Liveliner
Well-known member
<div>
</div><div>
</div><div>
</div>
I have hunted Prentice Cooper WMA for 45 years, I know the Mountain, and the habits of the deer there. A while back I was basically "Boasting: in stating that there were plenty of big Bucks on that mountain... There really used to be....</p>
However, Now it is a totally different story. I was drawn for the Black powder hunt last month and had high expectation to get my first bonus Buck and a fat young Doe for the freezer. Well I do know where to set up. I saw nothing. Nothing at all other than squirrels. The aged heavy used trails were grown over with no detectable activity. A day and a half and I was done. I chalked it up as not enough hunter pressure to move the deer and a very poor crop of acorns.</p>
Well I went back last Friday on the open rifle hunt. To the same area where the deer "Always Go" ... I only saw two 'Naner heads in the bluff line thickets ... I stayed in the woods all day. For the evening I went to the opposite side of the mountain above Powell's X-roads. No sign and no deer.</p>
Saturday morning. My strategy was to hunt the best area for the best food plots and in known good areas since there were no acorns to be found. I searched a third area at the bluffs and found Nothing! ... Late morning I walked the brow and stomped out thickets attempting to at least prove to myself that Deer still existed on Prentice Cooper. I have come to the conclusion that there Deer must have experienced a major die-off within the past 1 1/2 years, and the lack of Acorns had what few remained down next to the river for browse feeding.</p>
The final proof was that only four Bucks had been checked in on day one and by noon on day two, Zero Bucks had been checked. The biggest deer on Day one was a 9 pntr @ 137 lbs killed by a good friend Blake's son. (A local)... On day Two I was aware of a good buck being shot by another good friend Barry's wife. (Also a local that knows the mountain.) They had some recovery to do and had not made it out before I abandoned that Dead Zone WMA. </p>
What was troubling me most was that in the same week over on Cagle Mountain, I had been Bow hunting and had seen 15 deer in the morning alone. I could have harvested any of Eight deer under my stand at differing times. Basically I could have killed my archery limit in one sitting.</p>
Despite The Area TWRA officers claim of no die off. I know better.. They can not admit the facts at the risk of lost permit sales lost... I am done with Prentice Cooper WMA for a few years</p>
</div><div>
</div><div>
</div>
I have hunted Prentice Cooper WMA for 45 years, I know the Mountain, and the habits of the deer there. A while back I was basically "Boasting: in stating that there were plenty of big Bucks on that mountain... There really used to be....</p>
However, Now it is a totally different story. I was drawn for the Black powder hunt last month and had high expectation to get my first bonus Buck and a fat young Doe for the freezer. Well I do know where to set up. I saw nothing. Nothing at all other than squirrels. The aged heavy used trails were grown over with no detectable activity. A day and a half and I was done. I chalked it up as not enough hunter pressure to move the deer and a very poor crop of acorns.</p>
Well I went back last Friday on the open rifle hunt. To the same area where the deer "Always Go" ... I only saw two 'Naner heads in the bluff line thickets ... I stayed in the woods all day. For the evening I went to the opposite side of the mountain above Powell's X-roads. No sign and no deer.</p>
Saturday morning. My strategy was to hunt the best area for the best food plots and in known good areas since there were no acorns to be found. I searched a third area at the bluffs and found Nothing! ... Late morning I walked the brow and stomped out thickets attempting to at least prove to myself that Deer still existed on Prentice Cooper. I have come to the conclusion that there Deer must have experienced a major die-off within the past 1 1/2 years, and the lack of Acorns had what few remained down next to the river for browse feeding.</p>
The final proof was that only four Bucks had been checked in on day one and by noon on day two, Zero Bucks had been checked. The biggest deer on Day one was a 9 pntr @ 137 lbs killed by a good friend Blake's son. (A local)... On day Two I was aware of a good buck being shot by another good friend Barry's wife. (Also a local that knows the mountain.) They had some recovery to do and had not made it out before I abandoned that Dead Zone WMA. </p>
What was troubling me most was that in the same week over on Cagle Mountain, I had been Bow hunting and had seen 15 deer in the morning alone. I could have harvested any of Eight deer under my stand at differing times. Basically I could have killed my archery limit in one sitting.</p>
Despite The Area TWRA officers claim of no die off. I know better.. They can not admit the facts at the risk of lost permit sales lost... I am done with Prentice Cooper WMA for a few years</p>
