Future of the velvet hunt

[AT Hiker]

Assuming the data is correct (think turkey season) TWRA is reporting a harvest of 598. If it's accurate that last year was 793, that's a drop of approx 200 kills. Let's assume weather caused the 33% discrepancy...I was not here so I'm going by what little I heard about the weather

I would really like to know the participation numbers of hunters, especially number of non-residents and 2018vs2019, which could account for the lower harvest.
I know it would be costly for TWRA but a "free permit" specific to the 3-day hunt would really give some data to pinpoint down details.

With what little info available I see no reason why they would do away with the hunt. I cannot conjure up some reasoning on killing to many mature bucks either, maybe in a isolated pocket but not statewide.

Thoughts, opinions???


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[AT Hiker]

Also, anyone care to compare last years "CWD" county harvest to this years harvest? Surely a increase happened simply due to weapon choice and open public lands?????

***TWRA just posted this to social media***

"Unit CWD harvests were up 79% compared to last year, with a total of 61 deer harvested in the unit."

************

So, in reality the overall harvest was actually much lower just offset by unit CWD.

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[MUP]

IMO, weather couldn't be considered as a contributing factor this season, and not be equally considered a factor from last season as well. It was hot here last year and this year. The main reason I didn't care to go, both times. :)

 

[Boll Weevil]

With 2 years of data it's perhaps a bit more clear that what ISN'T happening is the wholesale slaughter of mature bucks waltzing around super-vulnerable in broad daylight on beanfields. Other than people just not being interested in summer and/or velvet hunting, I just don't know why it doesn't seem to be catching on as some folks thought.

 

[TheLBLman]

Thoughts, opinions???

IMO, the statewide summertime velvet hunt is a disservice to most TN resident hunters,
which includes not only deer hunters, but also squirrel hunters, and future hunters who might otherwise have taken advantage of the "Free" squirrel-hunting day now over-lapping with the velvet hunt.

This is in context of several issues, including:

1) The majority of TN's deer hunters didn't want it, didn't ask for it, and are not participating in it.

2) The date conflicts with the opening of squirrel season, which has traditionally been one of the best opportunities to introduce youth to hunting, and was even made a "free" (no license required) event.

3) The velvet hunt caters to the special interest of a very few avid archery hunters.
- - - The CWD Zone is "somewhat" an exception to this --- but is not a reason to have the velvet hunt "statewide" with a firearm rather than archery.

It remains my opinion that only a tiny number of hunters wanted it,
and it was pushed thru last year mainly because of the potential to attract new non-resident deer hunting license sales,
along with an uptick in resident archery (and now muzzleloader) permit sales.

Those reading and posting on TNdeer.com generally represent the most avid of TN's deer hunters.
Yet, how many, even among the most avid, had any desire to participate in this hunt?

For what few benefit and the harm caused to the future of hunting, is it worth having?

I do understand some of the appeal of the velvet hunt,
and do realize a few on here really "like" it.
I just think it is of more overall harm than good to the future of our hunting.

 

[TheLBLman]

Other than people just not being interested in summer and/or velvet hunting,
I just don't know why it doesn't seem to be catching on as some folks thought.

I suspect all the negative publicity about CWD has caused many to reduce or stop deer hunting, particularly in the CWD zone.

Many deer hunters do not want to kill it, and then not eat it, seeing that as at least somewhat unethical.
The velvet hunt is more about the "trophy" antlers, and less about the "meat".
Most hunters value both, and are more inclined to hunt under "either-sex" regs (in cooler weather)
instead of the summertime "buck only" regs.

Between the summertime heat and the CWD fears, many just won't go hunting,
even with the allure of a "trophy" velvet rack.

Yes, you can still keep & eat the meat.
Just saying it's more involved, and some commercial deer processors aren't open in the summer months.

Then, there is the conflict and allure of other habitual summertime activities for many,
activities which do not require a higher skill set to enjoy family participation.
Spending the weekend on the lake comes to mind.

 

[megalomaniac]

IMO, the biggest factor for low participation is the fact that the mature deer are concentrated in much smaller habitats than later in the fall when they scatter throughout their home ranges. If you don't have beans close by, you have sig fewer deer. Many don't have farms or permission to hunt next to ag. Lets just call a spade a spade... the velvet hunt is a trophy hunt. And if you don't have what you feel is a trophy on your cameras, there just isn't any reason to sit in a tree this time of year.

On one of my farms (where I killed the big 7 last year), the neighbor converted bean fields to switch grass. Last year I had 3 mature bucks on a salt lick next to the beans, this year, no mature bucks on the lick next to the switch grass. I hunted that farm last year a couple times, this year I didn't even bother.

As far as it's continuation, I think it's just a cherry on top. It hasn't negatively impacted the resource, and the real question is how many actually went afield. Most hunters weren't going to arrow a buck unless it was a trophy in their eyes. And shooting a mature buck with a bow is not an easy feat. So if 600 bucks were killed, how many actually hunted? I would guess at least 10,000, maybe even 15,000 statewide. Not an insignificant number I'm sure that got to enjoy the weekend in the woods.

As far as squirrels, shooting one this time of year and messing with flea infested/ tick infested rodents has no appeal to me (just like I don't want to mess with dressing a buck covered in ticks this time of year, unless he is going on the wall).

 

[TheLBLman]

One more thing.

Most deer hunters have limited vacation days,
and/or a "limited" number of annual hunting days
without compromising other family activities and the family finances.

A weekend in August vs a weekend in November?
That could be the dilemma for some?

 

[AT Hiker]

IMO, the biggest factor for low participation is the fact that the mature deer are concentrated in much smaller habitats than later in the fall when they scatter throughout their home ranges. If you don't have beans close by, you have sig fewer deer. Many don't have farms or permission to hunt next to ag. Lets just call a spade a spade... the velvet hunt is a trophy hunt. And if you don't have what you feel is a trophy on your cameras, there just isn't any reason to sit in a tree this time of year.

).

This is exactly why I did not hunt this year.




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[AT Hiker]

One more thing.

Most deer hunters have limited vacation days,
and/or a "limited" number of annual hunting days
without compromising other family activities and the family finances.

A weekend in August vs a weekend in November?
That could be the dilemma for some?

Very possible but I'm wagering that most hunters who would hunt this hunt will take the time off, regardless.

I wish we could get the data for archery license purchased and try to extrapolate something out of it to see if their is even much interest in this hunt.


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[TheLBLman]

Most hunters weren't going to arrow a buck unless it was a trophy in their eyes.

"Any" velvet buck is a "trophy" to many hunters?

I agree with most your post above,
including that this velvet hunt opportunity is only a real opportunity for a small segment of trophy hunters?

Of course, as I've said many times, we are all trophy hunters, including those who claim they only hunt for the meat.
Any deer is a trophy, regardless.

 

[megalomaniac]

LBL, I agree a trophy is in the eye of the beholder. What is a trophy to one may be very different to another. and that's fine. BUT there are some out there that just like to kill for the sake of killing. Thank goodness they are a small minority. But that's nothing new. It's the reason the whitetails, elk, and bison were nearly hunted to extinction in the 1800's.

 

[Rakkin6]

Several reasons for me personally. I am still finishing up my honey do list around the house before the season opens in September, this way I can hopefully make it to December with little interruption. Also the weather is a.little to warm for me in August. Also I am trying to spend has much time with family and friends before the season starts, once it does open up I will be spending the majority of my weekends in a tree. You know what they say happy wife happy life. Like I said these are just my reasons for not going.

 

[JeepKuntry]

I'll be interested to see what the total kills are for the year. I think there is more to the CWD scare than we may realize. I know I've seen folks here that have stated they are going to rabbit hunt more, etc. I hope Tennessee is proactive in getting testing sites across the state so that people can feel at ease where trying to feed their family.

 

[Andy S.]

***TWRA just posted this to social media***

"Unit CWD harvests were up 79% compared to last year, with a total of 61 deer harvested in the unit."

No surprise there, better weather in SW TN this year, and a deadlier weapon in the hands of most. With that said, 61 bucks over 3 days, in 8 counties, covering 3 million acres, with a MZer, is not very much to boast about.

 

[buckaroo]

It doesn't appeal to me at all and I love hunting

 

[TheLBLman]

***TWRA just posted this to social media***

"Unit CWD harvests were up 79% compared to last year, with a total of 61 deer harvested in the unit."

No surprise there, better weather in SW TN this year, and a deadlier weapon in the hands of most. With that said, 61 bucks over 3 days, in 8 counties, covering 3 million acres, with a MZer, is not very much to boast about.

By all appearances, this velvet hunt is not as appealing to deer hunters as TWRA was led to believe?

Of course, the majority of TN's deer hunters may still not own nor hunt with a muzzleloader,
much less archery?

And, no, I do not want to see it made into a centerfire rifle summertime deer shoot
as a last-ditch effort to increase "participation".

Just remember, even in the CWD zone, the more bucks hunters kill,
generally, the fewer female deer they're going to kill in that same year,
so in that respect, the velvet buck hunt is counter-productive to combating CWD.

 

[Boll Weevil]

With that said, 61 bucks over 3 days, in 8 counties, covering 3 million acres, with a MZer, is not very much to boast about.

Exactly.

 

[Roost 1]

If I had a place to hunt I most def would... just love to hunt them.

 

[Hardwoodmaterials]

I don't personally know a single person who participated in the velvet hunt this year. I don't believe many want to mess with dragging and butchering a deer in the August heat. Most of the hunters I know went squirrel hunting and were out of the woods by 8-9am because of the heat.

 

[megalomaniac]

I don't personally know a single person who participated in the velvet hunt this year. I don't believe many want to mess with dragging and butchering a deer in the August heat. Most of the hunters I know went squirrel hunting and were out of the woods by 8-9am because of the heat.

That was actually one of the appeals to me... because of the heat, the deer were back to bed by 7am, and didnt move until after 630 PM. I hunted from 6p till dark, and 430a till 7a in the mornings. Totally different than Nov when I hunt from dawn till 11am, then 2p till dark.

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[Orion6]

A lot of folks weren't allowed to hunt since it's private land only.

 

[Andy S.]

A lot of folks weren't allowed to hunt since it's private land only.

Definitely a factor that a lot of folks overlook, or fail to consider.

 

[TheLBLman]

A lot of folks weren't allowed to hunt since it's private land only.

Definitely a factor that a lot of folks overlook, or fail to consider.

Another thing maybe TWRA has overlooked . . . . .

How many WMAs border agricultural private lands with soybean fields?

It's not just that there is no hunting on the WMAs (in most counties)
but also that many the WMA bucks are pulled off the WMAs by the soybeans?

Although year-round there is some "back & forth" between WMA deer & adjoining private land deer,
does anything compare to a summertime soybean field in terms of holding the deer?

 

[ruger7mag]

Mega nailed it for me. I didn't have anything big enough on camera or observed in the fields that I hunt.

 

[Shooter77]

If I had a place to hunt I most def would... just love to hunt them.

I'm in the same boat. I had a lease till fall of 2017 when the property was sold. If I still had it, I would have been out all weekend. WE had great weather for the 3 days in upper ETN. Sunday pm in my neighborhood, I see 11 bucks, 4 were solid mature shooters.

 

[Levee Jumper]

I certainly cant speak for anyone else but I wish the August deer hunt would end. IMO those that are that fired up about hunting in August should take a couple people/kids squirrel hunting that have never been hunting before. More can be taught in two days squirrel hunting than in a lifetime of climbing into someone else's stand on private ground trying to shoot a deer in a green field.

 

[THEdonkey0515]

I went last year it was something new, and interesting even took a days vacation last year to go on that Friday. So did other hunting friends/family... I personally didn't enjoy it myself after a couple hunts, and didnt have the desire to go this year. I dont think any friends or family went this year.

Is it possible alot of the new, interesting, exciting parts to the Augest velvet hunt already wore off after a single season? I know it did for me and many people in this area I talked to.

 

[PickettSFHunter]

I would like to see it discontinued. It has severely limited squirrel hunting on opening day here. In an area like where I am with big woods and little crops to speak of, its interesting that alot of the velvet bucks are being taken by people with previous convictions for poaching.


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[Carlos Viagra]

I agree, the hot weather, insects, and likelihood of the meat spoiling is a turnoff IMO. Also, it seems way too much like poaching to me.

With that said, if we could ride around in the truck, with the AC on high, and shoot thru the window, I'd be all about it.
[emoji23]

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