Honest assessment of the WMA:
-One of my favorite places to hunt BECAUSE IT IS CLOSE TO ME AND I LOVE THE TERRAIN. I have lots of memories out there. I killed my first buck there 16yo yrs ago. My daughter killed her first buck there. My dad, brother, and both of my daughters have killed numerous deer there throughout the years, and I love the land's diversity. We have been on hunts where we have not seen a single deer, and we've had hunts where we have killed lots of deer between 3 family members.
-Used to be a lot more fun to hunt until they started the earn-a-buck crap. I agree that the population was too high and more does needed to be taken, but a 2 day hunt with some of the steep terrain is not conducive to that type of hunt. Really need another day added to it.
-Also don't like the earn-a-buck since you may have a legal buck come by you at first light but you can't shoot it because you don't have your doe yet. That happened to me once… and we had a major storm system come through late morning that almost killed the first day. Thankfully I got my doe shortly after seeing the buck and just before the storm, but otherwise I could have had to go into the second day with having to get my doe and buck in the same day… and get them out and go to work the next day. Once again, really need another day added to it for a successful EAB hunt, but they will not consider it despite my comments being written, talking kindly to the WMA mgr, etc
-EAB has also made the first day feel like a war zone instead of a peaceful hunt in God's creation. People are trying hard to drop the first antlerless deer that they see, and they let the lead fly heavily. Have I mentioned that I don't like EAB?
-Some big bucks are killed there every year, but the antler restrictions don't make it the big buck fantasy world that most expect. And the youth kill several smaller bucks every year since they don't have antler restrictions (and I am perfectly good with that). In a nutshell, big buck expectations should be tempered, but I am perfectly fine with that.
Me and my family have killed lots of does at Yuchi over the years, probably more than most. I'm not opposed to doe harvest, as I actually killed 2 does out there last time I was drawn. But I remember back when it was a MUCH more enjoyable hunt. I will continue to put in for the hunt because nothing else in the current draw system intrigues me enough to change (I'm not a trophy hunter or else I'd look at Oak Ridge or PI) and it is close. I will continue to petition TWRA in any way possible to either do away with EAB, or extend the hunt, but understand that they will likely not listen to my input and I'll have to just deal with it
