TN drops antlered deer limit from 3 to 2....

[churly]

Thats the problem with this state. People think they have to "fill" their buck tags to validate themselves as a hunter, and are not willing to take enough does. The result; poor buck/doe ratios and inferior genetics. Id rather eat a doe anyway. In the past 3 years in TN, I have harvested 3 bucks and 9 does. And all of those were legal kills east of mid tn. There is plenty of doe opportunity!

 

[SpurHunter]

I'm not sure its a "have to" mentality Justin, at least not for all hunters, but I know there are some that feel that way. Everyone has their own justifications for why they hunt or fish they way they do. I have heard some anglers say, "why would you fish and NOT keep a legal limit of fish, whats the point", and this angler was actually talking about catfish! I feel very fortunate that I havnt fallen into those categories, I like big bucks and cannot lie, but I don't hunt for them. I hunt for deer and if a big one comes by, great.

Liveliner only hunts for bucks, I have no problem with that unless those types start complaining about only seeing doe's. If there is a silver lining in this new reg, its that maybe hunters that think like Liveliner will indeed start killing more doe's and that in itself will allow more buck sightings for everyone....lets hope that what happens.

 

[Liveliner]

SpurHunter - 6/10/2015 8:54 AM I'm not sure its a "have to" mentality Justin, at least not for all hunters, but I know there are some that feel that way. Everyone has their own justifications for why they hunt or fish they way they do. I have heard some anglers say, "why would you fish and NOT keep a legal limit of fish, whats the point", and this angler was actually talking about catfish! I feel very fortunate that I havnt fallen into those categories, I like big bucks and cannot lie, but I don't hunt for them. I hunt for deer and if a big one comes by, great. Liveliner only hunts for bucks, I have no problem with that unless those types start complaining about only seeing doe's. If there is a silver lining in this new reg, its that maybe hunters that think like Liveliner will indeed start killing more doe's and that in itself will allow more buck sightings for everyone....lets hope that what happens.

</p>

No, I hunt Deer.. I absolutely shoot an appropriate number of Does. There are many many Days where I hunt outside unit L where we are limited on Antler-less days. I have my last tag as a reserve so I may continue to hunt any day I can get into the Woods... You can not imagine how many times I have passed on a goof Buck so I could be out there hunting... On Doe days I do in fact shoot does as I pass on Bucks... I feel that I am absolutely NOT harming the quality nor am I hindering the breeding balance...</p>

This is the third day of Gun season a few years back.. Opening day I harvested a huge Ten point. Second Day I got an equally big Eight point. On the third day hunt, I watched this Nice Eight point Run a Doe until the Doe's Lesbian Girlfriend ran the Buck out of the Clear-cut.. As you can see I did Not shoot this great Buck... If I had, My time in the woods would be very restricted.. This is Proof the Hunt is as important as the harvest...</p>

Watch My video I shot as my 270 Win was excused..</p>

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSnu01oL7XA</p>

 

[Liveliner]

Pretty sure that year I took the two bucks and Four Does. Last year it was also a Ten an Eight and four Does.. I am shooting Two does to one Buck as a rule.. So what if I am a skilled and lucky hunter.. How does that make me "One of those Hunters?"

 

[SpurHunter]

Not sure what you mean, but to clarify, none of my comments referencing you was meant to be derogatory in any way.

 

[fish4thepeck]

Spur you may be right about the reason for the change but I'm hoping the change was made to ensure more doe harvest.

 

[SpurHunter]

Unfortunately Peck, that was not even mentioned in ANY of the conversations by TWRA or the TWC. This decision was based on a minority of trophy hunters that got into the heads of TWC members. They truly believe that TN has the potential to have 150" deer hiding behind every bush....these same people dont care if you care more about hunting tradition than trophys. Its very sad.

 

[usmc7980]

I've got to put my 2 cents worth (and that's about what it's worth) in here. 3 points : 1) the point about nutrients and soil might be a valid point, 2) Bergman's Rule will always govern an animals body mass thus to some extent antler size, and 3) as some have pointed out, less than 10% of TN hunters harvest more than 2 bucks a year (this is from TWRA's data). Can anyone tell me how you manage for bigger bucks when you are changing the harvest of only 10% of hunters and the other 90% are doing as they always have? I would like to try each year to achieve my personal TN slam. A good (8 point or better) buck with archery, muzzleloader, and gun. If there is any question in anyone's mind about antler restrictions, look up the failed trial of this on Natchez Trace in west TN where there is a lot more corn, wheat, soybeans, etc grown.

 

[decaturbullet]

Jmax - 6/4/2015 8:15 AM

I will say this restriction of going to two bucks only to help the buck deer get bigger is like pissing on a forest fire to say it will help put it out. emoTskTsk I saw where there were about 1% of the deer hunters in TN kill three bucks each year. That is something like 2,400 out of 240,000 bucks killed. The powers to be keep saying that a lot of areas in TN have too many doe. The comment I saw was them saying they hope this move will encourage more hunters to take a doe. Not sure if that will happen but it might cause the 2,400 that killed three bucks to shoot a doe. So with that said we will have an increase of 1%. emoBooHoo I have never shot three bucks in a year in TN either.

In AR they have gone to a 3 point rule on one side. Been in place for several years now. I do see a lot more spikes and small racked fours. I now see less big deer do to the increased pressure that has occurred on the bigger racked bucks. I am not sure the results have been what they wanted but they keep saying it is working state wide. emoScratch Maybe it is and I have just not seen it. Until there is a over all push by hunters to try and manage the herd for bigger bucks I am not sure anything the Game and Fish says or does will have that big of an effect. I am a meat hunter and really don't look much at rack size. After my first one I will usually be more selective unless I see the season coming down to a close and want the second still for the freezer. If I have two in the freezer already, at that time I am just trophy hunting or crappie fishing. emoBigsmile Jmax

emoDoh