TN Deer Population

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TN G.O.A.T Hunter

TN G.O.A.T Hunter

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 18, 2021
Messages
142
City & State/Province
Rockcastle
Thoughts on the herd in TN? I know it seems like from Nashville area and on to the Western part of state deer herd is pretty good. I am hearing a lot of older hunters say eastern TN the deer is going back to when they first started hunting, population seems to be spread really thin in their areas. Thoughts.
 
I hunt the middle eastern northern part. I don't think we have the numbers we did around 2000 but I also don't get to hunt as much since i was a kid in 2000, and have a family/job. I will say in the last few years, say 3 years or so our numbers are making a comeback. Some of this I feel is providing more food for them and becoming much more selective on what we kill. I do have another place I hunt about 1.5 miles away and it seems the deer have abandoned the place.
 
Not sure what's going on in Hardeman and Fayette counties; maybe an artifact of CWD or 2020 just being a weird pandemic year? Lowest total harvest in the over a decade with a kill heavily skewed toward does. We've been reliably in the 50% buck/doe kill range but last year 80% of the harvest in Hardeman was does...84% does in Fayette.
 
I think certain parts of East TN haven't really recovered from 2 separate EHD's incidents in the past 10 years or so. Sometimes I wonder the woods for hours looking for decent sign here. Where we hunt in Hardeman, give me 15-30 minutes and I am confident I could have a successful setup.
 
I sure wish the TWRA still conducted the Thermal Imaging Distance Sampling project implemented under Daryl Ratajczak. At least then we would have some empirical data to work from.

After conducting a lot of photo censuses, especially ones on the same property several years in a row, I learned the hard way that what hunters see while hunting and what is really out there can be two VERY different things. Hunter observations of deer can vary wildly from year to year, based on changing food sources and habitat. Yet, invariably, photo censuses show the actual deer population isn't changing that much.

Now that's not to say deer populations haven't changed regionally. They most certainly have. The deer populations peaked in Middle TN around 2006. Then, a disastrous EHD outbreak - followed by continued high doe harvests - knocked the population down considerably and held it down. It has not rebounded to the highs of 2005 and 2006 (which is a good thing; the population at peak was too high for the environment), but it is slowly building back up. However, pockets within that area have been knocked back again by another EHD outbreak in 2019.
 
JeepKuntry said:
I think certain parts of East TN haven't really recovered from 2 separate EHD's incidents in the past 10 years or so. Sometimes I wonder the woods for hours looking for decent sign here. Where we hunt in Hardeman, give me 15-30 minutes and I am confident I could have a successful setup
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I agree the past 3 yrs areas where I hunt its a struggle a lot of times to find any decent sign. I go to west Tn every yr and its on the side of the rds seems like, I have heard people say they wish Twra would adjust the seasons in their area for a couple yrs, maybe go back to a season with mostly bow and a few gun hunts, to see if it would help get population in that area up.
 
BSK said:
I sure wish the TWRA still conducted the Thermal Imaging Distance Sampling project implemented under Daryl Ratajczak. At least then we would have some empirical data to work from.

After conducting a lot of photo censuses, especially ones on the same property several years in a row, I learned the hard way that what hunters see while hunting and what is really out there can be two VERY different things. Hunter observations of deer can vary wildly from year to year, based on changing food sources and habitat. Yet, invariably, photo censuses show the actual deer population isn't changing that much.

Now that's not to say deer populations haven't changed regionally. They most certainly have. The deer populations peaked in Middle TN around 2006. Then, a disastrous EHD outbreak - followed by continued high doe harvests - knocked the population down considerably and held it down. It has not rebounded to the highs of 2005 and 2006 (which is a good thing; the population at peak was too high for the environment), but it is slowly building back up. However, pockets within that area have been knocked back again by another EHD outbreak in 2019.
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agree on EHD hurting areas, they died like flies in my area and you include that in with seasonal harvest its huge loss. Some places I use to get tons of trail camera pics now lucky to get a deer on camera. Public areas you can drive for miles and not see a deer or a track. I have noticed too in my area bears, hogs and predators are really hurting the deer, and turkey. yet to have fawn or poults on camera.
 
TN G.O.A.T Hunter said:
I agree the past 3 yrs areas where I hunt its a struggle a lot of times to find any decent sign. I go to west Tn every yr and its on the side of the rds seems like, I have heard people say they wish Twra would adjust the seasons in their area for a couple yrs, maybe go back to a season with mostly bow and a few gun hunts, to see if it would help get population in that area up.
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I have made that suggestion the last two seasons. Dropping archery from 4 to 2. Then reducing some of the non-quota doe opportunities to give a few years of recovery. I know things will never be like West Tn in my area, but I see more deer in 2-3 days hunting there than an entire season in Anderson & Campbell county.
 
Another major problem is the fact wildlife doesn't spread itself around evenly. They tend to congregate in pockets (probably due to differences in habitat). This can lead one landowner to think wildlife have disappeared, yet just down the road another landowner is over-run. I see this ALL THE TIME.
 
JeepKuntry said:
I have made that suggestion the last two seasons. Dropping archery from 4 to 2. Then reducing some of the non-quota doe opportunities to give a few years of recovery. I know things will never be like West Tn in my area, but I see more deer in 2-3 days hunting there than an entire season in Anderson & Campbell county.
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Yeah I totally agree. Same here. I saw more deer on public land in one day in west TN, then my whole season in my area. I truly believe seasons need to be changed in mid to eastern part of the state.
 
Just remember that much of East TN just doesn't have the habitat quality that most of West TN has. No matter what you do, those areas of East TN will NEVER hold the deer density West TN can support.
 
BSK said:
Another major problem is the fact wildlife doesn't spread itself around evenly. They tend to congregate in pockets (probably due to differences in habitat). This can lead one landowner to think wildlife have disappeared, yet just down the road another landowner is over-run. I see this ALL THE TIME.
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I agree but from my observations its county wide or region wide. Most landowners I talk to or hunt with say the deer just aren't there, and this is from a pretty wide area. throughout different counties all in the same region. farmers and landowners with hundreds or thousands of acres tell me frequently they will see a doe or 2 but no fawns. Same on public.
 
BSK said:
Just remember that much of East TN just doesn't have the habitat quality that most of West TN has. No matter what you do, those areas of East TN will NEVER hold the deer density West TN can support.
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I agree about east TN not being able to hold the amount of deer, but I believe the herd is heading in the wrong direction in East TN same for Turkey numbers.
 
My area of east tn has more deer today than it has had since before the 2008 and 2011 ehd devistation,it took 9 years to make a noticeable recovery!
 
knightrider said:
My area of east tn has more deer today than it has had since before the 2008 and 2011 ehd devistation,it took 9 years to make a noticeable recovery!
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I have seen a big jump at my farm over the last 5 years as well. Numbers are good. But it took lots of pain and suffering to get there for sure. The Turkey population is outrageous and showing no signs of slowing down. I ran 3 large hens and probably 25 plus poults off my clover last week.
 
BSK said:
I sure wish the TWRA still conducted the Thermal Imaging Distance Sampling project implemented under Daryl Ratajczak. At least then we would have some empirical data to work from.

After conducting a lot of photo censuses, especially ones on the same property several years in a row, I learned the hard way that what hunters see while hunting and what is really out there can be two VERY different things. Hunter observations of deer can vary wildly from year to year, based on changing food sources and habitat. Yet, invariably, photo censuses show the actual deer population isn't changing that much.

Now that's not to say deer populations haven't changed regionally. They most certainly have. The deer populations peaked in Middle TN around 2006. Then, a disastrous EHD outbreak - followed by continued high doe harvests - knocked the population down considerably and held it down. It has not rebounded to the highs of 2005 and 2006 (which is a good thing; the population at peak was too high for the environment), but it is slowly building back up. However, pockets within that area have been knocked back again by another EHD outbreak in 2019.
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I sure wish I could rent one of these cameras and drive around a few areas!

 
numbers are unchanged on most of my farms in middle TN for the past 15 years or so.

One farm the deer inexplicably disappeared about 7 or 8 years ago, but they have slowly rebounded. Just about impossible to get a 'population explosion' due to the number of coyotes predating fawns and adults.
 
I am 52 and grew up in Knoxville area, Powell to be specific. I left in 92 and I never saw a deer in Knox county before I left. I spent a lot of time in Union county while growing up and I would occasionally see deer sign but I cannot recall seeing any deer. Lots of deer in those counties now, some studs in parts of Knox county.
 
megalomaniac said:
numbers are unchanged on most of my farms in middle TN for the past 15 years or so.
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Mine have risen and fallen and are now rising again. But that is primarily due to local conditions (other than the massive 2007 EHD outbreak). Clients in the area with much larger properties have not seen the dramatic ups and downs that I have locally.
megalomaniac said:
One farm the deer inexplicably disappeared about 7 or 8 years ago, but they have slowly rebounded. Just about impossible to get a 'population explosion' due to the number of coyotes predating fawns and adults.
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Isn't that the truth! I think I have more coyotes than I do deer. And now that I'm using more video than still pictures with my cameras, I'm realizing coyotes are after the deer on a regular basis.
 
Antler Daddy said:
I sure wish I could rent one of these cameras and drive around a few areas!
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I helped out with that project from time to time in Middle TN. I remember the night we were in Williamson County, and in an overgrown field (all weeds and briers), we saw a bachelor group of five mature bucks that would all go over 150. Crazy sight.
 
JeepKuntry said:
I have made that suggestion the last two seasons. Dropping archery from 4 to 2. Then reducing some of the non-quota doe opportunities to give a few years of recovery. I know things will never be like West Tn in my area, but I see more deer in 2-3 days hunting there than an entire season in Anderson & Campbell county.
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I agree. Doe limits are too high around here. I'd like to see it go 2a-1m-1r.
 
I don't know as much as most of y'all on here, but when you have friends throughout the county, hunting from one end to the other and the conversation always is where in the heck are the deer, that means something has happened. My 2019 season was by far my best and for miles around I heard of people seeing and killing good deer in this county also seeing more deer than most years. It was like 2019 was a peak of a gradual increase in quality and quantity. Then here came the dreaded 2020 . I don't know who said it on here but it was supposedly a better year for fawns and antler growth and whatever else. I'd sure like to know where they were talking about. It wasn't here, or even my surrounding counties. This is mainly hearsay from friends or their friends. I have good spots I hunt and I'll say I'm very fortunate. A good spot here means you may get to see a deer every hunt or two while on stand. East Tennessee hunting isn't great and honestly I don't know where to start in making a better herd. I've tried for as long as I can remember.
 
knightrider said:
My area of east tn has more deer today than it has had since before the 2008 and 2011 ehd devistation,it took 9 years to make a noticeable re
Click to expand...

Volbuck777 said:
I don't know as much as most of y'all on here, but when you have friends throughout the county, hunting from one end to the other and the conversation always is where in the heck are the deer, that means something has happened. My 2019 season was by far my best and for miles around I heard of people seeing and killing good deer in this county also seeing more deer than most years. It was like 2019 was a peak of a gradual increase in quality and quantity. Then here came the dreaded 2020 . I don't know who said it on here but it was supposedly a better year for fawns and antler growth and whatever else. I'd sure like to know where they were talking about. It wasn't here, or even my surrounding counties. This is mainly hearsay from friends or their friends. I have good spots I hunt and I'll say I'm very fortunate. A good spot here means you may get to see a deer every hunt or two while on stand. East Tennessee hunting isn't great and honestly I don't know where to start in making a better herd. I've tried for as long as I can remember.
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hear you man. Last several yrs have been tough
 
TN G.O.A.T Hunter said:
I agree. or maybe cut the season down, in my area especially. go to like a week muzzleloader? and 1 week rifle hunt maybe? maybe more of archery based season for a couple seasons.
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Makes absolutely no sense at all in my opinion to be permitted to hunt with a rifle for 6 weeks in East Tennessee.
 
Volbuck777 said:
I don't know as much as most of y'all on here, but when you have friends throughout the county, hunting from one end to the other and the conversation always is where in the heck are the deer, that means something has happened. My 2019 season was by far my best and for miles around I heard of people seeing and killing good deer in this county also seeing more deer than most years. It was like 2019 was a peak of a gradual increase in quality and quantity. Then here came the dreaded 2020 . I don't know who said it on here but it was supposedly a better year for fawns and antler growth and whatever else. I'd sure like to know where they were talking about. It wasn't here, or even my surrounding counties. This is mainly hearsay from friends or their friends. I have good spots I hunt and I'll say I'm very fortunate. A good spot here means you may get to see a deer every hunt or two while on stand. East Tennessee hunting isn't great and honestly I don't know where to start in making a better herd. I've tried for as long as I can remember.
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Just don't make any drastic changes due to one bad year. Again, an area can experience something region-wide that greatly reduces daylight deer activity for a season, leading hunters to think the deer herd has shrunk dramatically. Maybe it has, but highly likely it hasn't in a single year (unless there has been a massive die-off from EHD, which usually gets pretty widely reported).

Last year saw the biggest jump in antler quality per age-class in western Middle TN I've ever seen. And I mean it was huge! Average scores were up 15-20 inches per age-class. But I strongly suspect it was just a single-year event, and things will be back to normal this year. But we shall see.

I only WISH I saw a deer or two every hunt. In a great year, we see deer on 50% of hunts. In a bad year, 25%.
 
BSK said:
Just don't make any drastic changes due to one bad year. Again, an area can experience something region-wide that greatly reduces daylight deer activity for a season, leading hunters to think the deer herd has shrunk dramatically. Maybe it has, but highly likely it hasn't in a single year (unless there has been a massive die-off from EHD, which usually gets pretty widely reported).

Last year saw the biggest jump in antler quality per age-class in western Middle TN I've ever seen. And I mean it was huge! Average scores were up 15-20 inches per age-class. But I strongly suspect it was just a single-year event, and things will be back to normal this year. But we shall see.

I only WISH I saw a deer or two every hunt. In a great year, we see deer on 50% of hunts. In a bad year, 25%.
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What county if you don't mind saying also 15-20 inches per age class. Are you saying that from your observations deer we're putting 30 to 40 inches more horn on in a single year.
 

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