Deer season started off this year with extreme warm temps. and wet weather for the archers making afternoon sits brutal at times. Though bow season had it's challenges, time in the tree, in God's world away from work and the hustle life sometimes brings is always worth the effort. I live in East Tenn. and it seems that our deer herd is struggling. Numbers are down and mature bucks are few and far between. I've hunted several other states with some success and Ohio is the state most of my time has been spent in for the last several years. Success there has been mostly of my choosing, as the deer herd and buck to doe ratio seems to be doing well. My youngest son has grown up in the woods and on the water ( now 17 yrs. old ) and at an early age began to question the difference between the two states. He loves his time spent in the woods of Ohio where he can watch and learn deer daily routines, while knowing he will have the opportunity to pass bucks, until he chooses the one to harvest. I know I am getting to a controversial point, but hear me out. I love to hunt deer! Bow, muzzleloader or rifle and as the late Ben Lee once said " if they would open a rock throwing season I'd try it." With that said 65 days of consecutive gun season, to me, is putting too much pressure on our deer herd. I know it is left up to each person as to what they harvest, but in some cases this might not be the answer. I'm speaking about East Tenn., since I don't hunt in Middle or West Tenn. I have no idea about those areas. In Genesis Ch.1 verse 28, God gave man, " dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the Earth." It's our responsiblity! Maybe it is time we step up.
It's been a long season
- Thread starter ETDDT
- Start date
I have lived and hunted exclusively in East Tn from the time I was able to go, some 45 yrs or so ago I'd say, and I just hunt on the days that I want to/can, and don't on the days that I don't/can't. Lots of folks aren't blessed to be able to hunt every one of the days that are allowed, and it's just nice to have the longer season so everyone can participate on their own time schedule IMO.
I didn't explain myself well. I am not talking about cutting the season. Many states have longer seasons than Tenn., Ohio for instance runs to the first week of Feb. I also work 5 and 6 days a week and like the long season, but I think maybe we need to cut down on the amount of gun days and maybe fill them with extra archery days that might give our bucks a chance to get older.
hunter0925
Well-Known Member
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ETDDT":3nd94lbn said:
I hunt Ohio and several other states at times. I know the buck to do ratio is off in places in TN for what a lot of hunters want to see and our deer population is sparse in many parts of the state. I mostly hunt east TN and am lucky to have a few decent spots to hunt. I don't however see using the Bible to try to adjust seasons for bigger bucks or an older age class. The Bible tells us to be good stewards and that doesn't relate to big racks on deer. It would relate to a healthy population however and adjusting our seasons to ensure that we continue to have a healthy population of all ages that stays below carrying capacity for each given area.
F more archery they already get a month more now why dont we just ban guns? Its not the weapons puting pressure on the deer its the hunters invading them from start to finish. Also bow hunters educate and put more pressure on deer than gun hunters,a lot of deer never see the shot from 50-100y but bow is up on them my .02
It is way to much gun season in many areas. It's rough on deer in low density areas.
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ETDDT":3pxvdmhk said:
I thought that's why Tennessee went to a 2 buck limit.65 days of gun season you can still only kill 2 bucks.Some people only get to hunt one day a week so if they only hunt gun they get to go maybe 8 times the entire gun season.
What sounds good for one person might not sound good to the next person.
I only got to hunt14 days this year and that was muzzle loader and gun combined.Some people have a lot of things going on in there lives like taking care of a family member,there age, a disability.and so on.
How many hunter hunt 65 days.
I hunt my 2 days off and some time not even that.
In my opinion I have heard the decline in shots fired over the years. I actually think there are less hunters in the woods.
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I hunt my 2 days off and some time not even that.
In my opinion I have heard the decline in shots fired over the years. I actually think there are less hunters in the woods.
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Do you know what a limit is ? A weapon dosent put pressure on a deer human interactions do,just more bow hunters trying to get a dig in , CWD starts moving good you will have all the solitude in the woods you desire lolPickettSFHunter":23j8f2p8 said:
I don't desire the solitude in the woods. I desire less deer season for other reasons. One- it is almost impossible to rabbit hunt anymore during deer season due to deer hunters getting so upset over it and no one allowing you to rabbit hunt during deer season. Squirrel hunting with dogs is one of the most popular hunting activities in my area and it affects that a lotmike243":1wgyrcue said:
also. That leaves about 1.5 months to rabbit and squirrel hunt effectively. Two- Our local deer population where I live sucks, more gun season equals more deer killed equals less deer. However, I do recognize your point regarding CWD and do recognize that TN will now likely never back off of deer harvest and our deer herd locally will not recover for the foreseeable future.
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I also live in East TN.and if you think Going 4 to 5 hunting days and not seeing a single doe good hunting your insane.I also spend my money on licenses and hunting supplies.I would be happy with seeing deer every other sit.IF you live in a county that has a high population good for you.If CWD gets bigger you all in west tn and middle might get an idea of what we deal with here in East TN.And will beg twra to cut back regs. Of course not even every county in East TN.Some have a decent population.So it doesn't have to even be accross the board.But my god man Sitting day after day and not seeing anything sucks.But yet i still do it year after year.and will as long as i'm able.I also hunt public land so thats my perspective.
Reduce bow season, and make it primitive bow only, no compounds.
I wouldn't be mad if they shortened gun season. I didn't hunt the last month of season at all. It would be an adjustment but 2 months non stop is a long time.
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Bone Collector
Well-Known Member
Stalkhunter":16l918wo said:
X2 on the shots, but I think it is also hunters being more selective.
I only get off Saturday and Sunday. I do hunt all 3 segments and I do take vacation during deer season. I would say I get to hunt more than most. I sure as heck don't shoot every deer I see. In the states that have these shorter gun season, there is also another factor that most always fail to mention. They have WAY more agriculture there. This helps deer populations explode. In Mid and West TN, the deer populations are much higher, because we have more Ag fields and more thick cover and gentler terrain vs. almost all mature hardwoods and mountains. As such our deer populations are better. I see deer most times I hunt. I like going when I can. I doubt most hunters want to buy archery equipment and learn to archery hunt, if they haven't done so already. This would do nothing but decrease the hunting population more. At this point IMO we need to manage the herd based on biological reasoning vs. trophy reasoning, and the laws (seasons, bag limits, etc.) need to be set with the goal of getting as many hunters afield as possible, and new hunters into the sport.
Deer season should be over in tn. December 15
Bone Collector":2bjjao6f said:
I believe hunters have got more selective, some. I know I have and that is my choice and I don't believe it should be forced on anyone to be selective. That's another topic lol.
I can say this in my Home state they reduce gun season and increased bow season. The gun hunters say they see less deer now in areas where there are a lot of bow hunters.
The weapon being used has no bearing on the deer. It is the amount of human pressure that is in an area.
Go hang your bow or gun on a tree and leave it alone. It won't effect deer. Now you go walk in the woods or sit and the deer see you and smell you and your movement then that is what pressure deer herd.
They will go nocturnal or move to the thickets. Deer react to human pressure and food pressure not weapons. Also season pattern changes.
In my opinion there is no sure fire answer. Hunters have fought about this for years and will continue you too.
There is a difference between trophy hunters and meat hunters. That's another topic lol.
I have already told my buddies I am hunting harder during bow then gun. Why because I see more mature bucks In the beginning of bow season through 2 week of October then I do during Muzzle load and rifle.
I think these deer go into a different moving pattern in November driven by the rut and food sources.
Just my opinion and research.
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