lafae7
Well-known member
Thanks for the good wishes everyone before the hunt. I got home safe so that's all that matters emoAngel .
Since i don't have a fishing report (going fishing this weekend though) i'll give my Hunting Review of Berry College WMA quota hunt. keep in mind this is all my honest opinion and keep in mind I don't hunt public lands.
It started off really hot. It was almost 70 degrees at 7 AM in the morning. I went to 4 different really good areas I knew would hold deer and I was not surprised by how many people were out in trees already. I had to turn around and find a new spot every time. This kind of made me mad though because as the ethical hunter I am the law states that you are only allowed to hunt 1/2 hour before sunrise and 1/2 hour after sunset on public WMAs. Sunrise was at 7:32 AM and I got to where my first spot just before 7AM and people were already in their stands hunting. Maybe I'm a stickler I dont know, but if I knew nobody cared I would of been in the tree at 3 AM emoBang.
Anyways back to my review. It started out hot and poured down rain really hard for about an hour and then lightly rained all day. The WMA at Berry is still recovering from a logging operation that happened a few years ago so you won't see that deep rich and mature hardwood areas that draw deer in (IMO). I ended up hunting 2 different areas and walked about a total of 4.1 miles combined to find some good hunting ground (It was a really good workout). I hunted up on a ridge on both areas and I saw plenty of food like acorns and good ole fashion grass close to some deer trails and I still didn't see any deer. I have a feeling the really bad storms that came through kept the deer from moving IMO. I bet the next day a lot of people got on some good deer. However, on the other hand I firmly believe the hunting pressure was too much for the deer anyways and that it will probably be my last time hunting on public land. (Sarcastically) I laughed all the way home because just from Calhoun to the Ringgold EXIT on I-75 there were 4 deer dead on the side of the interstate. Maybe I should just put up a deer stand on the side of the interstate emolaugh.
Another issue I saw was all the PRIVATE LANDS THAT LOOKED PERFECT FOR HUNTING THAT SURROUNDED ALL THE PUBLIC WMA. I can swear I even saw a big ole deer feeder out in the distance when I was leaving Berry WMA when passing one of the many private land areas. It's not my opinion but a fact that it is extremely hard to compete with private lands that are adjacent to public WMA that bait deer in with feeders or some other bait to draw deer on their private lands :emoticon:. I do realize it's their land and they have the right to feed the squirrels wink wink.
In summary, I wouldn't go again. My dad has hunted there many times a long time ago (30 years ago) and it is nothing like it use to be. I will be looking to join a responsible club if anyone knows a good one I would appreciate a good word. I have some money and lots of time to work and help out.
Since i don't have a fishing report (going fishing this weekend though) i'll give my Hunting Review of Berry College WMA quota hunt. keep in mind this is all my honest opinion and keep in mind I don't hunt public lands.
It started off really hot. It was almost 70 degrees at 7 AM in the morning. I went to 4 different really good areas I knew would hold deer and I was not surprised by how many people were out in trees already. I had to turn around and find a new spot every time. This kind of made me mad though because as the ethical hunter I am the law states that you are only allowed to hunt 1/2 hour before sunrise and 1/2 hour after sunset on public WMAs. Sunrise was at 7:32 AM and I got to where my first spot just before 7AM and people were already in their stands hunting. Maybe I'm a stickler I dont know, but if I knew nobody cared I would of been in the tree at 3 AM emoBang.
Anyways back to my review. It started out hot and poured down rain really hard for about an hour and then lightly rained all day. The WMA at Berry is still recovering from a logging operation that happened a few years ago so you won't see that deep rich and mature hardwood areas that draw deer in (IMO). I ended up hunting 2 different areas and walked about a total of 4.1 miles combined to find some good hunting ground (It was a really good workout). I hunted up on a ridge on both areas and I saw plenty of food like acorns and good ole fashion grass close to some deer trails and I still didn't see any deer. I have a feeling the really bad storms that came through kept the deer from moving IMO. I bet the next day a lot of people got on some good deer. However, on the other hand I firmly believe the hunting pressure was too much for the deer anyways and that it will probably be my last time hunting on public land. (Sarcastically) I laughed all the way home because just from Calhoun to the Ringgold EXIT on I-75 there were 4 deer dead on the side of the interstate. Maybe I should just put up a deer stand on the side of the interstate emolaugh.
Another issue I saw was all the PRIVATE LANDS THAT LOOKED PERFECT FOR HUNTING THAT SURROUNDED ALL THE PUBLIC WMA. I can swear I even saw a big ole deer feeder out in the distance when I was leaving Berry WMA when passing one of the many private land areas. It's not my opinion but a fact that it is extremely hard to compete with private lands that are adjacent to public WMA that bait deer in with feeders or some other bait to draw deer on their private lands :emoticon:. I do realize it's their land and they have the right to feed the squirrels wink wink.
In summary, I wouldn't go again. My dad has hunted there many times a long time ago (30 years ago) and it is nothing like it use to be. I will be looking to join a responsible club if anyone knows a good one I would appreciate a good word. I have some money and lots of time to work and help out.
Jmax