Well did it work?

[RobbyW]

Sitting in the stand and the thought of buck limits came to mind. It's been 5 years since the limit was lowered. What are your thoughts now? Have they changed? Do you think it has made a difference? In my little world I do not see any difference, in quality or quantity.


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[Hduke86]

To me I haven't noticed a difference but I'm sure there's been pros and cons to it for sure. I know I hunt the same and that's is "if it gets my heart beating faster" then it's good enough for me.

 

[Shed Hunter]

There are a lot more big deer photos being passed around nowadays and definitely more killed. More so than the limit I think it's technology related and hunter mindset related.

With most hunters having cameras and seeing pictures of other people killing big deer it's a lot more common for people to let deer walk. Now do I think the limit is helping? Absolutely. And we should go to the one buck limit

 

[Volbuck777]

I honestly believe it has been a great thing for my neck of the woods. Quality and quantity. I've hunted less the last few years than years prior and seen a lot more big deer. I've killed 3 bucks in the last 2 years here. They were in order an 11 pt 145 inches, a 10 pt 125 inches, and a 9 pt at 125 inches. Before these three bucks I killed good deer but only 1 over 100 inches in 20 years of hunting this county. I've killed other big deer in different counties but based where I am the 2 buck rule has been great. I know y'all are going to be mad at me but I'd take it a step further and put it as 2 bucks, 1 having to be so big such as 15 wide or 4 on one side. I use to hunt Kentucky I don't like the one buck rule.

 

[Matador]

Honestly don't think it has made any difference. Not too many hunters kill two bucks much less three. And if there was gain, CWD will probably wipe it out eventually. There may be a record harvest this year. I think more hunters will take more deer for their freezers. Virus has made life hard for a lot of people.

 

[Jcalder]

Putting my own personal restrictions has done more for the heard and bucks than the buck limits have. Helps when some of the neighbors are doing it as well.


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[Jcalder]

CWD will probably wipe it out eventually.

very doubtful. Hasn't happened in any other CWD area and those places have had it several years.


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[MUP]

Doubt it has made a difference either way, in my neck of the woods. Poachers still kill their numbers, and I still try to kill one good buck a season, but would kill 2 if I got a chance at a better one than my first one. I'd like to see the biological data I guess instead of hearsay, but deer hunting was already getting better, with more hunters already self imposing their own restrictions, so I'm not sure how any precise measurement of success, or failure, could even be calculated.

 

[BDS05]

I don't feel like it has made a difference.

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[megalomaniac]

Statewide, it's made a HUGE difference in recruiting bucks with subpar antlers into older age classes.

The vast majority of the bucks with the best antler genetics are still being killed before maturity.

From a personal standpoint on my farms, I haven't seen much difference since we were already under a self imposed 1 buck limit (plus a cull, if available). Now the difference on my own farms going from a 3 buck limit to a 1 buck limit has been nothing short of incredible.

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[EastTNHunter]

Not on the public properties that I hunt. I think it was already on its way up before then

 

[THE DUKE]

Don't think so it only restricts the honest hunters that know what there doing that can manage there deer herd through knowledge. Every joe blow and his 10 friends are hunting now and have no knowledge about it. That's what's ruining hunting.

 

[BDS05]

Statewide, it's made a HUGE difference

plus a cull

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What makes you think it has made a huge difference statewide?

What defines a cull?

Do you think all inferior 2.5 y.o. won't be superior 4.5 y.o.?

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[ROUGH COUNTRY HUNTER]

a big difference in quantity but not quality on my farm

 

[recurve60#]

Great question. And no I see no difference.

 

[megalomaniac]

Statewide, it's made a HUGE difference

plus a cull

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What makes you think it has made a huge difference statewide?

What defines a cull?

Do you think all inferior 2.5 y.o. won't be superior 4.5 y.o.?

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Look at TWRAs age structure of bucks harvested. Yes, the age structure was increasing since the limit was reduced from 11 to 3 bucks, but it has CONTINUED to improve after reduction in the limits despite most biologists feeling we had reached the point of dimishing returns.

I think 99.9% of inferior 2.5 yos will never become superior 4.5yo. But thats just basic deer biology. Nothing fancy there. Genetics suck, but they are what they are. You cant change them, no matter how old you let that deer get.

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[DRSJ35]

Without age you cannot get a buck to its biggest antler status. We can argue till the moon falls out of the sky. But soil is always brought up and it makes a difference no doubt. I'm positive about the the 2 buck reg. Think it has made a difference. We as selective hunters have also. Years ago it was brown is down for me. But I was a youngster. And I think youngsters should kill whatever they want. That go's for anybody really. If it makes you happy. No matter what we all dream of giant head gear. And I can't see how 2 buck limit doesn't help that situation.

 

[timberjack86]

My dad is a pretty good record keeper and I asked this question to him. He was also in favor for 2 bucks. He said there is no noticable difference in 5 years on our family hunting property.

 

[redblood]

I think it has only been 4 yrs, but i think it has definitely made a difference. Especially in hunter who kill a buck early in the season. They have to really be careful. Most want to hang on to a buck tag to justify still getting up early to go. It saves alot of bucks in my opinion. An example, i passed a 4.5 yr old buck last yr who was mid 130s. The guy who leases the neighbors farm killed him the 1st afternoon. We have. 155" 10 that is very daylight active. He hasnt hunted again because he is afraid he will kill that buck if he sees him, although we suspect he is only 4.5. No doubt the 2 buck limit has saved this buck so far. He is not my primary target buck so i have left him alone. I have no interest in deer until the necks get thick and they are pushed by rut. In 2 weeks, he could be in trouble.

 

[mike243]

I haven't seen any difference here in the east end, there may be pockets where the numbers/size have increased but you don't hear about much , I drive a lot of miles daily and I haven't seen a increase in the numbers, ymmv