Question for you Tennessee men

[deermanok]

A buddy of mine from Connecticut will be retiring in a few years.
He is thinking about moving to Tennessee.
My question is; what would be a good part of the state as far as deer hunting and lake fishing?
Thanks in advance.

 

[Smyrnagc]

Middle Tennessee is Unit L and currently there is a 3 doe a day limit (yes, I stated that correctly)! Two bucks per season. Many Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) within easy driving distance. As far as lakes, look up Percy Priest Reservoir and Old Hickory lake.

 

[deermanok]

Middle Tennessee is Unit L and currently there is a 3 doe a day limit (yes, I stated that correctly)! Two bucks per season. Many Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) within easy driving distance. As far as lakes, look up Percy Priest Reservoir and Old Hickory lake.

Thanks for the info.

 

[Itsahak]

If I may jump in....

I am retiring in about a year and half myself, and my wife and I are looking at moving to the TN area. How is the Knoxville area for hunting and fishing?

 

[Smyrnagc]

I live in middle Tennessee so someone else will have to chime in on East Tennessee.

 

[robertb]

Middle TN resident here. TN is a great state with conservative laws and liberal game limits. However, hunting opportunities are not as available as other states with state and federal land. Yes, WMAs are an option but most hunting is through leases or owning your own land. It's difficult these days to ask someone to hunt their land. This led me to purchasing my own 100 acres for hunting and a place to retire to.

Prices for land/real-estate have sky-rocketed in TN the last few years with the influx of folks coming from California. Hunting limits are more liberal in middle and West TN. CWD has become an issues in the western counties of TN and the rules for deer hunting are different in those counties with regards to checking and transporting deer. East TN has reasonable hunting with the terrain being more hilly. Hope this helps....

 

[Kelljp]

If I may jump in....

I am retiring in about a year and half myself, and my wife and I are looking at moving to the TN area. How is the Knoxville area for hunting and fishing?

Absolutely terrible, wouldn't recommend moving here. Just kidding, public land is available but usually crowded.private land typically is hard to get access to due to past experiences with public. Trout fishing trout steams are good but crowded also with the influx of California and Florida immigration.cant comment on the many lakes, sold my boat 10 years ago because of lake traffic ( wave runners, ski boats where I was fishing).

 

[user 30185]

East Tenn. near Chattanooga. Lots of fishing if you can stand what Kelljp said. Many do by the looks of the boats on the river. Hunting is much more sketchy. There are lots of deer but to many people. I don't go on public land. Lots of TVA along the river, hunted hard as well. I have been here 10 years and I go to Virginia to hunt. I moved close to family, if I had a choice I would get away from the cities by staying North and East near Johnson City etc. or anywhere on the Cumberland Plateau around but not to close to Nashville. Further away from there the better.

 

[Kelljp]

The Johnson city area is rapidly expanding (farms to million dollar subdivisions) the immigration (Florida & California) has taken its toll on hunting areas and home prices. Unless you have deep pockets I'd look northwest of Knoxville.

 

[deermanok]

The Johnson city area is rapidly expanding (farms to million dollar subdivisions) the immigration (Florida & California) has taken its toll on hunting areas and home prices. Unless you have deep pockets I'd look northwest of Knoxville.

My friend has a budget of about 250k. Don't know what he can buy for that price.

 

[user 30185]

12 acres on a hillside in Hamilton County.....no road, nothing.

 

[Kelljp]

My friend has a budget of about 250k. Don't know what he can buy for that price.

About 8 years too late. I sold my parents home back in 2015 after being on the market for a year for $68 k it sold this past fall for $240k in a week after going up for sale. Crazy market (medical college is bringing in lots of outsiders) Seeing more "No Trespassing" signs in the community.

 

[Itsahak]

Absolutely terrible, wouldn't recommend moving here. Just kidding, public land is available but usually crowded.private land typically is hard to get access to due to past experiences with public. Trout fishing trout steams are good but crowded also with the influx of California and Florida immigration.cant comment on the many lakes, sold my boat 10 years ago because of lake traffic ( wave runners, ski boats where I was fishing).

Thank you.

 

[kerryman71]

We need to start spreading the news that TN is no good. It was going to be my retirement destination, but that's at the very least five years from now! I may have to go to Plan B (Kentucky) or Plan C (West Virginia)!

 

[user 30185]

We need to start spreading the news that TN is no good. It was going to be my retirement destination, but that's at the very least five years from now! I may have to go to Plan B (Kentucky) or Plan C (West Virginia)!

I moved south to leave the snow behind. No way on earth I am moving further north.....

 

[robertb]

Having been a Tennessean all my life, I told my wife recently that I'd consider moving out of state with all of the new transplants (i.e. Californians) and population density. Our home has increased in value ~42% in 4 years. Before the interest rate hikes, homes were being sold within hours of hitting the market (no joke). We live in Williamson County and there is no end in site with regards to development. Undeveloped rural, hilly land is commanding upwards of $5K/acre. Add to the fact that it's hard to get contractors out to build in these rural areas.

 

[CatHeadBiscuit]

50 miles West of Nashville is not as crazy priced as the middle. It’s been my dream since leaving Nashville 24yrs ago to retire to a few acres on the Caney Fork. But that’s not in the budget. We are in central BAMA now and it’s getting as up priced as middle TN.

 

[Itsahak]

I have followed the real estate market around Knoxville/Maryville for a few years. I have noticed that since Smith and Wesson announced they were building a facility in Maryville, the prices there have skyrocketed... We should have bought the ten acres we were looking at back then..... Sigh...

 

[kerryman71]

I have followed the real estate market around Knoxville/Maryville for a few years. I have noticed that since Smith and Wesson announced they were building a facility in Maryville, the prices there have skyrocketed... We should have bought the ten acres we were looking at back then..... Sigh...

Kind of funny (or not), but not only is Massachusetts doing a good job pushing its residents out of the state, but also their businesses.

 

[52Bore]

West side of Knoxville here…on Ft. Loudoun lake.
My hunting is private land on the Cumberland Plateau, south of Sgt. York area. The Sequatchie Valley is a hidden gem.
Lots of quota hunts on state management areas.
East TN isn’t much different than all along the Appalachians up to PA - lots of good people.