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Redfred16

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2012
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1,407
City & State/Province
Hartland, WI
I just got back from a trip to down to Hendersonville to sign a lease on a apartment for my up coming move in 2 weeks. I talked my friend into driving around a bit to see what it looks like away from Nashville/Hendersonville area(I'd visited him 4 or 5 times over the past few years but never ventured out much further than those 2 areas). I had asked the differences before, and didn't think it would be that much difference, but I now think theres huge differences.

All I can say is it will be like starting over learning to hunt that terrain. I thought we had hills in the "Kettle Moraine" area, but its nothing compares to that. They were so steep, even the streams were cut from stone and had a 12" drop to them.

While I'm excited about learning how to hunt new areas, I sure hope I get some venison this weekend, cause it maybe a while before I figure this out and translate Wisconsin deer hunting to Tennessee deer hunting.
 
Redfred16,

Get ready for one of the toughest learning transitions of your hunting career. Learning how deer use this steep ridge-and-hollow terrain is a lifetime endeavor. It is VERY different than hunting flatter terrain. Terrain becomes EVERYTHING, including how air flows in and around the terrain features.
 
Football Hunter said:
Not all of Tn is like that,should be some great areas around Hendersonville,that have great deer,and pretty easy terrain.
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We drove up a little past White House then cut over to Gallatin. It had alot steeper hills than I expected with way less farm fields than I am used to. I expected to see less since they had to be cut out, but still it was even less than I expected.

I guess my pre-GPS army training will finally come in handy once I get a place to hunt. Scouting out the ridges and spurs the deer will use to travel.

I am looking forward to the move. I'll be looking for somewhere to hunt next year, this season will be spent getting organized and settled in the area. I have this Saturday to get some venison and get it processed before the 28th when we drive down.
 
Only four factors to consider: Food-Cover-Terrain-Structure. The most important is food, then terrain. One great thing about hunting this kind of country is you can forget the wind. It is going to blow from all five directions and sometimes, at the same time.

Just remember, deer, like we humans, will take the path of least resistance provided there is siffucient cover for them to travel.

Good luck.
 
Your lucky to be hunting the easy terrain of middle Tennessee! If you want to see some RUGGED terrain, come take a look around east Tennessee. Middle/west Tennessee is gravy train hunting with the gentle terrain and high deer densities.
 
348Winchester said:
Your lucky to be hunting the easy terrain of middle Tennessee! If you want to see some RUGGED terrain, come take a look around east Tennessee. Middle/west Tennessee is gravy train hunting with the gentle terrain and high deer densities.
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I agree,and the reason I dont hunt east of Lebanon very often if ever.
 
As I look at the weather forecast for Saturday(opening for bow) that also will take some getting used to. I'm looking at a low of 42 overnight with a high of 70 during the day up here. I doubt it'll be like that in TN till late fall or winter, correct?

So on top of learning how to read the very different terrain and different food sources. The weather I'm used to will be very different. That 40's by night with a front moving out is just about ideal for an opening day. Gun season(which is only 10 days up here) we complain if theres no snow and its not bone chilling cold to keep the deer up on thier feet.
 
Poser said:
348Winchester said:
Your lucky to be hunting the easy terrain of middle Tennessee! If you want to see some RUGGED terrain, come take a look around east Tennessee. Middle/west Tennessee is gravy train hunting with the gentle terrain and high deer densities.
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Despite the deer densities, many parts of West TN can actually be very difficult due to the lack of terrain features. While the river bottoms and extensive farmland can pack on a high densities, they often don't have to travel far, if at all, to find abundant food sources. Throw in featureless swamp bottoms with dense habitat, where you are trying to decide if the mud is deep enough to funnel the deer into chest deep water, and it gets difficult. I'm not complaining and I'm not saying that it is more or even as difficult as East TN, but I certainly would not dismiss it as "gravy train."

Now, between West and Middle TN, I do find Middle TN to be more straightforward. I have never hunted east of Catoosa, but I have hunted in the Cookeville and Crossville areas and found it to be difficult, though quite engaging.
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In my opinion, the two most difficult situations to hunt are featureless swamps and mountains. I'm glad I don't hunt either!
 
Redfred16 said:
As I look at the weather forecast for Saturday(opening for bow) that also will take some getting used to. I'm looking at a low of 42 overnight with a high of 70 during the day up here. I doubt it'll be like that in TN till late fall or winter, correct?

So on top of learning how to read the very different terrain and different food sources. The weather I'm used to will be very different. That 40's by night with a front moving out is just about ideal for an opening day. Gun season(which is only 10 days up here) we complain if theres no snow and its not bone chilling cold to keep the deer up on thier feet.
Click to expand...

Accuweather is calling for mid 70s and lows in the mid 40s on opening day here in middle TN. Hopefully they are pretty close.
 
Redfred16 said:
As I look at the weather forecast for Saturday(opening for bow) that also will take some getting used to. I'm looking at a low of 42 overnight with a high of 70 during the day up here. I doubt it'll be like that in TN till late fall or winter, correct?
Click to expand...

When it comes to the weather in this area, the most difficult thing to get used to (and especially to plan for), is how variable it can be. Even into mid-November, when normally temps are cooling into the mid 60s as highs and mid 30s as lows, we can experience extended periods of extremely warm teperatures, with highs hitting the low 80s. And a sudden streak of hot weather, even during the peak of the rut, will flat shut daylight deer movement down. This can be extremely frustrating.
 
BSK said:
Redfred16 said:
As I look at the weather forecast for Saturday(opening for bow) that also will take some getting used to. I'm looking at a low of 42 overnight with a high of 70 during the day up here. I doubt it'll be like that in TN till late fall or winter, correct?
Click to expand...

When it comes to the weather in this area, the most difficult thing to get used to (and especially to plan for), is how variable it can be. Even into mid-November, when normally temps are cooling into the mid 60s as highs and mid 30s as lows, we can experience extended periods of extremely warm teperatures, with highs hitting the low 80s. And a sudden streak of hot weather, even during the peak of the rut, will flat shut daylight deer movement down. This can be extremely frustrating.
Click to expand...
I hate worst than anything an extended period of warm temps in Nov. Absolutely throws a blanket on daytime buck movement!!
I would rather have cold/windy/rainy conditions vs warm bluebird days!
 
If you west Tenn. boys were to come out here ...you would not have a clue.Not trying to start nothing but the thermals and saddles and hollars are every where.If you hunt low in the morning you have to go high in the evening.Everyone has a morning stand and an evening stand.

With that said there are 8 does eating in my front yard right now
 
Good time Charlie said:
If you west Tenn. boys were to come out here ...you would not have a clue.
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We have hills in west Tennessee too. They may not be as pronounced as your immediate area, but we do have some relief around these parts. We have thermals as well.

Good time Charlie said:
If you hunt low in the morning you have to go high in the evening.
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I would never take this approach if given another choice. This is bass akwards from how I was always taught to hunt thermals. :confused:
 
BSK said:
Redfred16 said:
As I look at the weather forecast for Saturday(opening for bow) that also will take some getting used to. I'm looking at a low of 42 overnight with a high of 70 during the day up here. I doubt it'll be like that in TN till late fall or winter, correct?
Click to expand...

When it comes to the weather in this area, the most difficult thing to get used to (and especially to plan for), is how variable it can be. Even into mid-November, when normally temps are cooling into the mid 60s as highs and mid 30s as lows, we can experience extended periods of extremely warm teperatures, with highs hitting the low 80s. And a sudden streak of hot weather, even during the peak of the rut, will flat shut daylight deer movement down. This can be extremely frustrating.
Click to expand...

Last year was hard for us up here, it was too warm all season. It made the deer so noctural. It was the first time I ever hunted in just a hooded sweatshirt in late October. I was actually hot opening morning of gun season, then that night we had a ice storm, but it was 50's 2 days later and stayed there. So you can see how it'll take some getting used to for me.
 
I remember one year we were camping opening day of deer season. That day the low was 45 and the high was 74. That night the front came in, and the low dropped down to 20*. I was in a tent. I remember being in a sleeping bag in the fetal position, and getting a cramp, and stretching my legs out. I quickly decided it was too cold at the bottom of the bag, and to just deal with the cramp!
 
I remember sitting in a ground blind before portable heaters and my hot chocolate froze inside my thermos. It was so cold, I don't think I could have hit a deer if I saw one that day I was shaking so badly.

2 years ago on Thanksgiving my buddy got a really nice 8 pointer and the wind chill was about -20 when he shot.

Thinking about all that I'm more than willing to learn to hunt in the much warmer hills of Tennessee :grin:
 
Redfred16 said:
BSK said:
Redfred16 said:
As I look at the weather forecast for Saturday(opening for bow) that also will take some getting used to. I'm looking at a low of 42 overnight with a high of 70 during the day up here. I doubt it'll be like that in TN till late fall or winter, correct?
Click to expand...

When it comes to the weather in this area, the most difficult thing to get used to (and especially to plan for), is how variable it can be. Even into mid-November, when normally temps are cooling into the mid 60s as highs and mid 30s as lows, we can experience extended periods of extremely warm teperatures, with highs hitting the low 80s. And a sudden streak of hot weather, even during the peak of the rut, will flat shut daylight deer movement down. This can be extremely frustrating.
Click to expand...

Last year was hard for us up here, it was too warm all season. It made the deer so noctural. It was the first time I ever hunted in just a hooded sweatshirt in late October. I was actually hot opening morning of gun season, then that night we had a ice storm, but it was 50's 2 days later and stayed there. So you can see how it'll take some getting used to for me.
Click to expand...

Wait until you experience one of our November heat waves, and you're sitting in a stand in a short-sleeve t-shirt and still sweating. I despise those November heat waves, and we usually get a least one each year.
 
bowriter said:
Geez-I moved here from WY. Talk about an adjustment.
Click to expand...

I've got you beat. I moved here from San Francisco! I had to be tecontaminated and re-educated before they would let me into the state! ;)
 
I agree that flat and featureless land is difficult to hunt but the high deer densities will balance that somewhat. Swamps are a big challenge as well. That being said, east Tennessee's terrain coupled with low to moderate deer densities make hunting here much more challenging. I have thoroughly hunted all three of Tennessee's grand regions in the following counties:

East- Scott, Morgan, Fentress, Hancock, Union, Knox, Grainger, Blount, Loudon, Roane, Sevier, Cocke, Anderson, Campbell, Cumberland, Polk, and Monroe.

Middle- Putnam, Jackson, Smith, Macon, Sumner, Clay, Franklin, Coffee, Dickson, and Moore.

West- Henry, Stewart, Perry, and Hickman. Some may consider the last two middle Tennessee.

Residing in the east has meant most of my hunting has been done here but I have hunted the other two regions every year since 1988.
 
I should add that I do enjoy hunting east Tennessee more for several reasons. One reason being the fact that it is more challenging. It has made me a better hunter. The lessons the Appalachains and the Cumberland Plateau have taught me have served well on Montana's river breaks, rolling prairies and rugged mountains and in Idaho's mountains too. It is my opinion that East Tennessee is one of the most beautiful places anywhere; especially in the autumn!
 
Warm November days were easily my biggest frustration last year. I sweat like a fluffy kittens in church opening day of muzzyblaster on the evening hunt.
 

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