Big buck population East/Middle/West Tn

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What is everyones thoughts on the Big Buck population throughout the state. I live in eastern tn and we have big deer...they just dont show there self...at all
 
Big bucks are definitely wily, elusive animals. I think the rest of the state just has more deer, so chances are higher of seeing them. Granted, avg antler size will be larger in Middle and West TN, but a big buck is still going to look like a big buck.

A buddy of mine saw a 130ish deer in August near my parents house. Hasn't been seen since. I know there are some good ones staying in the area, cause the neighbor has killed 2 over the past 4yrs in the 130-140 range. Both killed during the rut, right at dark. I have yet to see one that size in E TN, except in Cades Cove.

When I visit my in-laws in Murfreesboro, I sometimes see big deer along the way, but I also see many more deer than I do here at home. I really think its a population thing.
 
Mid-south and northwest counties offer "more" bigger bucks. Not saying they are larger, just a higher quantity.
 
Better age structure over the last few years helps with more big bucks, but they're always going to be struggling for much antler growth with limited nutrients in east tn.
 
I think its the best its been in modern times, especially here in East TN anyway!
 
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weve been seeing better bucks lately come out of carter co. just not many. i know of several 130s. also two 150 and a 168 out of johnson co.all in last 7 years
 
Football Hunter said:
More big bucks in middle and west Tn,simply because there are more deer.
Click to expand...

Agreed, but its getting better all the time. I give credit to trail cams. More people are getting them, and finding out whats on the property. People are more selective now.
 
Are you talking "big bucks" as in antler size or in age? Buck age structure is about the same East to Middle to West TN, but Middle and West have more deer (meaning more total old bucks per square mile), and food resources are better in Middle and West TN, meaning bucks of the same age generally grow larger antlers in Middle and West TN than in East TN.
 
BSK said:
Are you talking "big bucks" as in antler size or in age? Buck age structure is about the same East to Middle to West TN, but Middle and West have more deer (meaning more total old bucks per square mile), and food resources are better in Middle and West TN, meaning bucks of the same age generally grow larger antlers in Middle and West TN than in East TN.
Click to expand...
BSK, do you think there are more total deer in Mid/western Tn now than there was say 10 yrs ago? I dont come down and hunt very much anymore (used to be down there most every wknd and several weeks of every season) but I got the impression that the herd is actually a lil smaller than it was several years ago!
I know we have a lot more deer in East TN than we did 10 yrs ago however.
 
I think the Middle TN population is down from the peak of '05 and '06. It doesn't appear to have fully bounced back from the EHD die-off of '07.
 

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