Yanahli advice

[Coldfusion]

Starting turkey hunting this year and will mainly be on yanahli probably. Anyone had much success there or any tips on this area? It's so spread out its difficult to pick a starting point. I've walked most of two large portions so far and saw some signs.

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[catman529]

Carry a map, use your phone or GPS, the boundaries are irregular and sometimes not marked very well. There will be a lot of people hunting so don't be afraid to move around. Good luck


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[Coldfusion]

Yeah I was worried about how many people maybe there

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[catman529]

Yeah I was worried about how many people maybe there

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depends on where you go and what day. If I do happen to hunt a spot with another vehicle parked it is a large area and I try not to move around as much. hate walking up on someone. But it happens. Do your scouting and think outside the box, you might kill one there. Is this your first time ever turkey hunting?

 

[Coldfusion]

Yeah I was worried about how many people maybe there

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depends on where you go and what day. If I do happen to hunt a spot with another vehicle parked it is a large area and I try not to move around as much. hate walking up on someone. But it happens. Do your scouting and think outside the box, you might kill one there. Is this your first time ever turkey hunting?

Yes sir

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[Coldfusion]

Wishing that residents only could hunt wma lands. Been reading about how pressured Yanahli is now. It is irritating to say the least. I've always been blessed to hunt private land for deer so I've stayed away from public land because I know many people that's all they have. The private land I hunt got poached hard in 2014 I found out and the deer population is stagnant at best. So I'm now looking at public options because of a need. Also getting into turkey, the private land I hunt does not hold turkeys so I'm out of luck there. I live in Rutherford and from my understanding Priest is not good for turkey so now I'm driving almost and hour to Yanahli. Now the more research I do it sounds like its dang near dangerous to hunt Yanahli due to so many hunters. Other forums I've been on people are traveling from out of state to hunt Yanahli because it USED TO BE a very hot spot. But apparently now it's a very difficult spot because the Internet. I wish TWRA would make some or at least portions on WMA lands resident only hunts. If anyone has advice for me concerning turkey on wma lands I would appreciate it, but your more than welcome to send it PM so it's not broadcast.

Ok I'll step off the soap box now lol

 

[ImThere]

There's turkeys on Priest. Plenty of them. Priest, Normandy, Yanahli all carry turkeys and hunters the same. You just get used to it.

It sounds like your private has plenty of hunters, that sucks hope you catch them

the one and only "ImThere"

 

[catman529]

What ImThere said. They all have turkeys you just got to go in and hunt, learn what you can about the birds and other hunters in the area. If it helps I killed my first turkey on Yanahli a few years ago. And the spot I was hunting often has at least one car parked if not 2 or 3.

 

[TboneD]

Wishing that residents only could hunt wma lands. Been reading about how pressured Yanahli is now. It is irritating to say the least. I've always been blessed to hunt private land for deer so I've stayed away from public land because I know many people that's all they have. The private land I hunt got poached hard in 2014 I found out and the deer population is stagnant at best. So I'm now looking at public options because of a need. Also getting into turkey, the private land I hunt does not hold turkeys so I'm out of luck there. I live in Rutherford and from my understanding Priest is not good for turkey so now I'm driving almost and hour to Yanahli. Now the more research I do it sounds like its dang near dangerous to hunt Yanahli due to so many hunters. Other forums I've been on people are traveling from out of state to hunt Yanahli because it USED TO BE a very hot spot. But apparently now it's a very difficult spot because the Internet. I wish TWRA would make some or at least portions on WMA lands resident only hunts. If anyone has advice for me concerning turkey on wma lands I would appreciate it, but your more than welcome to send it PM so it's not broadcast.

Ok I'll step off the soap box now lol

We're crazy if we think the TWRA is gonna restrict license sales in any way, shape, or fashion, (because indirectly that's what you're advocating.) Only thing we can do is to let our voices be heard before each and every time they reinstate the liberal limits, whether it's for deer or turkey. Just saw an article mentioning "over-management" in the new Feb. Field and Stream issue , and how the limits and seasons are now often made with other things in mind beside wildlife biology. It's a shame but it's the reality. Just be glad Yanali is as close to you as it is. Back in the day folks drove across the state to hunt Catoosa WMA...


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[Coldfusion]

I know it's not realistic just wanted to throw an opinion out to other TN hunters.

 

[Coldfusion]

There's decent turkey hunting to be had on Priest, just don't go to the obvious spots.


http://www.GoCarnivore.com

I guess I'll just go scout it. I've put about 10 hrs in yanahli so far and was just taking Peoples word on Priest, but after everyone's advice here I'll scout priest also. I'm not afraid to make a hike to less pressured areas. Thanks for input to everyone about Priest

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[TboneD]

There's decent turkey hunting to be had on Priest, just don't go to the obvious spots.


http://www.GoCarnivore.com

I guess I'll just go scout it. I've put about 10 hrs in yanahli so far and was just taking Peoples word on Priest, but after everyone's advice here I'll scout priest also. I'm not afraid to make a hike to less pressured areas. Thanks for input to everyone about Priest

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We went to Yanali a few times last year and heard birds gobbling on the roost. Not so much after they hit the ground, and we had a couple sneak in on us after blind calling, right through the middle of a field. We didn't wait long enough and weren't able to see them until we got up. So patience is key as always, but more so on public land. Be very careful, especially in the afternoons or on the weekends. I haven't hunted Priest in years but pretty much the same applies. You might try Cedars of Lebanon State Forest. It's pressured as well, but not as much and still has a few birds. Good luck to ya.


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[ADR]

There's decent turkey hunting to be had on Priest, just don't go to the obvious spots.


http://www.GoCarnivore.com

Definitely birds on JPP lake. Being near urban areas, there's also many hunters like everyone else has said. My biggest issue with JPP is safety. Not trying to knock anyone but there can be a lot of very inexperienced hunters out there at times IMO. Just always keep a big tree or other obstacle at your back and as soon as you see someone say something to them.

Ill send you a pm with a couple other public areas pretty close to the boro.

 

[Coldfusion]

There's decent turkey hunting to be had on Priest, just don't go to the obvious spots.


http://www.GoCarnivore.com

Definitely birds on JPP lake. Being near urban areas, there's also many hunters like everyone else has said. My biggest issue with JPP is safety. Not trying to knock anyone but there can be a lot of very inexperienced hunters out there at times IMO. Just always keep a big tree or other obstacle at your back and as soon as you see someone say something to them.

Ill send you a pm with a couple other public areas pretty close to the boro.

Awesome sounds good thanks

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[th88]

I hunt public land all over the U.S. and Yanahali is the only place I have had a hunter park by me, set up at the same spot I'm hunting, and then proceed to cuss me out when I reveal myself. The pressure was so ridiculous last year opening week, it was comical. Bout got scared on morning #3 at 10:00 AM when people started coming in on both sides of me, closing the distance to the birds I was on. Thankfully I was able to pull the trigger before they spooked the birds. But most importantly, I managed not to fill one of the other hunters up with a string of tungsten pellets!

That being said, the place has birds. I wouldn't recommend it to a newbie.

 

[MidTennFisher]

Yanahli does get a lot of pressure but keep in mind it's a huge place too. Most of your opening day warriors are going to park and walk less than half a mile to hunt. If you put in the extra effort to get there way early and walk a few miles you should have an area to yourself. Check out the map of that place, there are fields everywhere to post up along the edges of. I've never hunted it but I did cover several miles of that place not too long ago doing some scouting and hoping to jump shoot a wood duck or 3, that part didn't work. I found so many fields and plenty of sign of turkey. Scratches and tracks, plenty of them. I don't know if I'll hunt there for turkeys this Spring or not but if I do, it will be nowhere even remotely close to the parking areas. I don't like crowds.

 

[catman529]

Yanahli does get a lot of pressure but keep in mind it's a huge place too. Most of your opening day warriors are going to park and walk less than half a mile to hunt. If you put in the extra effort to get there way early and walk a few miles you should have an area to yourself. Check out the map of that place, there are fields everywhere to post up along the edges of. I've never hunted it but I did cover several miles of that place not too long ago doing some scouting and hoping to jump shoot a wood duck or 3, that part didn't work. I found so many fields and plenty of sign of turkey. Scratches and tracks, plenty of them. I don't know if I'll hunt there for turkeys this Spring or not but if I do, it will be nowhere even remotely close to the parking areas. I don't like crowds.

Keep in mind if there's a nice easy trail (like where they drive the tractors to the fields) people will easily walk over a mile. People do a lot of walking when turkey hunting (myself included). Last year I was the first one there on opening day, but still had someone else park by me and come into the same area. When he was coming back out he didn't even see me until I whistled a couple times. The year before, I had the spot to myself on opening day

 

[TLRanger]

I hunt public land all over the U.S. and Yanahali is the only place I have had a hunter park by me, set up at the same spot I'm hunting, and then proceed to cuss me out when I reveal myself. The pressure was so ridiculous last year opening week, it was comical. Bout got scared on morning #3 at 10:00 AM when people started coming in on both sides of me, closing the distance to the birds I was on. Thankfully I was able to pull the trigger before they spooked the birds. But most importantly, I managed not to fill one of the other hunters up with a string of tungsten pellets!

That being said, the place has birds. I wouldn't recommend it to a newbie.

You must have never hunted LBL.......There are more Elmers there than anywhere, especially on the Quota hunts. Later in the season isn't so bad. Love to hunt there.

 

[TboneD]

I hunt public land all over the U.S. and Yanahali is the only place I have had a hunter park by me, set up at the same spot I'm hunting, and then proceed to cuss me out when I reveal myself. The pressure was so ridiculous last year opening week, it was comical. Bout got scared on morning #3 at 10:00 AM when people started coming in on both sides of me, closing the distance to the birds I was on. Thankfully I was able to pull the trigger before they spooked the birds. But most importantly, I managed not to fill one of the other hunters up with a string of tungsten pellets!

That being said, the place has birds. I wouldn't recommend it to a newbie.

You must have never hunted LBL.......There are more Elmers there than anywhere, especially on the Quota hunts. Later in the season isn't so bad. Love to hunt there.

You must have never hunted Yanali, lol...LBL isn't NEARLY as crowded as Yanali, for any season. I've never turkey hunted it but I've NEVER had a hunter walk in on me during archery season. On two different youth hunts we only saw one other pair of hunters in the woods. Late season archery was like I had the entire place to myself. But Yanali is a WHOLE DIFFERENT MATTER. I might bow or muzzleloader hunt there, MAYBE on a weekend if someone talked me into it. Gun deer season or turkey? NEVER on a weekend, and I'd think twice about staying for an afternoon hunt. That's just my opinion though, and you are certainly entitled to your's. Stay safe anywhere you hunt, but especially go prepared to come into contact with other hunters at Yanali.


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[FARMTOFIELD]

I hunt public land all over the U.S. and Yanahali is the only place I have had a hunter park by me, set up at the same spot I'm hunting, and then proceed to cuss me out when I reveal myself. The pressure was so ridiculous last year opening week, it was comical. Bout got scared on morning #3 at 10:00 AM when people started coming in on both sides of me, closing the distance to the birds I was on. Thankfully I was able to pull the trigger before they spooked the birds. But most importantly, I managed not to fill one of the other hunters up with a string of tungsten pellets!

That being said, the place has birds. I wouldn't recommend it to a newbie.

You must have never hunted LBL.......There are more Elmers there than anywhere, especially on the Quota hunts. Later in the season isn't so bad. Love to hunt there.

Yahnali and lbl are no comparison, lbl is like private ground compared to yahnali

 

[TLRanger]

You must have never hunted Yanali, lol...LBL isn't NEARLY as crowded as Yanali, for any season. I've never turkey hunted it.


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Nuff said....I rest my case. The end. :|

 

[TboneD]

You must have never hunted Yanali, lol...LBL isn't NEARLY as crowded as Yanali, for any season. I've never turkey hunted it.


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Nuff said....I rest my case. The end. :|

Yes indeed. You have the last word and in your own mind are most certainly right. Rock hound and all the rest of us that know how pressured Yanali is nowadays are all wrong. I'll quote you again so as I said, you'll have the last word. Ok? We're good, here. So as I said, do be safe out there if you do decide to go try Yanali.


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[TboneD]

You must have never hunted Yanali, lol...LBL isn't NEARLY as crowded as Yanali, for any season. I've never turkey hunted it.


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Nuff said....I rest my case. The end. :|

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