BSK":2ninajhd said:
--the real problem is the tone and trajectory of TN deer management.
As they say, everyone will never be happy, no matter what.
I was personally very concerned about the trajectory when the November muzzleloader buck limit went from 1 to 3 bucks, and the number of days doubled (at least in Unit L). But maybe that was a bit selfish of me, since my focus was more on losing a week of exclusive archery-only hunting during the peak of the rut. Now, I have to share those woods with more hunters, but do admit, this change benefited the majority and did make the regs "simpler". No more opening/closing, opening/closing of various "special" weapons season segments. It's oh so simple now.
I suspect a true majority now care little whatever our perceived tone and trajectory.
However, if statewide hunter success significantly improves in 2016, how will most hunters "feel" about our trajectory?
I may very well be wrong, but I do believe statewide hunter success is going to improve significantly with the 2016 deer season.
Rather than perceiving a problem, the majority of TN's deer hunters
MAY see the positives of our overall deer regs having become simpler over the years, and may not be so concerned about
whatever is the definition of an antlered vs. an antlerless deer, since
both are now legal game,
STATEWIDE,
during the time the most hunters are afield with the most effective weapons, the opening week of rifle deer season.
THIS is a major milestone in TN's statewide deer regs, and almost no one has even mentioned it.
Today, fully half the State of TN is now Unit L, basically no limit on female deer, although
for those killing multiple deer, being more sure of one's target has become more an issue with this new definition. Is that necessarily a bad idea? Again, for the majority of hunters who fail to kill even a single deer, how much issue is it?
Prior to 2016, during the first weekend of rifle season, a hunter could have killed a spike buck with 2 7/8" spikes, and been guilty of taking an illegal deer since a spike must measure 3.0" or more to be considered a legal buck, in our prior "buck-only" hunting environment.
Yep, the limit on antlerless deer was zero to the majority of the hunters hunting in most TN counties during the first week of gun season. Now, it's become "either-sex", with zero concern for the definition of antlered/antlerless, at least until at least "a" deer has been killed.
I've many times heard so many say that hunter "education" is the key to better deer management. Yet in 2015, it appeared a significant segment of TN's deer hunters didn't know the difference between "antlered" and "antlerless" deer based on our longstanding definitions.
It remains my belief that part of the impetus for this definition change was educational in nature, and to "raise awareness". If that's the case, it seems to be working.
Next year, if enough of us really want to go back to that 3" definition (again, that would be my personal preference), I truly believe it will get changed back. But I also believe relatively few hunters are going to care much what it is, so long as they simply understand the definition clearly, the lack of that being part of the "issue" at present. Meanwhile, many are simply going to be elated they can now kill
ANY deer instead of "buck only", overshadowing much of "our" concerns about this definition change.
I'm personally looking forward to a great upcoming deer season,
and refuse to be company to those so now miserable by nothing more than a minor definition change.
There is more than one tree in this forest.