Season proclamation predictions

[EastTNHunter]

Sounds like they actually listened to comments and are adjusting proposals accordingly

 

[Wooden Arrow]

would the paper-"cartridge" weapons be legal during BP hunts? guns like the pre- metallic cartridge Sharps rifles? i'm not familiar with the actual mechanics of those weapons. that would seem to be an intermediate step...out onto a slippery slope.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

If they were smart, since all of West TN has CWD, and it's starting to get towards middle TN - they'd keep the same seasons and bag limits the same for middle TN, but still test religiously there. That way, you have two variables….West TN with liberal limits and season changes….and one that stays the same with the same testing percentage. THEN you look at the number of harvests and do a heavy survey on those two "units" after 3 years or so…and you'll have your best answer. TN is unique in this sense because it's directly west to east and narrow (respectively to see it move across the state). They really have a chance to show the nation a real example of the two different extreme variables, and then set accordingly the 3rd "unit" - east TN

Ok now back to reality

 

[TNGunsmoke]

And the data shows that hunters have not been killing more deer with all of the CWD regulations including rifle beginning when archery is over.

You think maybe that is because most of us predominantly kept hunting the same way we did ( I know I have not killed any more deer than normal, I kill what I need and then just go to horn hunt and don't pull the trigger unless I have someone needing one or a really big one comes out and even then I have a plan for the meat.), and some folks either quit hunting, or switched to trophy hunting only and quit eating the deer meat?

I think most of us hunt within the laws, did what worked best for us and our needs, and exercised more common sense that the Commission planned on.

 

[Rakkin6]

These are my .02.
1. You are never going to get me to hunt deer in August, it's buggy and warm enough on September already. But if that's your thing have at it.

2. Leave ML for muzzleloaders, a straight wall cartridge is still a rifle that can be fired from a semi auto rifle. To me this defeats part of the purpose/challenge of using a muzzleloader. Would I be able to to take my Savage 212 out and use it during muzzleloader season of straight wall cartridges are allowed? Has of right now I am not able to and I don't have a problem with that. I do not even have a ML, I hunt with one of my slug guns, bow, .300 win mag or .270. So I have no skin in the game but I think they should leave muzzleloader has is.

3. CWD, it seems the TWRA thinks they can kill this out of the herd. Which I think we all know you can't. CWD has been in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Colorado for a long time now and their herds seem fine. Maybe we need to take some lessons from them. But I am not a biologist either, but killing every deer in the county doesn't seem like it's the way to go.

Like I said just my .02 on it.

 

[Biggun4214]

I think the straight wall cartridge discussion has to do more with states that only allow straight walled ammo, shotguns, and muzzle loaders during their firearms season. Kinda of like it's legal to kill a white turkey any time. I don't know how many times I heard this over the years. Someone saw that Fort Campbell allowed it, so obviously Tennessee did too.

 

[Antler Daddy]

I think the straight wall cartridge discussion has to do more with states that only allow straight walled ammo, shotguns, and muzzle loaders during their firearms season. Kinda of like it's legal to kill a white turkey any time. I don't know how many times I heard this over the years. Someone saw that Fort Campbell allowed it, so obviously Tennessee did too.

It is shotgun or ml only at FTC.

 

[JJ3]

You think maybe that is because most of us predominantly kept hunting the same way we did ( I know I have not killed any more deer than normal, I kill what I need and then just go to horn hunt and don't pull the trigger unless I have someone needing one or a really big one comes out and even then I have a plan for the meat.), and some folks either quit hunting, or switched to trophy hunting only and quit eating the deer meat?

I think most of us hunt within the laws, did what worked best for us and our needs, and exercised more common sense that the Commission planned on.

That is exactly what Director McBride said in the meeting — hunters will only kill so many, only have room for a given quantity of meat, only certain bucks meet their criteria, etc. They may have given more opportunities and incentives, but hunters are not killing any more (on a per hunter basis) than the 5 years before CWD. I know that is the case for us to. We haven't really changed what we kill. But with rifle having opened after first juvy weekend, we just have a longer period to hunt.

Between my daughter and I we killed 5 bucks this year, plus one doe. The bucks were 2 that were 4.5+, 2 that were 3.5, and one 2.5. We averaged 16 hunts (a morning or afternoon) per buck. One buck we tossed for positive CWD result, one buck I processed and gave to my landowners sons family, one I gave half to my neighbor. So that's 3.5 deer in the freezer. I've got no more room.

 

[Biggun4214]

It is shotgun or ml only at FTC.

I was talking about the white turkey regret FTC and how people start assuming.

 

[Rakkin6]

It is shotgun or ml only at FTC.

I think he was referencing killing white turkeys on Fort campbell

I was talking about the white turkey regret FTC and how people start assuming.

But I thought that white turkeys were legal to take in Tennessee of they have a beard and only during the spring season.

 

[TheLBLman]

That is exactly what Director McBride said in the meeting — hunters will only kill so many, only have room for a given quantity of meat, only certain bucks meet their criteria, etc. They may have given more opportunities and incentives, but hunters are not killing any more (on a per hunter basis) than the 5 years before CWD.

I think the number of deer hunters in TN (and other states) may be rapidly declining more than what most people are thinking. And it's not just the number of people who deer hunt, but how intensely they deer hunt, and how many days annually they deer hunt.

CWD regs and fear-mongering about CWD have been catalysts in driving people away from deer hunting and eating venison. In the past few years, perhaps no where in the U.S. has this happened to the extent it has in West TN.

My take is the West TN harvest numbers are what they are in part because of fewer deer hunters and the remaining deer hunters just not hunting as much, not hunting as hard, compared to times past.

In the case of West TN, much deer hunting as been replaced with other activities, such as waterfowl hunting, hunting/fishing vacations to other states, but also non-hunting and non-fishing activities.

 

[Biggun4214]

I think he was referencing killing white turkeys on Fort campbell

But I thought that white turkeys were legal to take in Tennessee of they have a beard and only during the spring season.

They are but you would be surprised at the number of people think you can year round. I know at one time that white turkeys could be killed on any hunt at FTC. For years I had people ask about killing white turkeys at any time. It just takes 1-2 people talk about something legal somewhere else to make people think it's legal where they live.

 

[Rakkin6]

They are but you would be surprised at the number of people think you can year round. I know at one time that white turkeys could be killed on any hunt at FTC. For years I had people ask about liking white turkeys at any time. It just takes 1-2 people talk about something legal somewhere else to make people think it's legal where they live.

Oh okay got it now, sorry for the misunderstanding.

 

[BSK]

They livestream them then post to YouTube a few days later usually

Surprisingly, I was pretty impressed by the presentation. Not only their ideas for management models in the future, but their understanding of what the special CWD Zone and regulations have accomplished (virtually nothing). As other have pointed out, the special CWD regulations - where implemented - have NOT resulted in more deer/bucks being killed. They also realize the only way to get more deer killed is to have more hunters afield. And the way to get more hunters afield is to reduce the complexity and scare tactics of CWD Zone regulations.

 

[BigAl]

I'd be fine with things left as is, but my 2 cents:
1) I don't want a break in the season
2) Would prefer not to get the MZ out.
3) Do away with CWD regs and seasons. I think CWD has done its damage (where I hunt) and the changes in regs elsewhere just seem to piss everyone off.

 

[younggun308]

I'm perplexed by how they are gearing up for changing the start date of turkey season with some "compromise."

Agree or disagree with it, they had a scientific rationale (Chamberlain's theory of nest disruption, alpha gobblers) for why they pushed the opener to the middle of April. Maybe I missed it, but I saw nothing suggesting the commission was no longer convinced by that notion in the presentation. So why would they just assume the good hatch this year had nothing to do with delayed opener?

 

[TheLBLman]

So why would they just assume the good hatch this year had nothing to do with delayed opener?

I don't think anyone is.
But in all fairness, the delayed opener was just one of several factors that contributed to a better 2023 nesting success. However, it may be the ONLY factor that can be relied upon every year to be there.

TWRA (and/or the commissioners) appear to be under pressure to open the turkey season earlier for the primary reason of increasing non-resident license sales?

Sure, some TN resident turkey hunters would like for it to open earlier, but most just want to see good sustainable turkey hunting in TN, ongoing.

 

[knightrider]

April 1,15,25, may 1,15, doesnt matter to me i will be killing my two and calling multiples to the gun barrel for friends.

 

[Rakkin6]

Leave the opening turkey season date alone on April 15th. While I don't want to cut non-resident hunters out completely I would like to see it changed. Maybe a lottery where you get points like they do for Oak Ridge etc.

 

[younggun308]

In the commission meeting, he was totally laying the groundwork for a "Saturday closest to April 7th" opener, which could range from April 4th most years to an occasional April 10th opening.

To me, this would be a disaster, as for the next several years it's going to be on the earlier end of the spectrum. They hardly seem to be breeding in the mountains that early most years.