2 buck limit

[A/M/G]

I do not want this to be a TWRA or 2 buck bashing thread.

I know the 2 buck limit has been in effect for a few years. Do you think the "new" buck restrictions have made a difference on the quality of bucks you are seeing. I do not expect people that hunt large tracts of private ground with self imposed restrictions to actually see great improvements. Small private tracts where the neighbors hunt as you do and obey the laws is what I am interested in learning if the new rule has made a difference. Also, public ground hunting is a another area of interest.

I know there are areas in Tennessee where poaching is a large problem, as I have read on this forum. I do not nor would anyone expect to see an increase in quality of bucks.

I personally have seen a dramatic increase in the quality of bucks, age and antler size in the areas I hunt. I hunt public ground and small private acreage areas. So if you don't mind, please comment as to public and small private tracts. I may be wrong about the large private areas, if you see an increase please note those too.

 

[Cuttin]

The age class of bucks that I have seen and have on camera in the areas I hunt has been much better (older) over the last few years. I personally think a good deal of this is due to the 2 buck limit. I would also think that some of it is due to people "self" imposing the age of the deer they choose to shoot. Some of that is due to peer pressure. Some of that is due to people being better informed on the subject of "quality management" (how ever you define it).

Also the use of trail cameras has caused me to pass on a lot of bucks that I would have shot 15 or 20 years ago because I know that older deer are there even if I don't see them.

 

[A/M/G]

That is a fair assessment. I am not saying the limit is the only reason for the increase in your area. I have been hunting deer for 20 plus years and only recently am I seeing a tremendous increase. The areas I have hunted for 15 years produced the same same. I can only attribute the advance to the 2 buck limit. Thanks for your reply.

 

[Mike Belt]

I think we just finished our 2nd year so far and going into the 3rd. I don't know if any results thus far will be that dramatic but there should be some indication of it's benefit. Coupled with the new antler regulations which should put more bucks into the developing herds the law of averages says we should be seeing a few better bucks down the road.

 

[A/M/G]

I was thinking were going into the 4th year. Last 2 years i have killed some nice bucks.

 

[AT Hiker]

From a taxidermist stand point, this past year was the year of "big" deer for me. Not sure if it's related to the new limits or not but it's worthy of consideration.



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[Matador]

We just have two year of 2 buck limit behind us. No way you can accurately say you are seeing better bucks because of the 2 buck limit. Bigger and better bucks have been on the increase for several year before the two buck limit. Probably the real reason has been hunter restraint on what age buck they kill. Not to say the 2 buck limit wont help, but that has to be proven with several years data.

 

[Boone 58]

Just the reduction many years ago made an almost immediate improvement in what I saw starting in 2004........................I firmly believe the 2 buck rule is good without going into a lot of details. I do not encourage a one buck and would be very opposed to it. Leave it at 2..........................and why in blue blazes do they still allow 4 turkeys in the lower southern counties that are under study for a declining population of turkeys? In my opinion only 2 at most gobblers should be the limit with such a decrease in Turkey flocks. .........................sorry..............just had to say that. I don't hunt them, but it seems ridiculous to still have 4 as the limit. :bash:

 

[SelphLogging]

This will be the 3rd season with a 2 buck limit. And I can say this, in Humphreys county, in 2015, the first year of. The new rule, we had more bucks checked in than we did in 2014. I was keeping up with it through out the season. We were on a really good pace through MZ with a decrease of somewhere around 25% buck harvest. I can't remember specific %'s. I just remember the significant number. Then, it was like everyone quit holding back, and the flood gates opened up shortly after rifle season, and we surpassed the previous year buck harvest. Kind of depressing to see that flip like that.

 

[MR Yote]

Just my 2 cents worth but I believe the 2 buck limit has helped with older age class bucks. I have seen a few more older bucks than normal last year. Don't think results will be seen across the state on a large scale for several more years.

 

[MR Yote]

Just the reduction many years ago made an almost immediate improvement in what I saw starting in 2004........................I firmly believe the 2 buck rule is good without going into a lot of details. I do not encourage a one buck and would be very opposed to it. Leave it at 2..........................and why in blue blazes do they still allow 4 turkeys in the lower southern counties that are under study for a declining population of turkeys? In my opinion only 2 at most gobblers should be the limit with such a decrease in Turkey flocks. .........................sorry..............just had to say that. I don't hunt them, but it seems ridiculous to still have 4 as the limit. :bash:

Also agree with lowering the spring turkey limit to 2

 

[megalomaniac]

I have mixed feelings... While certainly, last year was the best year we've ever had on my farms as far as age structure harvested... a 7.5 y/o, a 6.5 y/o, two 5.5 y/o's, a 3.5 y/o (taken by a kid), and a 1.5 y/o (taken by a kid), those older bucks we took had most likely been passed up a few times in years prior to the buck limit decrease to two.

But, (and I assume it's just due to cyclic variations), we had almost no 3.5 y/o bucks on camera last year. Of course I know that will translate to some lean years in the next couple as far as older age buck populations.

In other words, despite having the best year we've ever had last year as far as harvested age structure goes, I think it was more of a coincidence than as a direct result of the buck limit reduction. It will take AT LEAST 5 years to know if there is a definite improvement in the percent of mature bucks harvested.

Now as far as percent of 3.5 y/o's harvested this year... I fully DO expect that to statistically improve THIS YEAR (probably by as much as 4% of that cohort from prior to the limit reduction).

 

[Mike Belt]

Mega...Sounds like you're doing something right aside from the new regulations. I'll still take a coincidence on the + side in conjunction with doing things right to begin with.

 

[451LRML]

Time will tell, but I think it also may depend on the number of bucks hunters in the areas have killed each year in the past. I have never killed more than 2 in a season - kill the does! I've always believe in killing a nice buck only - sometimes that depends on the rifle I'm carrying, don't do cameras or any tech stuff - just enjoy going out and hunting..
One of my most memorable kills years ago was a 6 pt at 60 yards as he was trailing a doe. The memorable part was because I spent countless hours restoring an original ML, made the bullet mold as well and it shoots wonderfully. Load was 215gr lead bullet over 50 gr Black powder - double lung and he only ran 50 yards..
Back to the 2 buck limit, I hope I start seeing more mature bucks.
Good question..

 

[catman529]

I hunt public and small private acreage too. No visible improvement. A lot of what you see in the woods has to do with the luck of the draw. Aka a whole lot of factors beyond just 2 years of a 2 buck limit.

One thing I gotta say too is you can't start a discussion on the 2 buck limit without starting arguments, which will most likely lead to TWRA bashing and trophy vs meat hunter fights.

Me personally, I think the 2 buck limit is a good compromise between the trophy hunting 1 buck limit and the meat hunting 3 buck limit. As long as there is never a serious push for a 1 buck limit, I am fine with it as is.

Some people will just never be happy with the season and limits no matter what they are. Just go into the woods and enjoy God's creation and quit complaining so much.


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[ROUGH COUNTRY HUNTER]

I don't see any difference in antler size but our club has been managed for several years now. A two buck limit has to be working because any buck that survives another year at least has the opportunity to become bigger.I personally griped about it at first but realizing that two deer is plenty of meat for me I don't think much more about it.

 

[TheLBLman]

Catboy is getting a lot wiser in his old age!
Hensforth, we shall call him Catman529.
Good post, Cat.

A lot of what you see in the woods has to do with the luck of the draw.
Aka a whole lot of factors beyond just 2 years of a 2 buck limit.

Me personally, I think the 2 buck limit is a good compromise between the trophy hunting 1 buck limit and the meat hunting 3 buck limit.

Some people will just never be happy with the season and limits no matter what they are.
Just go into the woods and enjoy God's creation and quit complaining so much.

Agree with this.

Related, although I did not "like" it, the recent definition change for "antlered" (going from 3" visible to simply "visible" bone above hairline) has possibly made as much or more difference than going from the 3 to the 2-buck limit. Seeing that the sky didn't fall with this change, I would not change it back now, as perhaps it is doing more good than harm. Never mind believe I still would have preferred no change at all on the "antlered" definition.

 

[TNCanoer]

i am catching some really nice mature bucks on my trail cameras on both farms where I hunt, especially here behind my house. I haven't seen bucks this nice since I was in high school during the '80s. I believe it is due to the limit TWRA has put in place.

 

[Southern Sportsman]

i am catching some really nice mature bucks on my trail cameras on both farms where I hunt, especially here behind my house. I haven't seen bucks this nice since I was in high school during the '80s. I believe it is due to the limit TWRA has put in place.

Well . . . TWRA didn't put it in place. The Fish and Wildlife Commission did. And if I recall, it was opposed by the TWRA. I specifically remember a VERY bias mailer/advertisement put out by the TWRA trying to rally opposition to the two buck limit, indicating that it was primarily being pushed by a "small but very vocal" group.

Not trying to bash TWRA, and I may be mis-remembering things. If so, I'll gladly admit it. But I don't think the TWRA is the organization the thank or blame for the 2 buck limit.

 

[ImThere]

i am catching some really nice mature bucks on my trail cameras on both farms where I hunt, especially here behind my house. I haven't seen bucks this nice since I was in high school during the '80s. I believe it is due to the limit TWRA has put in place.

Well . . . TWRA didn't put it in place. The Fish and Wildlife Commission did. And if I recall, it was opposed by the TWRA. I specifically remember a VERY bias mailer/advertisement put out by the TWRA trying to rally opposition to the two buck limit, indicating that it was primarily being pushed by a "small but very vocal" group.

Not trying to bash TWRA, and I may be mis-remembering things. If so, I'll gladly admit it. But I don't think the TWRA is the organization the thank or blame for the 2 buck limit.

I don't think it has had time to make a difference give it a couple of more years. I'm still thinking 2 buck lint won't make a huge difference, I think 1 buck would be the ticket for bigger bucks, not that i would ever advocate for 1 buck limit
Agreed the TWRA didn't put it in place a very biased fish and wildlife agency did being pushed by a "small but very vocal" group


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[Rackseeker]

If I get lucky to kill two mature deer in one season, that is plenty for me. But I know a few local hunters that still kill more than their limit every year anyway. Limits don't matter to them.

 

[TX300mag]

#bucklivesmatter


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[Doskil]

Interesting folks are seeing improvement after just 2 years.

 

[ImThere]

Interesting folks are seeing improvement after just 2 years.

It's imagined


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[Doskil]

Interesting folks are seeing improvement after just 2 years.

It's imagined


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Might be but folks are seeing improvement nonetheless.

 

[GRIT]

Interesting folks are seeing improvement after just 2 years.

Not for some hunters to see improvement in just 2 years.
Say the first year they started the 2 buck limit.A hunter sees 4 bucks on his land 3 of them bucks are 2 1/2 and one is 3 1/2 ok next year say 2 of them bucks make it.Then you have 1 buck that is 4 1/2 and 1 that is 3 1/2 Plus you still have the other bucks that turned 2 1/2 and the 1 1/2 that might make it.Most hunters or after the older bucks now days.So in some cases it's not impossible to see improvement after just 2 years.jmo

 

[Hunter 257W]

I haven't seen any difference to be honest but then I didn't expect to see a big change so soon. Sure I'm for the 2 buck limit but see it more as a slow steady move to improve buck quality and quantity rather than a drastic miracle cure that will alter our deer herd over night. To expect significant change after only 2 years is like giving up eating bread to lose weight then getting on the scales twice a day to check your progress. Just relax and the weight will come off but not THAT fast.

 

[Grnwing]

I think the biggest difference is all the debate that has come from this topic, it really gets hunters engaged in the conversation. I think it is great to have the debate and spread more information across the hunting population. The more people know about a healthy heard the better it will be for everyone!

Last I looked at harvest data it was showing an increase in younger aged deer which will lead to a few more bucks making it to maturity(3.5/4.5) but I think it will be hard to get those bucks pass the 2.5 mark. Field and Stream had a recent article stating something along the lines that for last year the mature buck harvest (35%) exceeded the yearling harvest (34%). I think that shows hunters are being more selective on shooting a buck. I think more information provided to the hunting public will be more beneficial to all of us.

 

[TheLBLman]

I think the biggest difference is all the debate that has come from this topic, it really gets hunters engaged in the conversation. I think it is great to have the debate and spread more information across the hunting population. The more people know about a healthy heard the better it will be for everyone!

You nailed it!
This is where the big changes are coming from, not so much from the regs themselves, but the "debate" they have been creating.

Just think about all the debate that was stirred by the "antlered" buck definition being changed from 3" of antler to "visible" hard antler above hairline. In reality, that change made very little difference on most, but did get all to "think" a little more about what they're shooting or not shooting. With that new definition, "button" bucks remained "antlerless" deer (still legal to kill whenever a doe legal, and still didn't count toward the antlered buck limit).

What the change in "antlered" definition did was get more hunters to pay more attention, thus has likely saved a ton of button bucks (even though they remained legal if antlerless deer were legal). For sure, the sky didn't fall, and most hunters didn't change anything about their hunting, as perhaps most were already paying great attention to what they were shooting.

But, now, any time in the coming years, I'd be happy to go back to that 3" definition, as I do believe "visible" hard bone above hairline does have more potential to cause a novice hunter an unintended violation of the law. Never mind that also happens with the 3" or any other definition.

To stir debate and scrutiny, perhaps occasionally just making a small change (such as this) trumps no changes at all?
I could live with the antlered buck definition rotating every other year (odd years vs even years)
to 3" on odd years, vs hard bone above hairline on even years :tu:

 

[easy45]

No difference for me


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