A positive career change has landed me in a role of national scope. One of the benefits of this is the ability to live where I choose when not travelling.

I have decided to leave Florida for a state where there are more opportunities to bowhunt and to do so in a climate i would enjoy more during the fall.

Tennessee is high on the list. I like the SE US, TN has a favorable tax environment, reasonable real estate cost and seems to offer ample outdoor opportunities.

I am concerned however that compared to other states I am considering (Arkansas & Montana) that TN seems to have very limited public access hunting land.

Would appreciate input from those in TN.

check out north Alabama too. Wheeler wildlife refuge has plenty of deer and hogs too. Have friends that hunt there.

I would look around the Blountville, Tenn. area.

You are strategically positioned to hunt Tenn., North Carolina, and there is fantastic hunting and fishing both in North carolina and Virginia.

The country is beautiful. As you metioed, no state income tax in Tenn. as opposed to Virginia. Cost of living isn't outrageous.

Fall is gorgeous. Winter CAN be rough, but not terrible.

https://www.tn.gov/twra/hunting

Depending on what you are looking for in public hunting land, TN has a fair amount of land through out the state. Not all of it's in big blocks like out west. Some are hunting friendly, some not.

I live in Tn. Lower middle. In my area within an hour drive I know of one spot that is 700 and one that is 1500 acres . Go toward east Tn and there is quite a bit of public land . That is the mountain area of Tn. I love hunting up there but I have to drive about 4 hours to hunt that area.

Ive spent 27 years in Alabama/Georgia/Mississippi/Florida and two years in eastern Washington. For my dollar you cannot beat living out west if you like to hunt.

All that to say if I could pick where I lived I'd choose Montana over Tennessee.

If you relocate in NW Tennessee, look me up...I am retired and live next door to Land Between the Lakes Nat'l. Rec. Area, 169,000 continuous acres in TN/KY, a peninsula that runs between the TN. And Cumberland Rivers..

I've lived in East Tn for 33 years, and spent a three year hiatus for grad school in MA.

TN is a great place. I'm from the Smoky Mtn's., and have always lived within an hour drive of them. We have great fly fishing, tons of turkeys and deer. Cost of living ain't bad. There's not large tracts of public land like out west though; lots of small WMA land here. The mountains are a huge tract, but it's not easy hunting. You better be in good shape to hunt our mountains in Cherokee NF. I do it, but just be prepared.

I love TN, but I'd go west to MT in a heartbeat if I didn't have kids. I'd literally put everything up for sale tomorrow and as soon as I had sold off what I didn't need, I'd be gone. I've fished all over the nation, oversees, Alaska, and saltwater stuff - all fly fishing.

I'd be in CO, WY or MT in a heartbeat. Gone!

Tenn is a great state Lived there 13 years and met my wife there.

cant speak to public land to hunt But cheap living and the people are great

I live in Bluff City, 5 minutes from Blountvllle. Beautiful area. Huge amount of public land with the Cherokee National Forest. Deer population is low but some big mountain bucks and a very high population of bear. Big bear. Outstanding fly fishing!! I killed the state record here in 1984, a 173 inch ten point. It is a nice area. Great place to raise kids.

I don't have any trouble finding public land here in E. TN... but no one else seems to either! It can get crowded during ML and Rifle but I think dedicated hunters can be successful here. As mentioned, you better strap your boots on tight in some areas because the terrain can be tough. Certainly no worse than out west, obviously. The sales tax is steep but it beats income tax. There are plenty of fishing opportunities here and the bass fishing is awesome! Never been to Montana but I don't think this is really an apples to apples comparison. We don't have to burn as much wood in the winter though! I moved here from GA 10 years ago and I'm happy here.

One thing folks do forget about the mountains in the east is that they can be every bit as tough and rugged as anything in the west. It just isn't as far to the top of the mountain.

I've been in place in the Geaorge Washington National Forest that were as rough as anything I've ever seen anywhere.

I live in NW Alabama (Florence) right across the Tn line so I have the best of both worlds.

Around me in Bama there are around 262,000 acres of public hunting within an hours drive of Florence. Bankhead Forest is 180K alone, Wheeler refuge is 30k, Freedom Hills is 34K, Lauderdale is 18K, Seven Mile Island is 4K and the Shoal creek Preserve is 300 acres.

A lot of the above mentioned land has very little hunting pressure. Most is walk in so you have to do your homework.

In Tn within the same driving distance there is a vast abundance of public land. Browntown and Eagle creek combine for 30K acres and there are a half dozen more I didn't look up.

I have opted for private land hunting clubs which are in abundance around here. I like having land I can develop and improve. I hunt Tn most of the season on a friends land and swap to Alabama management areas after the TN season closes.

The land I hunt in Tn is for sale, 340 acres of the best hunting land I have ever been on. I have a club lined up if the land sells and I have to relocate.

At least you would be close to Twin Oaks!

Shawn, You are singing my song.

From yours and others input I will be making a recon trip.

I am in Atlanta this week through Thursday on business. Will most likely leave Atl Friday morning and drive towards Knoxville.

I appreciate the input from each of you. Will reach out for specifics.

Eric

I work in Knoxville. If you need to know anything, give me shout.

I would give a lot of consideration to the huge cultural differences. Then there is the climate; it's not humid in the Rockies but the winters are mighty hard. - lbg

Thank You Panther, will reach out.

Eric

My Parents lived on the plateau In East TN for 27 years. Beautiful place to live. Great cost of living as well. Huge Deer as well. Near my parents, the State brought in deer from WI to improve the local herd. My Brother in TN has both trail cam pics of giant bucks and pictures of deer shot by the neighbors of deer in the 180" class. He has taken numerous bucks in the 130" class.

I live in middle TN. also and we do have some nice deer around here, a lot of the land is private but also quite a bit of public land with in a reasonable drive. If you ask around it's not that hard to find places to hunt. Pappy

On my way guys.

In Atlanta Tues-Thurs for work then my favorite part of the trip, leaving Atlanta.

Plan to head north Friday AM and look around in some of the areas mentioned.

please pay no attn; to Pappy or Eddie c or Shawm all the deer moved to KY amd the turkeys drown this spring and all the people are not very friendly yep Montana looks great if you ask me.... the hunting is bad in TN go west go west! :) ;)

gm.

If you have already registered, please

sign in now

For new registrations

Click Here