am 99% sure I did NOT apply for 4th hunt at Chickasaw due to the dates conflicting with other plans I had.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought when you applied you were applying for all the hunts. You can obviously state a preference, but you are all in. I always state a preference but only one hunt.


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They USED to do it like that a few years ago.

Thanks! That's where I got my assumptions then.

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[Spurhunter]

I'll be there regardless, boat, snake boots, deet and thermacells in tow.

I know you are an expert on these areas so you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. The last time I hunted Chickasaw I remember sitting next to a tree with a thermacelll on each side of me. I would fire them up before I left the truck so they would be good and warm when I got to where I would first sit. I can remember wanting to call the bird a long way instead of moving so I wouldn't have to leave my thermacelll "cloud". Guys not from this area will have a hard time believing how bad the skeeters are. I also recall driving around Chickasaw and seeing the occasional copperhead or cottonmouth sunning on the gravel roads. It's a tough place, but it used to have lots of birds. I hope it still does.


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[PickettSFHunter]

I just love hunting Bottomland/swampy areas, don't get to do that where I live. Usually get my fill of it turkey hunting on the Florida Georgia line and deer hunting on mosquito and rattlesnake infested island on the Georgia coast. Since I didn't have points for Georgia turkey this year, was hoping for this hunt to be my "Bottomland" turkey hunt this year.


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[Spurhunter]

Since I didn't have points for Georgia turkey this year, was hoping for this hunt to be my "Bottomland" turkey hunt this year.

You are in luck! :tu:

 

[SKFOOTER]

I drew 4th hunt at Chickasaw and 1st hunt at Reelfoot (Grassy). Here is the best part; I am 99% sure I did NOT apply for 4th hunt at Chickasaw due to the dates conflicting with other plans I had.

I will call them in the coming days and inquire. I will take a pic of my postcards from this point forward.

I put in for the Champion Lake duck hunt this past winter for a specific weekend. Got drawn for Little Champion lake (different place) on a different weekend. Buddies got drawn for the right place, but different weekend.

Did you contact anyone to discuss this??

 

[Andy S.]

I've called 2x this morning and got voicemail both times. Over my life, West TN NWR Complex is batting about 5% for answering the phone. I've called all times of the day in hopes of someone answering, but always get voicemail. I'll try a few more times before I leave a voicemail.

 

[SKFOOTER]

If you're calling the Refuge Complex Office in Dyersburg 731-287-0650 I've always had someone answer. I just called and they answered.

 

[UpperTully]

I know you are an expert on these areas so you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. The last time I hunted Chickasaw I remember sitting next to a tree with a thermacelll on each side of me. I would fire them up before I left the truck so they would be good and warm when I got to where I would first sit. I can remember wanting to call the bird a long way instead of moving so I wouldn't have to leave my thermacelll "cloud". Guys not from this area will have a hard time believing how bad the skeeters are. I also recall driving around Chickasaw and seeing the occasional copperhead or cottonmouth sunning on the gravel roads. It's a tough place, but it used to have lots of birds. I hope it still does.

Sounds like a pretty spring day at Chickasaw! Despite the snakes and skeeters, Its my favorite block of woods in the bottoms.

There's a fair amount of birds there now. It's improved greatly over what it was like in the 90's. Those floods in the early 90's and open to statewide hunting really put a hurt on the birds prompting them to shut down the season for 5 years.

 

[Andy S.]

Hunting Chickasaw late in the season with warm temps is one of the only places I literally felt like I could not sit still enough to kill a smart public land bird. There's been a few mornings where my hands looked like windshield wiper blades swatting them suckers, and that is with a half of can of deet and permethrin applied, and ONE thermacell running. Two thermacells may be an improvement, but I have never tried two at the same time.