Harvest numbers down

[AlabamaSwamper]

No doubt the weather has been terrible for hunting. Hot and dry, bad dry.

 

[Good time Charlie]

I will be a lot more interested to see if the percentage of harvested 4.5 and 5.5 yr old bucks go up in the next 2-3 yr along with say 145 or better class bucks. Maybe then we will see a better picture as to whether the 2 buck limit is working.

I promise you it will hep

 

[Headhunter]

Deer numbers are dropping like turkeys. More kills go unreported and despite everything you read from TWRA

MORE freakin people than ever are hunting- not less like they say.

More hunters, everywhere you try to hunt people are coming in and trying sit in your lap and they are into this 3 doe a day limit. Does are keyed into this whole idea of being hunted hard now. Matriarch does are instilling into their young the extra wariness that didn't used to be there just 10 years ago.

Deer numbers are up for sure. Just because you don't see them don't mean they aren't there.

Deer numbers are up? Really? Even on all the public land that folks drive plumb across the state to for a chance to shoot 3 does a day? If deer numbers are up everywhere then why can't a guy shoot a single doe with a firearm at Cheatham? Ironic, because that's some public land where the numbers ARE actually up. Hmmmm...Could it be because they've protected the does up there for years now (since the EHD outbreak)? No, I don't want them to go back to the doe days of old, but I do think that 3 does a day sends the wrong message when the herd is already pressured in a certain area.

And heck, we've had testimonies of lease members complaining on here that their members won't shoot does. If a guy pays several thousand $ a year to shoot a wallhanger it doesn't matter if you tell him he can shoot a dozen does a day. If he doesn't want to mess with shooting does, he's not gonna.


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The public and private land I hunt have way more deer than I can ever remember. Yep, deer numbers are up.

 

[redhunterZ71]

This time last year I had 4 down. This year I've only seen 1 deer out of my stand. Not much sign this year either in my areas.

 

[buckaroo]

Not many deer, coyotes howling like crazy every night around here for the last couple years

 

[TboneD]

Deer numbers are dropping like turkeys. More kills go unreported and despite everything you read from TWRA

MORE freakin people than ever are hunting- not less like they say.

More hunters, everywhere you try to hunt people are coming in and trying sit in your lap and they are into this 3 doe a day limit. Does are keyed into this whole idea of being hunted hard now. Matriarch does are instilling into their young the extra wariness that didn't used to be there just 10 years ago.

Deer numbers are up for sure. Just because you don't see them don't mean they aren't there.

Deer numbers are up? Really? Even on all the public land that folks drive plumb across the state to for a chance to shoot 3 does a day? If deer numbers are up everywhere then why can't a guy shoot a single doe with a firearm at Cheatham? Ironic, because that's some public land where the numbers ARE actually up. Hmmmm...Could it be because they've protected the does up there for years now (since the EHD outbreak)? No, I don't want them to go back to the doe days of old, but I do think that 3 does a day sends the wrong message when the herd is already pressured in a certain area.

And heck, we've had testimonies of lease members complaining on here that their members won't shoot does. If a guy pays several thousand $ a year to shoot a wallhanger it doesn't matter if you tell him he can shoot a dozen does a day. If he doesn't want to mess with shooting does, he's not gonna.


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The public and private land I hunt have way more deer than I can ever remember. Yep, deer numbers are up.

Kudos to you for staying on deer. but it's hard for either of us to really know the big picture. All I know for sure is that Cedars of Lebanon State Forest doesn't have near the deer that it once did, or that Priest or Yanali WMA's do, and to have more deer we need doe limits.


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[BigAl]

I'll be watching this, but it seems like the weather has been warmer this year, at least in West, TN.

 

[Mike Belt]

I'm betting that 2-3 years down the road no matter what the numbers are there will still be mixed feelings as to whether the 2 buck limit had any merits. It all depends on whether you were for or against the reduction to begin with. Even if the numbers support it was a positive move there will be those that feel the upswing wasn't worth the effort. You can't please everyone.

 

[Matador]

I will be a lot more interested to see if the percentage of harvested 4.5 and 5.5 yr old bucks go up in the next 2-3 yr along with say 145 or better class bucks. Maybe then we will see a better picture as to whether the 2 buck limit is working.

I promise you it will hep

Oh I don't doubt it will help a little but will the percentage increase be worth worth it. So many factors to consider such as will archery license sales decline. Will harvest numbers be up or down? Will total license sales be up or down? There may be a lot of things factor into this 5 year period.

 

[scn]

I will be a lot more interested to see if the percentage of harvested 4.5 and 5.5 yr old bucks go up in the next 2-3 yr along with say 145 or better class bucks. Maybe then we will see a better picture as to whether the 2 buck limit is working.

I suspect that anybody looking for a dramatic increase in the harvest of 4.5 and 5.5 year old bucks is going to be very disappointed. Deer in those age classes are beyond the ability of most hunters to kill on a consistent basis (me included). There may be more of those deer in the herd, but most won't show up in the kill. If there is a difference, the most realistic chance of seeing it will be an increase in the 2.5 and 3.5 segments.

 

[PillsburyDoughboy]

I will be a lot more interested to see if the percentage of harvested 4.5 and 5.5 yr old bucks go up in the next 2-3 yr along with say 145 or better class bucks. Maybe then we will see a better picture as to whether the 2 buck limit is working.

I suspect that anybody looking for a dramatic increase in the harvest of 4.5 and 5.5 year old bucks is going to be very disappointed. Deer in those age classes are beyond the ability of most hunters to kill on a consistent basis (me included). There may be more of those deer in the herd, but most won't show up in the kill. If there is a difference, the most realistic chance of seeing it will be an increase in the 2.5 and 3.5 segments.

Finally someone said it!!,

Now I will say it.

If you want to put the odds in your favor like they do in KY of getting those 4.5 and 5.5 year old bucks to come in where YOU DO realisticly have a chance at cracking one... Get your legislatures to get baiting legalized.


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[Prowler]

so bating has to be legalized before I have a realistic chance at a mature deer ? Guess I've been doing it wrong. That's one law I never want to see passed.

 

[scn]

LOL on legalizing baiting.

I'll be content actually hunting a deer rather than just shooting one over a bait pile.

 

[PillsburyDoughboy]

LOL on legalizing baiting.

I'll be content actually hunting a deer rather than just shooting one over a bait pile.

And that's great. But I don't see why it should not be legal for those that would like to legally CHOOSE to hunt one over bait when it's ethical in so many states.

It should be your choice,/my choice, till then we both live under the mandate.,


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[AllOutdoors]

I will be a lot more interested to see if the percentage of harvested 4.5 and 5.5 yr old bucks go up in the next 2-3 yr along with say 145 or better class bucks. Maybe then we will see a better picture as to whether the 2 buck limit is working.

I suspect that anybody looking for a dramatic increase in the harvest of 4.5 and 5.5 year old bucks is going to be very disappointed. Deer in those age classes are beyond the ability of most hunters to kill on a consistent basis (me included). There may be more of those deer in the herd, but most won't show up in the kill. If there is a difference, the most realistic chance of seeing it will be an increase in the 2.5 and 3.5 segments.

Agreed.

 

[PillsburyDoughboy]

so bating has to be legalized before I have a realistic chance at a mature deer ? Guess I've been doing it wrong. That's one law I never want to see passed.

Hunters are already doing things like growing food plots, putting out mineral blocks, getting in elevated platforms, using ozone emitting devices, cover scents , animal attractants camouflage...all under the code of ethical and putting the odds in your favor. Baiting in many states just falls into these categories as ethical.


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[scn]

I really don't care about the ethics of the debate. I have never seen any element of hunting skills coming into play sitting on a field over a bait pile. You may get to test your shooting abilities, but it has very little to do with ANY hunting skills.

I hunt for the challenge of it. The results are very secondary for me. I'd rather be considered a hunter than a master baiter.

 

[PillsburyDoughboy]

I really don't care about the ethics of the debate. I have never seen any element of hunting skills coming into play sitting on a field over a bait pile. You may get to test your shooting abilities, but it has very little to do with ANY hunting skills.

I hunt for the challenge of it. The results are very secondary for me. I'd rather be considered a hunter than a master baiter.

Do you hunt over a food plot that you have no intention of harvesting for personal consumption?


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[scn]

I really don't care about the ethics of the debate. I have never seen any element of hunting skills coming into play sitting on a field over a bait pile. You may get to test your shooting abilities, but it has very little to do with ANY hunting skills.

I hunt for the challenge of it. The results are very secondary for me. I'd rather be considered a hunter than a master baiter.

Do you hunt over a food plot that you have no intention of harvesting for personal consumption?


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No, I don't, but I do see a great deal of difference in a grown food plot and a bait pile.

But, fortunately in TN we have laws that make baiting illegal. And as such, those that do it are poachers in the same category as spotlighters and other violators. I'll be there to fight any change to such laws.

 

[redblood]

I'll be watching this, but it seems like the weather has been warmer this year, at least in West, TN.

indeed. one of the hotter septembers and above average temps for october