The most pathetic thing to come out of ALL of this SHOULD be the realization that we are all ROBOTS.
In each and every aspect of our lives. ROBOTS.
Influenced by media to buy this toy, rifle gift, foods, camo , bow or whatever the MEDIA says we should buy.
Or think, or do, or dance, or sing, whistle, say, etc.
Or even kill.
Why do we all fall victim to slogans like;
Wheres the beef
Psyche
Gotcha
Who's your daddy
or...SMOKED him!
MEDIA influence.
And don't think for a minute that large antlered bucks aren't driving ALL of the decision to change the limit from 3 to 2.
Sad, VERY sad.
We should ONLY manage for the health of the species. NOT for glory.
If there was no deer porn (and that is what it is...PORNOGRAPHY for deer hunters) then there would be little if any discussion.
I DO remember when killing ANY deer was a big deal.
Now people don't even give a 90 inch 6 year old 8 point a second look.
PITIFUL.
And 200 inch plus PEN RAISED genetically engineered fence deer that escaped from a high fence operation get all kinds of attention when killed on nearby farms.
PITIFUL!!!
People (not that there is anything wrong with this) with deep pockets who spend THOUSANDS of dollars to manipulate their tightly controlled properties (multiple), run remote controlled game cameras, feed high protein, and or BAIT deer get praised for their hunting skills after killing a resident 4.5 year old 160 inch buck (of which there is not only a name for, but also multiple pictures of).
While "Joe red neck" who hunts VERY hunter educated deer and is very lucky to even see, let alone kill, a 90 inch 4.5 year old 8 point that has been eating acorns, saw briar, and brown leaves its entire life (not to mention at the same time trying to avoid spotlights and road hunters and every hunter who just has to try out his new "toy" purchased after watching the latest info mercial from Lee, Tiff, Will, or Drury) doesn't even get a nod.
Amazing isn't it? How influenced we all are after just a few seasons of this show or that.
Some will say they do not watch TV. But we simply can't escape it.
It is everywhere. Media influence.
If you don't believe me, take a peek around Tndeer, or any hunting web site. You tube WREAKS of influence.
It is not all bad. Some is good.
But man will find a way to corrupt just about anything. Deer hunting is no different.
Killing big mature bucks consistently is not about hunter skill anymore. It has become about who has the most money to maniplulate the property they own or lease to produce the class of animal they want to hunt in "killable" numbers.
It is no longer about hunting open land and locating sign and figuring out travel patterns to be able to kill the caliber of animal you want to hang on your wall, while knowing that others are also out there trying to do the same.
It is no longer about being the best hunter and matching wits against another hunter and the deer. It is about controlling as much as you can so as to gain the upper hand on an otherwise wary animal.
In Tennessee, the first step is to increase the "huntable numbers". So we went from 3 to 2 buck limit.
Not to help the herd, but to up our odds.
SAD! VERY SAD.