A point restriction is what's needed at CS also. Don't think it'll ever get better until they do it. Probably should lower the number of tags as well. I think it was 640 tags last time I put in for it. Probably should be half that.
I think an Antler requirement.... say 3 or 4 on 1 side, would be a great benefit to Chuck Swan. This season there are a total of 2,350 Buck Tags drawn ( one 400 Archery, 2 gun hunts with 650 each hunt and a Muzzleloader hunt with 650 ). Another 200 either Sex for the Youth. Not everyone will hunt that was drawn. That being said, that's 2,350 different Hunters with different Judgements on what's a shooter. (Kid's excluded). That put's a larger # of the Spikes and 4's on the plate. Now on a drawn hunt you are entitled to harvest which ever Antlered Deer you like. 3" or more above the Hair. Now Imagine this....Cut the # of Hunters drawn in Half and IMHO in just 2 seasons more of those Hunters are gonna let that spike walk cause that wide 8 is coming soon because it walked as a spike in 2022 (this season is set). Be some Big Deer coming from Central Peninsula.........Regularly...I hope to get that opportunity on Muzzleloader.......Peace....Hawk
Sir, that all sounds good but if you'll look back last year, chuck swan had a big showing of hunters compared to previous years ( because covid). You're saying 2,350 buck tags were issued to hunters. That number is pointless to share. Because, by the end of the year only 100 (and I'm rounding up) bucks we're killed. Isn't the swan 24,000 acres. That's 1 buck for every 240 acres of land. That's nothing. Why do you think that blue tongue hit the swan so hard? Population has to be controlled. If we as hunters don't do it, God obviously will. Like I said before the swan has been hit twice with it, in just a few years. I'm all for killing a big buck, in fact most of the time if it's not 4.5 or older I don't shoot. I don't hunt their anymore because I'm not the kind of hunter that they're trying to reach. I'm a big buck hunter, and kill a doe here or there, obviously you are to. But imagine if you will going to the back of a truck with 20 people gathered around to look at a 4 pt. It was awesome. Someone actually seen one, and killed. Remember those days. That's when hunting was fun. I hunted their a few years ago and my buddy killed a little 4 pt that I swear couldn't have been 80 pounds. When we got out and checked it in at the station it set me back to when I was a kid. Everyone one gathered to see this yearling buck. It didn't have to have 10pts on its head to be a trophy. He killed 1 of 3 bucks on that hunt it was a feat in itself. I was proud to be part of it. I'll say this I'm all for building a better deer herd and seeing big bucks, but I'm not sure it starts by diminishing hunter numbers and upping the point restriction. By the way it's already headed that direction their by it not being a bonus buck. Can you imagine if it was a bonus buck and you didn't have a restriction. Y'all really would be torn up.
Well ,out of curiosity, what would you propose might work in creating a better quality deer herd in Chuck Swan? it is adequately being logged, and has the large number of hunters. so I guess my question is what needs to change?
Change it to what y'all are saying. Let them grow and add antler restrictions but let it be a bonus buck so that it becomes a sought after hunt. It used to be. Did you know back in the 70s and 80s they stocked the state of Tennessee with chuck swan deer. In fact. Chuck swan deer genetics may be the only true Tennessee deer genetics in the state. Isn't that crazy that's the amount of deer that it had. I'd go as far as to say shut it down for a year even 2 give it a rest. But whether those 100 bucks killed were 4pt or 8 pts it's still 100 male deer out of 2300 people on 24000 acres. It's a public hunt and the public makes up a lot of different attitudes towards deer hunting. Some like taking spikes it's meat in the freezer others look down on it, saying let them grow. I've come to the fact that it's not a quality hunt for me but to each their own. I'll go to Catoosa, seems y'all should do the same. That's what I'm understanding.
well I can attest to that opinion and that's the very reason I don't hunt Chuck Swan.
Hunters need to mature as they progress. I'll be happy for a first timer to shoot whatever comes their way, but shooting spikes and 4pts for the rest of their days shouldn't be the goal.
What if 4s and spikes make them happy
If they can't see that shooting any buck that moves isn't good for the health of the herd, they aren't much for hunters. This is the EXACT reason for antler restrictions, reduction of tags, and other conservation tools.
How is killing a 4 pt bad for health of the herd? Not sure thats what antler restrictions are setup for. Reducing tags in the past has done more harm than good in my honest opinion for herd health as a whole. Can name many scenarios but once again I'll just keep the blue tongue conversation going. Whether I kill any buck that moves for the next ten years as long as I don't break the buck limit of 2 a year, it would be no different than if I kill an 8 or better for the next ten years. If everyone has that same thought of only taking 8 or betters most the time meaning 3 years and older bucks, then before you know it they'll be a massive die off. Reason being is it's easier to kill younger deer which keeps the numbers steady. With your opinion of antler restrictions that means more hunters if not historically you'll see nature take its course. I'm with you sir, if you knew me you'd know I'm all in for killing the older bucks, go under sevier co in our trophy room, you'll see I'm a believer in taking the most mature buck in the woods but I also believe that we need to have an equal median and harvest a set set amount of deer throughout each season also. That's what provides a great deer herd.
Until the time that it grows back the loss of acorns and other mass is as equally important to everything you just mentioned, they could have logged it in sections allowing each section to grow into what you said but to come in and do what they did to me is not good management.
Blue tongue is not transmitted from deer to deer. CWD is but that isn't here yet. More population won't change ehd or blue tongue. Starvation isn't a concern as long as twra manages the unit properly.
And you may be right. I have not laid eyes on Chuck Swan in several years. just like anything else too much of a good thing could turn bad.
I'm in agreement with you on this, but I'll still say to each their own and I shouldn't concern myself with what others call trophies.
Good thing you dont buy any of their tags or pay for anything they use to hunt! Who are you to say what should or shouldnt be someone elses goals! Stay in your on lane and weed your on garden and those that want to hunt the way they see fit will continue to do so whether you agree or not, people kill me pushing their own views on others. Everyone has an an opinion but i don't understand why anyone else would care what it is! You do you and let mr 4 pt killer do his
I don't recall calling for antler restrictions statewide. CS is public ground. Beautiful thing about public ground is your opinion is no more important than mine. If you want to kill tiny little deer on your property, by all means. I pay my conservation dollars like all the rest and more than some. I participate in TWF surveys, go to meetings when I can. Write letter and emails when I feel it appropriate. So, you better do your leg work to make your voice heard, because I do my part.
Oh no im talking about chuck swan as well its not public ground its draw hunt only wma, and i pay as much as you do surveys, emails, volunteer and any thing to help, not like it matters but i dont kill tiny deer either , i havnt killed under a 4.5 yr old in years but this isnt a chest thumping contest, so let people kill what makes them happy for the money and time they invest not what you think they should do.
CS is still public ground. The fact that the deer hunts are on a draw doesn't change that. Catoosa is public ground with draw deer hunts and antler restrictions. CS should be ran the same way in my opinion.
