great post!

Another thing that is important to keeping deer hunting (all hunting, actually) is to recruit new hunters. As the population in general ages, and especially the hunter population, we (both hunters and TWRA) have to take into consideration how we can make hunting something that the non-hunters find attractive and exciting. Most of us on TNDeer started hunting when the buck limits were more liberal, and I think it is fair to say that most of us took advantage of those liberal limits. This not only kept us excited and motivated, but also helped us to learn how to hunt. I don't want to see such restrictive regulations that new hunters are not able to experience this. Generally speaking, as we "matured" most of us changed our hunting goals and sheer numbers of bucks killed was not our primary focus. As BSK, BGG, and many others have pointed out, lowering the buck limit was only one factor in this, and part of it has been a general change in the mindset of hunters.

However, I think that the segment of "passionate" hunters who advocate things like 1 buck limits, antler restrictions, and other severe restrictions don't recognize that measures like this may have a negative impact on bringing new hunters on board. It may serve their hunting purposes and goals better, but do we want to possibly risk the future loss of hunting altogether by reducing future hunter numbers to the point of making us irrelevant just to cater to their hunting goals? Sure, in Unit L hunters can kill a huge number of does but I believe that part of the excitement of new hunters is killing deer with antlers - any size antlers (I know that it was for me). I think this is one important reason for not going overboard with restricting buck limit regulations. I think that we have hit the "sweet spot" with regulations - liberal enough that new hunters and those who want to be able to kill multiple bucks of any size each season can do that, and conservative enough that hunters who want to target mature or large-antlered bucks have a large enough population of them to be successful too. I am not strongly opposed to a two buck limit, but I really don't have any problem with keeping it at three.

Just my humble opinion!

Another thing that is important to keeping deer hunting (all hunting, actually) is to recruit new hunters. As the population in general ages, and especially the hunter population, we (both hunters and TWRA) have to take into consideration how we can make hunting something that the non-hunters find attractive and exciting.

IF there were enough does that a "free" doe with every gun license wouldn't hurt the herd, then I am sure they would already be allowing it.

Unfortunately, in areas with high hunter numbers and low habitat carrying capacity, there will likely NEVER be enough deer to allow a liberal harvest plan like unit L.

While growing up, the one buck limit in KY (at the time) never hurt my excitement for deer hunting either, but then I found TN and the "Promised Land!"

As long as the harvested buck age structure continues to improve, I don't care what the buck limit is. But if it begins to decline, then I'll push for a lower limit.

You have to remember that archery hunters (and muzzleloader hunters, and "gun" hunters) having the legal opportunity to kill does doesn't mean they can fill all those tags.