Just wanted to let you know we have started mowing all food plots and roads this week. We have also mowed parking lots and entrance roads at the dove fields. We are continuing to band wood ducks through the end of August. Numbers have been really low compared to year's past for whatever reason. However, we have caught at least 100 ducks already this year. We got around 100 acres of corn planted on the Fig Field Unit, but we were unable to plant the lower section due to the water. We have corn in every place we had last year and plus several more acres. Between the rainfall amounts and beavers, planting in this lower area has been impossible. We have stuck 2 tractors and a dozer trying to get corn planted. We will be doing some bushogging in this area this fall along with some dirt work if mother nature will cooperate.
The 3 dove fields look better this year than they ever have. Sunflowers are beginning to dry out, and we are looking forward to three really good fields this year. Remember, we have 1 juvenile only field for the opening day, and 2 adult fields that are all first come, first serve. My challenge to you is to grab a young person and bring them to the youth field. We feed them and give out drinks each year. Most kids average shooting a case of shells on that opening day. There is fun to be had by all. We have to remember that these young people are the future of our sport!!!!
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
SHELBY FOREST/EAGLE LAKE REFUGE AUGUST 6 UPDATE
I just wanted to let you know that road maintenance has been in full swing the last month. The roads below the checking station are looking much better as of late. Chainsaws have been running full blast!!! We have begun mowing roadsides and food plots until the tractor broke down. We are hoping to have it back running next week sometime, so we can continue. Sunflower field below the checking station is looking really good. Plants are beginning to dry out, and we hope to spray them at the end of next week. I am looking forward to seeing how this field turns out this year. It may take a couple of years before this field gets used by a lot of birds, but the location is perfect.
Also, there has been an update to the computerized waterfowl draw for Shelby Forest. There will be 9 blind sites to which the successful hunters may hunt. There will be 5 sites on the Eagle Lake Pool off Island 40 Road, 1 site behind the Poplar Tree Lake Levee, and 3 sites below the bluff at the swimming pool. More information can be found on the TWRA website at www.tnwildlife.org in the near future.
Corn has been planted on the refuge for the third time. Some of the corn looks really good, while others not so much. I cannot believe I am saying this right now, but we need a rain or two. It has gotten dry really quickly. We have around 200 acres of corn planted and approximately 100 acres of a combination of millet and wild sorghum.
We have also been doing some major work with our drainage ditch (waterway) on the north end of the refuge. We are hoping to get some fresh gravel put down next week.
Also, there has been an update to the computerized waterfowl draw for Shelby Forest. There will be 9 blind sites to which the successful hunters may hunt. There will be 5 sites on the Eagle Lake Pool off Island 40 Road, 1 site behind the Poplar Tree Lake Levee, and 3 sites below the bluff at the swimming pool. More information can be found on the TWRA website at www.tnwildlife.org in the near future.
Corn has been planted on the refuge for the third time. Some of the corn looks really good, while others not so much. I cannot believe I am saying this right now, but we need a rain or two. It has gotten dry really quickly. We have around 200 acres of corn planted and approximately 100 acres of a combination of millet and wild sorghum.
We have also been doing some major work with our drainage ditch (waterway) on the north end of the refuge. We are hoping to get some fresh gravel put down next week.
Tuesday, July 1, 2014
SHELBY FOREST/EAGLE LAKE REFUGE JULY 1 UPDATES
SHELBY FOREST
Shelby Forest waterfowl hunting will look a lot different than years past. Shelby Forest waterfowl hunting has moved to the computer draw system. There will be 10 pre-determined hunting sites available for hunters. Hunting will be limited to these locations. There will 5 locations within Eagle Lake (off Island 40 road) and 2 sites located on the North end of Eagle Lake Refuge and 3 sites between Poplar Tree Lake Levee and the swimming pool. The quota application will begin in September. You will be able to hunt on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday of the waterfowl season. This will allow for a better hunting experience for the next couple of years.
We have been doing a lot of work on the "Check Station" the last month or so. This building will serve as a field office for TWRA employees for our areas in Shelby County. Therefore, when you return to the woods in the fall, things will look a little different. We have been trying to do some road maintenance for the last two months, but the excessive amounts of rainfall have made this impossible.
Sunflower fields are doing okay, but due to the large amounts of rainfall, we have been unable to keep up with the spraying. Although there is grass in the field, there will be an opportunity for some dove hunting on the WMA.
EAGLE LAKE REFUGE
On Friday June 27 we got about 85 acres of corn planted on the refuge. However, we received over 11.5 inches of rain on the area over the weekend. At the present time, the waterfowl units are completely flooded. Once water leaves and the ground dries out, we plan on planting the corn again. Mother nature can do some wild things sometimes. As you are shooting of fireworks for the fouth of July, we will been running tractors trying to get food in for the waterfowl. We will keep you updated.
Shelby Forest waterfowl hunting will look a lot different than years past. Shelby Forest waterfowl hunting has moved to the computer draw system. There will be 10 pre-determined hunting sites available for hunters. Hunting will be limited to these locations. There will 5 locations within Eagle Lake (off Island 40 road) and 2 sites located on the North end of Eagle Lake Refuge and 3 sites between Poplar Tree Lake Levee and the swimming pool. The quota application will begin in September. You will be able to hunt on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday of the waterfowl season. This will allow for a better hunting experience for the next couple of years.
We have been doing a lot of work on the "Check Station" the last month or so. This building will serve as a field office for TWRA employees for our areas in Shelby County. Therefore, when you return to the woods in the fall, things will look a little different. We have been trying to do some road maintenance for the last two months, but the excessive amounts of rainfall have made this impossible.
Sunflower fields are doing okay, but due to the large amounts of rainfall, we have been unable to keep up with the spraying. Although there is grass in the field, there will be an opportunity for some dove hunting on the WMA.
EAGLE LAKE REFUGE
On Friday June 27 we got about 85 acres of corn planted on the refuge. However, we received over 11.5 inches of rain on the area over the weekend. At the present time, the waterfowl units are completely flooded. Once water leaves and the ground dries out, we plan on planting the corn again. Mother nature can do some wild things sometimes. As you are shooting of fireworks for the fouth of July, we will been running tractors trying to get food in for the waterfowl. We will keep you updated.
JOHN TULLY WMA JULY 1 UPDATES
WATERFOWL HUNTING CHANGES FOR TULLY
Just wanted to let everyone know of the changes for waterfowl hunting on John Tully WMA this coming hunting season. The FIG FIELD UNIT AND FULLEN NORTH TRACT waterfowl hunting opportunities will look much different than you are used to in Tennessee. These areas will only be open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday to drawn hunters. The draw will take place at the John Tully Workbase on Lightfoot-Luckett Road, Henning, TN at 6:00 pm on each Monday of the statewide waterfowl season. We will draw for particular sites that are designated by TWRA. Depending on water conditions, the amount of sites will vary throughout the year. I will update how many sites we will draw for each week on this site. This will make for a better quality hunt for everyone involved this year.
Weather/Crop Planting Update:
This has been an extremely wet spring and early summer. The rainfall amounts for June are the second highest recordings on record (dating back to the late 1800's. This Mississippi River levels have been sitting at flood level or near flood level since April. We finally were able to plant 33 acres of corn on the fig field on Friday afternoon June 27. However, we received 6.2 inches of rain between Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon. We are hoping the ground will begin to dry out in order for us to get some more corn planted in the flat. I will keep you updated.
Sunflower fields have withstood the large amounts of rainfall so far. We had some acres drown out because of flooding; however, we will have plenty of acres to hunt doves spread out over 3 fields. 2 fields are adult fields and 1 field is youth only on opening day. After opening day, the "youth only field" will be open to everyone.
Soybean fields have been planted for the most part except for some wet areas located here and there.
Wood duck trapping preparation is at full throttle on the area. At the present time we have 4 locations for banding ducks. We will begin banding in a couple of days and conclude at the end of August.
We have been trying to do some much needed road maintenance; however, the amount of rainfall over the last month has made it pretty much impossible.
Just wanted to let everyone know of the changes for waterfowl hunting on John Tully WMA this coming hunting season. The FIG FIELD UNIT AND FULLEN NORTH TRACT waterfowl hunting opportunities will look much different than you are used to in Tennessee. These areas will only be open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday to drawn hunters. The draw will take place at the John Tully Workbase on Lightfoot-Luckett Road, Henning, TN at 6:00 pm on each Monday of the statewide waterfowl season. We will draw for particular sites that are designated by TWRA. Depending on water conditions, the amount of sites will vary throughout the year. I will update how many sites we will draw for each week on this site. This will make for a better quality hunt for everyone involved this year.
Weather/Crop Planting Update:
This has been an extremely wet spring and early summer. The rainfall amounts for June are the second highest recordings on record (dating back to the late 1800's. This Mississippi River levels have been sitting at flood level or near flood level since April. We finally were able to plant 33 acres of corn on the fig field on Friday afternoon June 27. However, we received 6.2 inches of rain between Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon. We are hoping the ground will begin to dry out in order for us to get some more corn planted in the flat. I will keep you updated.
Sunflower fields have withstood the large amounts of rainfall so far. We had some acres drown out because of flooding; however, we will have plenty of acres to hunt doves spread out over 3 fields. 2 fields are adult fields and 1 field is youth only on opening day. After opening day, the "youth only field" will be open to everyone.
Soybean fields have been planted for the most part except for some wet areas located here and there.
Wood duck trapping preparation is at full throttle on the area. At the present time we have 4 locations for banding ducks. We will begin banding in a couple of days and conclude at the end of August.
We have been trying to do some much needed road maintenance; however, the amount of rainfall over the last month has made it pretty much impossible
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
SHELBY FOREST/EAGLE LAKE REFUGE MAY 13 UPDATES
On Shelby Forest WMA, we got the 13.5 acre "bus field" (located at the end of Check Station Road) planted in Sunflowers Wednesday, May 7, 2014. This is a new field location near the Mississippi River that looks promising for years to come. We are beginning to do road maintenance on all the roads below the Check Station and Island 40 road; however, the wet spring has prohibited much work from being completed.
We also planted 4.2 acres of sunflowers on the Bomprezzi Unit of Eagle Lake Refuge. We are hoping to get the back field (23.2 acres) planted in sunflowers before it is too late. However, this last rain may prohibit us from doing so. We will keep you updated.
Eagle Lake Refuge has not been planted yet due to high Mississippi River levels. We are looking at planting in late May to early June. We will keep you updated on our progress.
We also planted 4.2 acres of sunflowers on the Bomprezzi Unit of Eagle Lake Refuge. We are hoping to get the back field (23.2 acres) planted in sunflowers before it is too late. However, this last rain may prohibit us from doing so. We will keep you updated.
Eagle Lake Refuge has not been planted yet due to high Mississippi River levels. We are looking at planting in late May to early June. We will keep you updated on our progress.
JOHN TULLY WMA MAY 13 UPDATES
Due to excessive amounts of rainfall and cool soil temperatures, we were finally able to get our sunflowers planted. We planted one youth field and two adult fields on Thursday, May 8, 2014. The youth field is approximately 50 acres located on Fullen North Tract on Jim Fullen Road. One adult field is approximately 55 acres and is located on the Fullen South Tract on Sunk Lake Road. The other adult field is approximately 70 acres located on the Yankee Bar Unit on Crutcher Lake Road.
The Fig Field Unit has been continuously flooded by the Mississippi River over the last month. The river is beginning to slowly fall. Hopefully, we will be able to get in the fields very soon.
The Fig Field Unit has been continuously flooded by the Mississippi River over the last month. The river is beginning to slowly fall. Hopefully, we will be able to get in the fields very soon.
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