Thorny Cypress Unit Site 1

[WilcoKen]

Well my small group drew site 1 at Thorny for a 1 day hunt in mid December. I've researched posts about Thorny and 2 looks to be better than 1. I will be happy with a few mallards TBO. Maps of how to get to it don't seem to be too clear. It was my 24th pick from my list.

 

[BigRed1080]

Congrats! We drew Bogota in early December it was our 30th pick. Hopefully we see some birds.

 

[Hymie3]

Well my small group drew site 1 at Thorny for a 1 day hunt in mid December. I've researched posts about Thorny and 2 looks to be better than 1. I will be happy with a few mallards TBO. Maps of how to get to it don't seem to be too clear. It was my 24th pick from my list.

I got 2 same weekend so we will have to meet. I've had 2 before and it is for sure a good hole.

 

[WilcoKen]

I got 2 same weekend so we will have to meet. I've had 2 before and it is for sure a good hole.

Id love to but I only drew the 1 day Tuesday hunt. I don't know a lot about Thorny related to where I can park etc. I know you can move spots in the pool but that's about it.

 

[Displaced_Vol]

I've hunted it before, December of 21. We didn't kill anything or see much at all that day but I'll shoot you some screenshots later today. Getting there and setting up wasn't too bad.

 

[WilcoKen]

I've hunted it before, December of 21. We didn't kill anything or see much at all that day but I'll shoot you some screenshots later today. Getting there and setting up wasn't too bad.

Thank you!

 

[TNGunsmoke]

If it's like 8 was, a 4 wheeler and trailer will be your friend. Especially if you have many decoys, and materials to build a temporary blind out of.

 

[WilcoKen]

If it's like 8 was, a 4 wheeler and trailer will be your friend. Especially if you have many decoys, and materials to build a temporary blind out of.

Probably 4-6 dozen. There will be 4 of us at the most so a small blind.

 

[rsimms]

I've hunted Pool 1 several times. It is super easy access. You can simply drive trucks down the gravel road on the East side and drop all your gear off near the outflow gate (just before you reach a secondary gravel road that goes out to a substation). Then drive truck back out to the gate and walking back in.

We've hunted right off the levee at the outflow (red X), or sometimes waded out into the corn toward the center and hunted out of standing corn.

Quite honestly, I've never had a great hunt on the Pool, but not because it's a bad pool. Our timing was just bad with lousy warm, windless weather. It wasn't uncommon to flush hundreds of birds that were roosting there overnight, and then they never come back.

Sometimes we have resorted to just sneaking in without gear, waiting for shooting time and jump or pass shooting birds that didn't fly out before legal time. Then we'd set up blinds, decoys, etc.

It's an easy pool to hunt. Simply a matter of whether or not the weather will have birds moving off the refuge. Sometimes it's frustrating because you'll watch ducks flying around on the refuge (to the north) all day, but they'll never come off. Good luck!

 

[WilcoKen]

I've hunted Pool 1 several times. It is super easy access. You can simply drive trucks down the gravel road on the East side and drop all your gear off near the outflow gate (just before you reach a secondary gravel road that goes out to a substation). Then drive truck back out to the gate and walking back in.

We've hunted right off the levee at the outflow (red X), or sometimes waded out into the corn toward the center and hunted out of standing corn.

Quite honestly, I've never had a great hunt on the Pool, but not because it's a bad pool. Our timing was just bad with lousy warm, windless weather. It wasn't uncommon to flush hundreds of birds that were roosting there overnight, and then they never come back.

Sometimes we have resorted to just sneaking in without gear, waiting for shooting time and jump or pass shooting birds that didn't fly out before legal time. Then we'd set up blinds, decoys, etc.

It's an easy pool to hunt. Simply a matter of whether or not the weather will have birds moving off the refuge. Sometimes it's frustrating because you'll watch ducks flying around on the refuge (to the north) all day, but they'll never come off. Good luck!

Great info @rsimms! Thank you

 

[Trentc747]

I've hunted Pool 1 several times. It is super easy access. You can simply drive trucks down the gravel road on the East side and drop all your gear off near the outflow gate (just before you reach a secondary gravel road that goes out to a substation). Then drive truck back out to the gate and walking back in.

We've hunted right off the levee at the outflow (red X), or sometimes waded out into the corn toward the center and hunted out of standing corn.

Quite honestly, I've never had a great hunt on the Pool, but not because it's a bad pool. Our timing was just bad with lousy warm, windless weather. It wasn't uncommon to flush hundreds of birds that were roosting there overnight, and then they never come back.

Sometimes we have resorted to just sneaking in without gear, waiting for shooting time and jump or pass shooting birds that didn't fly out before legal time. Then we'd set up blinds, decoys, etc.

It's an easy pool to hunt. Simply a matter of whether or not the weather will have birds moving off the refuge. Sometimes it's frustrating because you'll watch ducks flying around on the refuge (to the north) all day, but they'll never come off. Good luck!

I have gotten drawn on pool 1 at the end of December and was wondering if it was worth taking a side by side or if you can just drive the truck down the gravel road to drop stuff off and drive the truck back out. I wasn't sure on the rules if you're able to drive the truck in there or not.

 

[Displaced_Vol]

I have gotten drawn on pool 1 at the end of December and was wondering if it was worth taking a side by side or if you can just drive the truck down the gravel road to drop stuff off and drive the truck back out. I wasn't sure on the rules if you're able to drive the truck in there or not.

Unless they've changed rules, and I do not believe they have, you can drive the truck up the gravel access road and drop all your gear. I wouldn't fool with Side by side personally

 

[Hawk]

Very little shooting this morning from any of the Thorny pools. Private blinds between the upper & lower pools shot may be 3 times.
Those pine trees just north of the Lenox/Booths point in Simms photo really show up.

 

[Displaced_Vol]

Hopefully weather will help things over the next few days

 

[tickweed]

Very little shooting this morning from any of the Thorny pools. Private blinds between the upper & lower pools shot may be 3 times.
Those pine trees just north of the Lenox/Booths point in Simms photo really show up.

I hunted private just north of pool 1,2 today. It was foggy early, didn't see alot, killed 26. Never heard any shooting. I like pool 2, my favorite, but 1 is good also. The Whites lake area is alot about weather, which direction the birds go out, what they are doing.

 

[Hawk]

Your spot across the big levee on right just over the little levee.

 

[tickweed]

Yea. Not seeing many, but working decent. Killed 25 today. More mallards. West of big levee, east of little levee

 

[Hawk]

Yea. Not seeing many, but working decent. Killed 25 today. More mallards. West of big levee, east of little levee

Other than around Miston you all are doing better than most. West of Big levee east of little levee. Borrow pits that Dyer County LeveenCommision sold earlier this year?

 

[tickweed]

Yep, lm very pleased. 12 today. A traffic spot. Consistent. I have 11 acres on north end agricultural. It was over looked at auction. I talked to whites lake manager today, they counted this morning. 75000.

 

[Hawk]

Yep, lm very pleased. 12 today. A traffic spot. Consistent. I have 11 acres on north end agricultural. It was over looked at auction. I talked to whites lake manager today, they counted this morning. 75000.

75000! WOW Just last week the guys from Tenn Tech working with the mallard project said that there were very few on then refuge.
Looks like you access your place across my cousins property.

 

[tickweed]

75000! WOW Just last week the guys from Tenn Tech working with the mallard project said that there were very few on then refuge.
Looks like you access your place across my cousins property.

I bought 5 acres on top of what l had from yarbro on the north end to have access from little levee rd. I also have access off GR Rd. On the south end. Pools 1 thru 4 on Thorny seemed to shoot decent today

 

[Trentc747]

How was the shooting on thorny today?

 

[tickweed]

I heard very little shooting on. the north pools yesterday. Not near as much as the past Tuesday. We didn't see fifty ducks. Very slow. The recent count was 75000 on whites lake. Can't prove it by me. Maybe 75.

 

[Trentc747]

I heard very little shooting on. the north pools yesterday. Not near as much as the past Tuesday. We didn't see fifty ducks. Very slow. The recent count was 75000 on whites lake. Can't prove it by me. Maybe 75.

Did the shooting get any better Saturday or today? I'm going to be hunting it next weekend. It's going to be hot but hopefully it won't mess with them to much

 

[tickweed]

Did the shooting get any better Saturday or today? I'm going to be hunting it next weekend. It's going to be hot but hopefully it won't mess with them to much

I heard some, not alot on Fri. Much less on Sat. Its gotten so slow for us, I didnt hunt Sunday, nor today. I was off until after the the first of the year, but am going to watch the weather before I take off . I hunt a traffic spot, and nothing has been moving on the west end of whites. Maybe it will pick up. They said last monday Whites was holding 75000. If this is true, Im not seeing any sign of it.

 

[tickweed]

North pools shot a decent amount this morning at thorny.

 

[Blue Water Buck]

My group has Unit Site 1 1/9-1/11. My 12 yr old is wanting to go. Spot be ok to take him along?

 

[Trentc747]

My group has Unit Site 1 1/9-1/11. My 12 yr old is wanting to go. Spot be ok to take him along?

Just hunted it this weekend and it should be okay. Water is roughly waist deep in deepest spots. Not much wanting to fly over pool 1 this weekend. We watched hundreds fly over pool 2 and we had a few come by us but not many.

 

[Blue Water Buck]

Just hunted it this weekend and it should be okay. Water is roughly waist deep in deepest spots. Not much wanting to fly over pool 1 this weekend. We watched hundreds fly over pool 2 and we had a few come by us but not many.

Appreciate the response! He's begging and I was hoping to hear what the water level was. Hopefully weather change will bring a push.

 

[Trentc747]

Appreciate the response! He's begging and I was hoping to hear what the water level was. Hopefully weather change will bring a push.

Yeah he will be fine with the water levels all that I walked was between knee and waist deep. Good luck and I'm sure yall will have a better hunt than us with the cool temps coming back