East tennessee diy

[Artanis95]

I have begun scouting in the south cherokee NF of east tennessee and was wondering if anyone on these forums have hunted black bear up there? Or any other game for that matter? Finding a location/section where a potential for bear and hog as well as a little trout fishing would be ideal if anyone would like to share some experiences I'd thoroughly appreciate it.

 

[Superkodiak38]

I have been to the Gatlinburg area a couple of times and through Cherokee, there are a lot of bears. My buddy is in NC just over the boarder. Most guys down there run them with dogs, I expect during the open season that's what you would contend with if you were trying a stand sight or still hunting. https://www.tnwild.org/hunting-in-c...r than bears) can,and regulations set by TWRA.

 

[Artanis95]

I'd love to make a hound hunt but it doesn't look like it's going to pan out this year. Not much of a stand or still hunter even for whitetail part of the fun for me is enjoying the scenes in new places but I'm narrowing down some areas. I think this is really going to be more of a hike from trout stream to trout stream with binoculars and whichever weapon the season is open for at the time

 

[Artanis95]

Although I have been thinking of trying predator calling same as one might for coyote or bobcat as well as the potential use of some scent attractors I would think a fawn in distress would be to good for a lot of bears to pass up.

 

[Rokbar]

I'm not in Tn, but right the line in NC. Pretty sure there is NF where I40 crosses TN/NC line. I know on the NC side there is. Across the interstate is the Great Smokies. I've seen hogs on the TN. side right on the interstate. Ride up the interstate through the gorge and you'll probably find a couple of road kill bears. Plenty of trout fishing in the Smokies as well. Very rugged in that area though.

 

[FLAK]

Thinkin of heading up to N. GA. myself in Oct.

 

[Gobbler36]

Best bets are to get up on the ridge tops and travel those till you can run into fresh fresh sign around oaks dropping acorns plan to sit a while looking over entrance and exit routes to those oaks. I suppose If you can find fresh fresh sign a possibility of calling might could yield good results. Good luck it’s a tought hunt in That neck of the woods. Let us know what you find

 

[Artanis95]

I'm thoroughly excited about it myself it's going to be good just getting out there for awhile if nothing else it will be squirrel season!

 

[Artanis95]

Best bets are to get up on the ridge tops and travel those till you can run into fresh fresh sign around oaks dropping acorns plan to sit a while looking over entrance and exit routes to those oaks. I suppose If you can find fresh fresh sign a possibility of calling might could yield good results. Good luck it’s a tought hunt in That neck of the woods. Let us know what you find

Ok so I agree with you there maybe you can help me out here, I'm looking at elevation gains and such and I am wondering if at some point the foliage reliably begins to thin out a bit going into more mature hardwood and eventually into roans and balds and if so at what elevations can the changes be expected? It seems to me I noticed a difference but I'm trying to figure out if it's the elevation changes or the lack of sunlight on certain slopes causing the foliage to thin out I haven't made it back to test my own theories here yet.

 

[LLB]

I live in TN and hunted South Cherokee DIY bear without dogs 3 years in a row. I killed 2 bears in that 3 yr period about 10 yrs ago. I still hunted down closed Forest Service roads. Killed both bears on the same road. Be warned, it's more rugged country than you would think.
I'm on the road now but if you want more specifics on how I did it, PM me and I'll reply when I get home.

 

[Artanis95]

I live in TN and hunted South Cherokee DIY bear without dogs 3 years in a row. I killed 2 bears in that 3 yr period about 10 yrs ago. I still hunted down closed Forest Service roads. Killed both bears on the same road. Be warned, it's more rugged country than you would think.
I'm on the road now but if you want more specifics on how I did it, PM me and I'll reply when I get home.

I would love to hear. about it!

 

[ARMY_GREEN]

TN is a shorter drive for me than what I am planning for at this time. I will be watching this thread for details.
Plenty of hours in a TS, Not interested in using dogs, Spot and Stalk only.

 

[Poser]

When I lived in TN, I attempted to hunt bears in South Cherokee several times. It is indeed rugged country, especially when you get off trail. You really just have to cover a lot of ground.

 

[Drenalin]

I haven't hunted bears, and haven't hunted South Cherokee. But on North Cherokee, there are a lot of bears in some of the places I deer hunt. In early fall, maybe through the end of October, it seems like I see bears on finger ridges where oaks are dropping in the mornings. Then I see bears in lower lying areas in the afternoons/evenings, maybe due to cooler temps in those spots, thermal activity, or whatever. I don't know if that's a pattern you can put in any real stock in, but I get about half a dozen bear sightings in per fall and that has been the case more often than not. I've had a couple of bears come in to fawn in distress calls in the past, so mixing in some calling could be productive. But I don't think I'd spend a tremendous amount of time in one spot.

As to your question about foliage - mostly a mix of rhododendron and laurel where I hunt - it doesn't seem to thin out at a reliable elevation line. Seems to be more based on how much sunlight a particular slope gets.

 

[semasko]

Ok so I agree with you there maybe you can help me out here, I'm looking at elevation gains and such and I am wondering if at some point the foliage reliably begins to thin out a bit going into more mature hardwood and eventually into roans and balds and if so at what elevations can the changes be expected? It seems to me I noticed a difference but I'm trying to figure out if it's the elevation changes or the lack of sunlight on certain slopes causing the foliage to thin out I haven't made it back to test my own theories here yet.

Like Drenalin said, it depends on the aspect but it can be super variable in that area. The more mature forests are going to be loaded with rhododendron anywhere near small streams, and mountain laurel / greenbrier on the spine ridges. You might also have to deal with a lot of big blow downs from the hemlocks dying in the coves.

The balds might end up being thicker with rhododendron than anything else. Your best bet is to check the satellite imagery with no leaves. You can usually see where the rhododendron / laurel thins out pretty easily because they're always green.

 

[Artanis95]

I was able to get out for several days at a time this past weekend sunlight and slope direction is a big factor to take into consideration. All the signs are there it's just going to be putting the pieces together and having a little luck on the side it's going to be difficult but I'm having a lot of fun so far.

 

[Wallace]

I don't hunt Tennessee, but the Cherokee National Forest is about a 25 minute drive from me. I haven't personally laid eyes on a bear there, but I know a few people in the area (Johnson County, TN), they tell me there are a ton of bears.

If it were me, I'd take a boat and hunt off of Watauga Lake. Easy to get away from pressure if you have a boat, and a ton of land.

 

[Drenalin]

I don't hunt Tennessee, but the Cherokee National Forest is about a 25 minute drive from me. I haven't personally laid eyes on a bear there, but I know a few people in the area (Johnson County, TN), they tell me there are a ton of bears.

If it were me, I'd take a boat and hunt off of Watauga Lake. Easy to get away from pressure if you have a boat, and a ton of land.

Piles of bears for sure. Lots of folks use the boat access for deer around here and I imagine the same is true for bears if they can't run them with dogs.

 

[DeweyMeadows]

Hello all, spring fresh newb to the forums, I grew up in Cherokee on the reservation and made many a trip back and forth to tenn both the Johnson City route and the scenic route to Gatlinburg, i can attest to plenty of bears in those areas from word of mouth and sight. Unfortunately I didn’t discover hunting until living near Winston Salem and am about a 15 yr vet now mostly deer and turkey. I am at a point now where I am feeling more adventurous and looking to go back “home” and get a bear in the mountains. Have scouted some pisgah areas both near and far the tenn border and would love to hear some more experiences and ideas for the area, I have a trip planned oct 12-14 and would be glad to report back after

 

[hereinaz]

I live in TN and hunted South Cherokee DIY bear without dogs 3 years in a row. I killed 2 bears in that 3 yr period about 10 yrs ago. I still hunted down closed Forest Service roads. Killed both bears on the same road. Be warned, it's more rugged country than you would think.
I'm on the road now but if you want more specifics on how I did it, PM me and I'll reply when I get home.

My sister lives in east Tennessee and I am trying to figure out a good bear and/or deer hunt. I grew up in Missouri, so I know what thick green country can look like. I killed my share of squirrels and rabbits, but never hunted when I was there. I have hunted here in AZ, Utah, and Colorado, I have never hunted back east.

If you are willing to share, or if anyone else is, it would be appreciated. If you wanted to come out west or get some information about AZ hunts, I will give you all the help I can.