Hey guys I'll be hunting Tennessee for the first time this year. I will have very limited days in the woods, so I definitely want to make every hunt count. I am looking for suggestions on public hunting areas, specifically in the southern middle part of the state....Fayetteville, Giles County, Winchester, Prospect, Pulaski, etc. I have heard good things about the area around Flintville Fish Hatchery. As thoughts? Thanks in advance. I'm also open to any land that any of you may know of that is up for lease.

Lessening land in that area is almost impossible in less you have deep pockets but that is the new norm every where I suppose. I hunt south of Fayetteville, in the coldwater area but there is plenty of deer in about any area of Lincoln county. You can find to hunt. In my experience public land is limited and heavily hunted but plenty of ppl still have successful hunts regardless.

I can't even find any lease regardless of cost

My boss owns and leases land in Fayetteville, he showed me a picture of a giant drop tine deer that was killed on the property next to his lease on opening morning.

Well, let's see it!

Same experience!

Killed with a crossbow? Just saw a pic of a nice one with a drop killed by a doctor

I don't know for sure, he showed me several pictures of it. One pic was the guy with a game warden, the shot looked high in the shoulder and there was blood everywhere. It was hard to focuss on anything but it's rack:) He said he thought it scored 178.

Well your best bet at a good one if you have only a few days, is to hunt all day and hunt all night.

That's the one. It's a goodun! That guy owns tons of land up there.

Was it Waples, or someone else?

Yep

That is my cousin's father in law.

No way. Doc has told me some funny stories about him messing with your cousin.

Yep. The doctor has some crazy nice land, and I believe has one of the top 3 turkeys in the state, something like 12 beards. He gave my cousin a little heck now and then.

Yea it's dr. Waples, I got to see the deer in person, giant. In Tn it's illegal to have a high fence but he does but with one catch. It has one small opening in it making it legal because it is not connected. To the op, around Taft you can knock on doors and ask. I lived there for two years and was offered land to hunt by my neighbors. I now live 8 miles north of Fayetteville and hunt my own land as well as Taft still. The fish hatchery is fun, only 700 acres but beautiful. Be ready to hike though, BIG hills and tons of oaks. Starting to notice a bunch of people from Madison county AL coming up there for some reason. Me and my buddy did see about and 18in wide and tall 8pt late last season. It's nice that it's bow only.