Season Success Question

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Mike Belt

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Lakeland, Tn.
Now that the bulk of the season is over and most of the prime time hunting is behind us, how did the new 2 buck limit influence your success or lack of thus far? I'm curious to hear if it made any difference in your hunting agenda or outcome. Just asking for the how and why and not your political views on the change.
 
I never laid eyes on a deer that I would call a "shooter", but I have spent a disappointingly low amount of time afield. I'm going to have to make some changes with my work commitments, because I'm pretty dissatisfied all around with that, anyway...

My dad, however, has passed on several deer after shooting one small buck, saving his tag for something special.
 
As far as buck sightings worst season I have ever had period. I went days and would not see a single deer.
Years past would see deer every sit. Never saw a mature buck while hunting this year. So can't add how it's changed anything for me not this year at least.
 
Had a great season! Only killed 1 buck and let 20+ bucks walk. My only complaint is, no does!
None on camera or sighting. On my lease only 11 does seen all season with 42 bucks. Got 6 cameras on this 300
Acres and the pictures tell the same story
 
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shot a decent 8 pt and passed 11 different bucks but these were bucks i was passing with the 3 buck limit.
 
Not much different from past years. I saw at least one deer every time out except one, and over half of them were small bucks. As per usual, I shot two does for meat and got my second buck this morning. I'm disappointed that I have to quit buck hunting now. We'll see if there are more bigger bucks next year, but I'm not holding my breath. I only take one or two bucks in a year, so our property has a good buck/doe ratio.
 
This has been one of the best seasons I've ever had. Both of my boys tagged out and I got a decent 8. I've had several opportunities to tag out but have been waiting on a monster. As far as the 2 buck limit it has saved 3 different bucks that I otherwise would have taken.
 
It hasn't changed my success or approach. I pick the buck out I want to hunt in August. I have never killed more than 1 mature buck in a season. If I can't close the deal tomorrow I feel this maybe the first year I don't punch a tag... But I have hammered some does so my freezer is full!!!


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Didnt affect me and how I hunt. Killed one six pt and passed on 3 spikes and couple of 4 pt. I would have done this with 3 buck limit. Didn't get to hunt the doe hunts as much as I would have liked but still enjoyed my time afield.
 
I was a lot more selective this year but it had little if anything to do with the limit. Still killin does though, seasons not over


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I got both my bucks the first week of gun season . The only difference the 2 buck limit has made is that I have not hunted any since then. I am getting a lot more sleep than I usually get this time of year.
 
I generally don't kill over two from being selective, no reason to kill a buck just because he has horns. I hunt in unit L so the 3 doe per day provides me with plenty of meat.
I'm not a trophy hunter just like to see mature deer.
 
Hasn't affected me at all, I haven't killed a buck yet and I haven't passed anything that I wouldn't have passed last year.
 
I've had a great season. I killed a nice 9 pt and seen several other bucks. Got to see 2 days of good rutting activity. I passed 2 good 8 pts. Nothing different for me with the 2 buck limit. I passed this guy before taking the 9 pt. Here he is the next morning at 35 yards with a broken brow tine. He got to walk again.
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I got 1 and my daughter has killed one. My son has killed a spike and a doe. 4 total for the freezer.
 
No change for me. I am interested in meat for the freezer. I did limit out with two bucks age 2 1/2. Many hunters I talk to are taking a doe rather than 2nd buck. Holding the option of large buck toward end of season. In Bedford county, some hunters are not seeing nearly as many older bucks this year.
 
I quit a lot sooner than years past because I have tagged out . A broke up 9 point I may have passed if I had the chance to study some but I didn't get that chance because I had to shoot at him running . I probably would have shot him any way but you never know because his main beam on one side was broke so he may have got a pass . No use crying over spilt milk , thank the Lord for my kill and was pleased . Pretty decent season could have killed a deer most sets but deer activity was down at our place due to mast failure .
 
I tagged out early with a 7 pt and an 8 pt.
I really wish the limit was back to 3.

What the reduced limit has done to me is make me lose a LOT of passion for hunting in TN and has severely curbed my conservation efforts here overall.

The $$$ I was spending in TN before the limit reduction are now being spent in MS and AR.
I know 3 other guys that have done the same thing this year for the same reason, so I know there are bound to be hundreds more across the state taking hunting related dollars out of state.
Its just like any other business...if people can not get what they want here they will take their business elsewhere.
I dont know if the people that changed the limit regulation took the economic impact of money leaving the state into their decision making process, but I know it affects the business community to a certain degree.
 
Didn't affect me I don't reckon. Killed 1 good 8 of at least 3-1/2 yrs of age, and let two more 8's and some smaller ones walk. Very low sightings tho for whatever reason, and no buck sign that I could find whatsoever. And I still support the former 3 buck limit for those who chose, and could kill them, even tho I don't bc of my personal choice of what to take.
 
I'm not a trophy hunter but have passed last year and this year waiting on a mature deer so have not affected me any did see one deer in muzzleloader season I would have killed but gun did not fire
 
I guess it only effected me on opening morning. I passed a 1.5 yr old 6 pt, that would have eaten just as good as a doe. I like to get a deer on opening day. I don't care if I can shoot a doe or that I live in Unit L and will probably see a bunch of deer before the season closes, or that I know with a little effort I can kill a few does. I also don't care that I "don't need to" kill a small buck for those reasons. If I'm on Public land that I have 0 control over who hunts it, I am not managing that piece of land.

Now for the rest of the season out there after opening day and on my private places, it had no effect on my hunting.
 
It has been an awesome year for my dad and I! We both tagged out by around thanksgiving. The new 2 buck limit changed up my season a lot. After killing a 3 1/2 year old 8 point on opening day of bow season, I didn't hunt again until muzzleloader. I didn't want to be tagged out before the rut came. Once muzzleloader season opened, I started going again and passed up several small bucks and a 4 1/2 year old 8 point. The 2 buck limit saved that deer. I ended up killing a 4 1/2 year old 8 during rifle season. After killing that deer, I quit going again, except to take my wife. Normally I'm still hunting hard right now, but with no room in the freezer and no buck tags, I don't have the motivation to go. I was in favor of the 2 buck limit from the start, and I still am.
 
I think there's good and bad to it like anything. The good is I know of several hunters I heard say if I'd of had 3 tags he would of died... Which in those cases I'm pretty sure it saved 1.5 to 3.5 yr old bucks. The bad for me is I've never had to worry about being tagged out when having three tags. We manage our land and shoot only 4.5 plus except for the occasional kid which is whatever makes him happy. This year I killed a buck on opening morning of Muzzle that I'd been trying to kill for the second year now. That was awesome and I'm very grateful. The second Saturday of muzzleloader I had another buck on my list a mid 130's 10pt come right in and circled me at about 50-60yds for a couple minutes. I honestly put the crosshairs on him 4 or 5 times and even started to squeeze, but every time I'd think this is it, no more buck hunting and I'd lower the gun. I'd look at the buck and think SHOOT and I'd find him settle the crosshairs just to catch myself lowering the gun again. I know of a few bucks we have and they are quite a bit bigger. Hind site always being 20/20 I'd of shot him and spent the rest of the last month fishing had I known we'd get all this crap weather! Everybody's pros and cons are going to be different depending on their hunting situation and goals. I'm just going to have to really be more mentally prepared if I'm lucky enough to take a mature buck early in the year again next season to be tagged out if the opportunity presents itself...


The deer I let walk

 
Worst year ever for me and I've hunted almost 30 years. Havnt seen a shooter all year and havnt seen many deer period. We're not even hearing many shots this year. The two biggest I've seen this year were 7 pointers and I wouldn't of shot under the 3 buck limit so it hasn't changed nothing for me.
 

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