Hypothetical regulation changes.

[SinningSaint33]

How many on here would be in favor of regulations changing up a bit? Say, archery opens 4th Saturday in September and runs til mid-January, ML opens the day after the early youth hunt and closes the following Sunday. Gun doesn't open u til the first Saturday of December. So archery only for 95%+ of the rut? Would we start seeing bigger bucks after a couple years? Would it negatively impact deer herds with overpopulation??

 

[Pilchard]

No

 

[TX300mag]

I like it like it is

 

[Rakkin6]

Me personally I don't mind has it is. But if it is better for the population I am also open to options. JUST SO IT IS BASED ON HELPING THE POPULATION AND NOTHING ELSE. Sorry for yelling there but I don't want the TWR making political decisions.

 

[SinningSaint33]

I think it would be interesting to see harvest statistics. I like it how it is too, though I rarely take a gun anymore. I just thought about it on my way home from work. I know some states do similar things. We're super blessed in TN to have a deer population that can handle such liberal limits and season lengths.

 

[Jcalder]

I think it would be interesting to see harvest statistics. I like it how it is too, though I rarely take a gun anymore. I just thought about it on my way home from work. I know some states do similar things. We're super blessed in TN to have a deer population that can handle sun h liberal limits and season lengths.

West Tennessee might have the population, but that's not true across the state. As to your original question, no. Leave as is.

 

[SinningSaint33]

West Tennessee might have the population, but that's not true across the state. As to your original question, no. Leave as is.

This is very true.

 

[Polarkraft]

Hard no

 

[knightrider]

Nope, bowhunters already have the Whole deer season, no sense in taking away rut opportunities from people who dont bowhunt! There is zero biological reason for the change other than horn porn

 

[Omega]

If you want more bow opportunities, lobby for bow only areas instead of messing with the seasons. Of course there would be push-back from anyone in those areas so...

 

[BSK]

Bow season: 1 day (last day of the season). Gun/MZ: 3 months.

 

[THE DUKE]

Bow season: 1 day (last day of the season). Gun/MZ: 3 months.

I agree don't fix what's not broken. If you want to bow hunt all year then do it. Don't restrict others that don't bow hunt. There would be a lot more wounded not recovered deer if bow season was extended.

 

[scn]

Not a chance in Hades.

 

[Urban_Hunter]

Should be archery only statewide. Guns are dangerous.

 

[Planking]

I'd like to see all the coyote night hunting and hog night hunting get removed from the entire deer season and from the street at night. You want to kill them at that time then use a trap.

 

[recurve60#]

Go back to three bucks.

 

[mike243]

Set a limit and set a time. Hunt with what you want, I don't feel that any group deserves a bigger bag limit or longer time to hunt. ymmv

 

[timberjack86]

How about all weapons season starting on traditional archery opener until closing day in January!

 

[Smo]

How about all weapons season starting on traditional archery opener until closing day in January!

I vote to make it the last day of January hopefully, not the first weekend..

 

[Lt.Dan]

Shorten the entire season. Open archery mid October and close the entire season mid December. It's just to long, I have other stuff I could be doing but can't. I have to be out hunting.

 

[kaizen leader]

Nope.

 

[Ski]

I think it would be interesting to see harvest statistics. I like it how it is too, though I rarely take a gun anymore. I just thought about it on my way home from work. I know some states do similar things. We're super blessed in TN to have a deer population that can handle such liberal limits and season lengths.

I like your thinking but I'm not sure the harvest numbers support your notion. Ohio has regulations almost exactly as you describe. Gun season is shotgun or straight walled rifle, lasts only one week, and doesn't open until Monday following Thanksgiving. ML season is a meager 3 days and doesn't open until January. Bow season open first of October & runs into February. In terms of bow hunting for big antlers it's hard to beat Ohio's regulations .... on paper at a glance. But when you begin digging into harvest stats there's an unexpected surprise. Although Ohio has fewer deer than TN, in 2022 they killed 210K deer. TN with it's liberal limits and regulations only killed 165K.

OH's herd is estimated at 700K strong. TN's is estimated 900K. Yet OH is taking more deer from a smaller herd, with MUCH more restrictive regulations. I understand your thought process that shorter firearms seasons, especially during rut would be a rational way to increase buck size. But that's not what actually happens. I'm not exactly sure how to interpret the numbers so I don't. This is a point where I trust the state wildlife agencies to make the most informed decisions they can for their respective state. They catch a lot of he!! and some well deserved, but overall their bottom line objective is to manage the resources for the a hunt that best fits the constituency as a whole. Each state does it differently because the hunting culture and biological factors in each state are different.

 

[Dennis]

Bow season: 1 day (last day of the season). Gun/MZ: 3 months.

When am I gonna be able to use my atlatl?

 

[grouser]

I could see archery/muzzleloader opening at the same time and keeping everything else the same.

 

[megalomaniac]

any weapon Oct 1 till Jan 1

 

[DeerCamp]

I like it like it is

All of my friends who live out of state are pretty jealous of what we have.

 

[themanpcl]

How many on here would be in favor of regulations changing up a bit? Say, archery opens 4th Saturday in September and runs til mid-January, ML opens the day after the early youth hunt and closes the following Sunday. Gun doesn't open u til the first Saturday of December. So archery only for 95%+ of the rut? Would we start seeing bigger bucks after a couple years? Would it negatively impact deer herds with overpopulation??

Since we're throwing grenades...lol...I'd be in favor of an earn a buck and/or only 1 buck by any firearm IF and only if it was proven (not by the same people that changed turkey season) that the buck population would be helped before I'd ever want to change the seasons. Disclaimer, I don't think that we will ever be like IL, IA, KS etc when it comes to big bucks and IDGAS if we ever do. I do not live for the hunt. I hunt for fun and sport. I hunt all 3 methods and hunt IL during their firearms season every year. I think the special interests have caused more harm to the state hunting here and will continue as long as rules and regs are made to accommodate what the "good ole boys" want vs what is best for the deer hunting in the state for EVERYONE....not someone's brother in law or hunting club. pin pulled, ordinance thrown...lol

 

[Buzzard Breath]

With CWD working its way across the state, I couldn't imagine TWRA wanting to make the regulations more restrictive.

But.......I've been wrong before.

 

[EastTNHunter]

Shorten archery, not gun

But I'm fine with the way it is

 

[backyardtndeer]

Nope. Here in cwd zone rifle opens following the youth hunt. I don't see them changing that. Rifle runs a long time here, and they still want more deer killed.