Quota hunts and general deer stuff

[rugerla1]

I put in for the first time ever this weekend for whitetail as well as the elk draw. This is also the first time I've purchased a Sportsman's License. I usually bought what license I needed depending on what season it happened to be. I only started bow hunting several years ago and last year was my first year to use a muzzle loader. Before that, a Sportsman License since I only hunted during rifle season and rarely needed to buy a Type 94. Since I've picked up bow and ML as well as hunting WMA from time to time, it makes sense to buy everything at once. Also it kept me from paying extra for the drawing entries. I can't believe I never tried before, but think it was mainly because I didn't really understand how it worked. I'm excited about the chance to get drawn, but it's definitely overshadowed by my excitement of deer season and all the glory that comes with it! It is so close and will be here before we know it. 

I picked up a new game cam last week also. I went into Academy planning to buy the $50 special but ended up getting the Browning 12mp Strike Force HD. It was $129 and I am absolutely happy so far. I borrowed an SD card from a buddy until I could get back to the store and buy one. In the one day and a half that it was running, I got over 300 pictures. I was really not expecting many at all outside of pictures of my face staring into it while figuring out how to work it and maybe a couple deer or squirrel pictures

Many of the pictures are multiple shots from each visit to the corn, but it was awesome. Several yearlings, several big does, some of them with fawns sticking close by and playing while Momma ate her meal. No bucks at all, but hoping they follow along behind the does and find some nourishment as well. I also replace the mineral block since the old one is long gone. Before I left, I changed it to video so I am really excited to see what was caught on camera this time. The still pictures are very clear, so I imagine the video should be good as well. 

I know a lot of you are as excited as I am. Also, I miss the "Official Deer Season" threads!!! Here's to another great year of being in the woods and enjoying God's creations!
 

[KahrMan]

Today is the last day to enter for WMA big game quota hunts. I applied for the Elk drawing and for the President Island wma hunts.  

Very few tags for those hunts but some of the biggest deer in Tn comes out of those quota hunts every year.

 

On game cameras there is an art to placing them.  The first time I placed one there was a fallen tree about 5 yards in front of the camera along a deer trail.  I must have gotten 400 pics of squirrels running back and forth across that tree.  I really try to place them now so I will get limited pics of squirrels. 

[Omega]

I may look into an elk draw, but white tail are abundant on my property so no need for that.  As for trail cameras, yes there is definitely some trial and error on placement.  Between squirrels, the sun and even moving branches I get a lot of blank pictures.  My other problem is that even though I don't use the cameras much they do not last.  A couple only lasted a year then started to shut off even though it had good batteries.  It sucks going two weeks between checking only to find out they shut down right after you left.

[rugerla1]

1 hour ago, KahrMan said:

Today is the last day to enter for WMA big game quota hunts. I applied for the Elk drawing and for the President Island wma hunts.  

Very few tags for those hunts but some of the biggest deer in Tn comes out of those quota hunts every year.

 

On game cameras there is an art to placing them.  The first time I placed one there was a fallen tree about 5 yards in front of the camera along a deer trail.  I must have gotten 400 pics of squirrels running back and forth across that tree.  I really try to place them now so I will get limited pics of squirrels. 

Thanks for pointing out that today is the last day to enter. The days are going so fast for me this month, I didn't even realize the cutoff was here. That's why I did it last week so I wouldn't forget if time got away from me. Good thing I did! I don't know what my chances are at getting drawn for any whitetail hunt, much less the elk. But, it would be awesome to roll into a place I've never been knowing that anything could come rolling past my stand....or nothing I guess lol

I did have squirrels in some of my pictures but they were only caught because deer triggered the camera. I mount mine a little higher on the tree than most say they do and put a stick behind the top of the camera to aim it down a tad. Seems to help some? I hope this camera lasts longer than a season. I hear people using older cameras for 5 or 6 years. But I guess the fancier they make the new models, longevity can suffer. But in the grand scheme of what I spend on hunting, I suppose a new camera or two per year is still minimal impact if you did have to replace them.

[Sunfish]

You really have the best chance of scoring a good buck in ML. Working with your ML can pay off big along with scouting scrape lines and a day dripper.  

[rugerla1]

Well I didn't think we had a snowballs chance in Hell of getting drawn our first time putting in but we did!!!  AEDC here we come! It's a shotgun hunt, two deer only one antlered Nov 25-27. I am pumped! If I get an elk tag too, I'm buying a lottery ticket

[KahrMan]

Congrats.  i just checked mine and was unsuccessful on both drawings.  At least there is still a chance for elk.

[rugerla1]

4 minutes ago, KahrMan said:

Congrats.  i just checked mine and was unsuccessful on both drawings.  At least there is still a chance for elk.

Thanks Kahrman. Good luck in the elk drawing. I'd be happy enough just knowing you got drawn. I'd say chances for anyone are like hitting the lottery 

[KahrMan]

Don't know what the odds are of drawing an elk tag but since they only give out 5 or 10 tags it has gotta be pretty slim.

[Rightwinger]

1 hour ago, rugerla1 said:

Well I didn't think we had a snowballs chance in Hell of getting drawn our first time putting in but we did!!!  AEDC here we come! It's a shotgun hunt, two deer only one antlered Nov 25-27. I am pumped! If I get an elk tag too, I'm buying a lottery ticket

Good luck.  I hunted there one time and one time only and never again.  To crowded.  When I went in (early) there was one other truck on the long straight road I could see.  After the 2nd guy walked in on my stand and I exited, there was a vehicle every 50 to 75 yards along the road.  I went to an unscouted area that afternoon and did actually see one poor doe that was running so hard that I didn't have time to stand up and draw. 

[rugerla1]

12 minutes ago, Rightwinger said:

Good luck.  I hunted there one time and one time only and never again.  To crowded.  When I went in (early) there was one other truck on the long straight road I could see.  After the 2nd guy walked in on my stand and I exited, there was a vehicle every 50 to 75 yards along the road.  I went to an unscouted area that afternoon and did actually see one poor doe that was running so hard that I didn't have time to stand up and draw. 

I sure hope we can grab a spot that isn't that crowded. I don't mind walking through some thick stuff to avoid lazy hunters. I just read that handguns are not permitted even with HCP. I don't like that at all but being military property I don't think I'll risk testing it. 

[Rightwinger]

Hopefully some of the area locals can tell you which ends of the base aren't that busy.  My initial scout was using a map then I spent about 3 hrs walking the area I thought looked good.  I should have known when I saw all the fluorescent colored ribbon marking entry points that it was going to be bad but I was hoping they were left overs (some were).  When I went to my chosen spot and turned on the flashlight, it looked like a hundred eyes looking back from all the reflective thumbtacks on the trees.  I was there so figured I would get in and try.  When folks walked on up to my spot even with me waving them off with the flashlight I gave up.

[Omega]

39 minutes ago, Rightwinger said:

Hopefully some of the area locals can tell you which ends of the base aren't that busy.  My initial scout was using a map then I spent about 3 hrs walking the area I thought looked good.  I should have known when I saw all the fluorescent colored ribbon marking entry points that it was going to be bad but I was hoping they were left overs (some were).  When I went to my chosen spot and turned on the flashlight, it looked like a hundred eyes looking back from all the reflective thumbtacks on the trees.  I was there so figured I would get in and try.  When folks walked on up to my spot even with me waving them off with the flashlight I gave up.

That is exactly why I stopped hunting Fort Campbell,  too many hunters without common courtesy. Not to mention MWR's messed up way they handle the sign-out process. 

[rugerla1]

3 hours ago, Rightwinger said:

Hopefully some of the area locals can tell you which ends of the base aren't that busy.  My initial scout was using a map then I spent about 3 hrs walking the area I thought looked good.  I should have known when I saw all the fluorescent colored ribbon marking entry points that it was going to be bad but I was hoping they were left overs (some were).  When I went to my chosen spot and turned on the flashlight, it looked like a hundred eyes looking back from all the reflective thumbtacks on the trees.  I was there so figured I would get in and try.  When folks walked on up to my spot even with me waving them off with the flashlight I gave up.

I've never understood people that walk in on someone and sit down anyway. I've walked in on people before a time or two and I waved and moved out immediately and as quietly as possible. I wouldn't have the gall to just think "Screw that guy, I want to hunt here too!". I don't even want to hunt close to anyone for any reason much less a disrespectful reason. I'm hoping we can find a spot that looks terrible to everyone else and I'll walk through whatever I have to just to avoid the idiots. I will definitely be in a climber, don't want to be on the ground on public land!

[Rightwinger]

I was in a climber.  The saddest part was the last guy walked in after daylight and I had to actually say good morning to get him to look up and move along.

The worst case of this I ever had was on a family friends property.  He lets lots of folks hunt on it as does his son.  I was already in the tree one morning when two walk in.  I wave the light and they keep coming.  They finally get within 10 yards and ask who I am and why I'm hunting there.  I tell em my last name and that the owner had given me written permission years ago.  I also offered that if they went back about 100 yards the way they walked in there was a good spot where they could spread out and we could all hunt the ridge.  One of them said if a very surly voice that the son had given them permission to hunt there.  He then tells his buddy to get in the tree they had discussed which was only 25 yards from me.  So I sit and listen to this guy struggle to hook on and climb this tree in what sounded like a steel with tin cans hanging from it climber for 30 minutes.  Sun comes up, he's over there coughing and moving around so much I could hear it easily.  About an hour in, I'd had enough so I climb down and prepare the area for the rest of their hunting day by laying down a puddle of "scent", waved and walked out.  Be nice in the woods folks!

Another buddy of mine said he had similar issues at another location so he got a bag full of hair clippings from his barber and left them spread all around that fellows favorite spot.  Aint saying its nice, but woods etiquette is firm.....unless its your property, you let the fellow that got there first hunt it.

[rugerla1]

Yeah, that is the kind of stuff I just don't get. Why would the guy who slept in and got there second think they deserve the spot? I get it, too many people think they're entitled to everything these days. But part of me wants to think that hunters would be different. Unfortunately a sportsman who respects the animals and the hunt, and someone who kills deer are two totally different things.

I've even had guys walk in 2 hours after sun up talking as they walk, then stop to make a phone call while smoking a cigarette. They were directly in front of me no more than 15 yards and never knew I was there. I suspect they thought they were still gonna have a successful hunt after meeting at Waffle House to talk deer hunting over some scattered, covered, topped, chunked, and diced.I sat there steaming but didn't say anything because I'd hoped they'd run something my way as they walked in. But nope, about and hour later they repeated the same process walking right back to the truck talking about not seeing anything. I was about to flip my lid. I get up so I can be in my stand 1 to 2 hours before daybreak only to watch the Looney Tunes in live version. Oh well, public land hunting at it's best!

Edited August 11, 2016 by rugerla1