Yahnali

[Carlos]

Every place I hunt is over run with people anymore. Shooting anything and everything. It's not just conservatives moving from liberal states either. Plenty of liberals moving from liberal states to TN. Even if they say I'm conservative they're brand of conservative and ours are not the same. They bring big city conservatism from a blue state which is mostly liberalism with a twist. We need more public land that's really the only answer. Before it's all turned into a subdivision

Exactly right!

 

[30-06 type of guy]

Not what it once was in the early 90's. This WMA surrounds my home . It seems to be falling from grace compared to the early 90's and the years before it was a WMA.
I still see deer but see way more pressure than in the years past. I guess with the growing popularity of Public hunting has had an affect on it as well as other PHA here in TN.
I personally feel it needs to change the way its hunted a bit. Over all spread on bucks to 4 points or better on one side and or 15" spread maybe?
I would love to see maybe an archery only or maybe Quota Hunts in Firearm season for a few years kind like LBL and a few others. Just seems its ready access from bigger cities makes it a popular destination nowadays. I noticed this at Cheatham also in the past several years. Im not trying to say I would love to see it made harder for some folks to hunt here, just feel it would improve things a bit? The Liberal doe harvest attracts quite a few out of area folks....some friendly and some not so much LOL.
Overall just my 2 cents. Good Luck to All this season and be Safe!

A lot of ppl are losing their places to hunt and have no choice. Idk which area you live around and idk what it was like in the 90s, but since I've been hunting it it seems better each year or maybe I've gotten better. Idk how much you hunt but maybe you should hunt more or different pieces. As far as restrictions go I'd be down for that. Thats one reason I continue to go to laurel hill. Turkey season I'm at the gate at 2:30am, deer season 4am. Knock on wood but I've only ran into 2 guys that wouldn't speak. Most ppl I run into are out of state folks but a few from the Nashville area. I'm not saying it's easy and I'm not saying it great but I have no complaints. Good luck. I Hope you punch your tags

 

[tanasirivertea]

Not what it once was in the early 90's. This WMA surrounds my home . It seems to be falling from grace compared to the early 90's and the years before it was a WMA.
I still see deer but see way more pressure than in the years past. I guess with the growing popularity of Public hunting has had an affect on it as well as other PHA here in TN.
I personally feel it needs to change the way its hunted a bit. Over all spread on bucks to 4 points or better on one side and or 15" spread maybe?
I would love to see maybe an archery only or maybe Quota Hunts in Firearm season for a few years kind like LBL and a few others. Just seems its ready access from bigger cities makes it a popular destination nowadays. I noticed this at Cheatham also in the past several years. Im not trying to say I would love to see it made harder for some folks to hunt here, just feel it would improve things a bit? The Liberal doe harvest attracts quite a few out of area folks....some friendly and some not so much LOL.
Overall just my 2 cents. Good Luck to All this season and be Safe!

By chance have you noticed the new "Restricted Area" on Yanahli? Its on Carpenter Bridge Rd. I've hunted that spot a few times. Never anything remarkable other than game trails so why is it close. I am seeing how hard yanahli is getting hit too. I've seen deer on most of my 4 sits this season but just driving around opening day was kinda shocking. So much activity! This year I haven't seen another hunter but I'm seeing lots of dead areas that are normally tore up with rubs and scrapes. I think the crop failure tho has more affect than people. Also, work days and sunday mornings are my favorite time to hunt public. Give that a try if you can. I certainly don't go to yanahli anymore on Saturdays. I am lucky to have the flexibility. Lastly my try to accept all these new folks. In one respect they're stressing a stressed public land and yet they're bringing more funding. Also having more participants means its less likely Cepicky or any other big business sycophants in the TN legislature will attempt to steal our public land for commercial or residential development.

 

[tanasirivertea]

Yanahli has been very fun for me the last several years. I even got on a P&Y buck in 2020 and he busted me twice! Found one of his sheds at least. Got on another really nice 9pt that'd have been my biggest deer, got busted then too scooting in my stand haha. But Yanahli seems to be a doe factory this year. All I have seen is a single sided spike and several doe. I've seen nice rubs, tracks, found some beds even but it ain't right. I normally find so many scrapes right now and have found none this year. My lease got bucks laying down big sign. I hunted a scrape probably 4'x5' two weeks ago. Granted I am certain crop failure has caused a dramatic change in deer movement. But I've been to 5 different spots on Yanahli and no super hot sign. Did all the nice bucks get killed opening week?!

 

[Antler Daddy]

That WMA has been advertised a lot and is close to Nashville. Nashville growing like crazy.
Most public lands are going through growing pains. I can no longer draw my favorite hunt every year.

whats your favorite?

 

[UTGrad]

A lot of hunters are obviously moving here too. Lots of yankees are hunters.

Some of the them blue bloods are pretty hunters.

 

[double browtine]

There are so many private farms that have been inherited over the last couple of decades and sold to become subdivisions all over middle TN. So now a lot of hunters have transitioned to hunting public lands. I think that is the reason a lot of the public lands are being hunted a lot more these days.

 

[tanasirivertea]

whats your favorite?

my favorite is any of the quota hunts with antler restrictions or Fort Campbell

 

[killingtime 41]

There are so many private farms that have been inherited over the last couple of decades and sold to become subdivisions all over middle TN. So now a lot of hunters have transitioned to hunting public lands. I think that is the reason a lot of the public lands are being hunted a lot more these days.

Good point they've built up right up to the edge of Catoosa. subdivision after subdivision. Tons of beautiful land lost forever all over the eastern half of the state. Last 5 years have been wide open. Hope the faucet gets turned off with a lock put on it before it's too late if it already isn't.

 

[Urban_Hunter]

I don't think loss of family farms has anything to do with it. Maybe a handful here and there, but I have zero doubt in my mind that the increased pressure is from the crazy popularity of THP and the likes. I love hunting old hickory wma and have for decades. I have NEVER killed a good buck on it. Undoubtedly there are some and I've laid eyes on some, but I just love it and can't really explain why. In the last 4 years it has became overrun. Hunting from a boat is like the new bell bottom jeans or something. Everyone wants to do it. Now I've been fishing on priest and I see boats everywhere. I am finally fortunate enough to afford a lease in KY and I don't know if I'll ever step foot on the wma again. This spring I had a terrible experience with my daughter and just don't see the frustration being worth it.

I don't blame THP or the likes, it is what it is. I'm no more entitled to that land than anyone else. It's just the truth, you're no longer going to have a spot to yourself. You can't beat anyone to your spot, they'll just come in on top of you. The vast majority of them have no clue what they're doing nor the respect for the rest of the guys out there