2022-24 Hunting season proposals

I have been saying 10 days between your first and second turkey. But I can get behind the 1 bird in the first 14 days also. I am also for dropping the limit to 2 turkeys. I know that some on here want to get rid of decoys all together statewide. I am taking the approach on private land all decoys and reaping are legal but on public land hen decoys only I could get behind.

Deer season I could actually get behind the 1 buck a year thing also. It would make people more selective and in my opinion be helpful for the herd. The reason why I say that is you need a good buck to doe ratio. During the juvenile hunt the kids can shoot whatever they want. I know especially growing up and hunting Morgan County my family just shot everything didn't matter the size
 
IMO, most important thing is to have regulations which are very simple, and most easily enforced, as any law is typically only as good as its enforcement, and unnecessary regulations just create unnecessary resentment and unnecessary hardship on the most honest sportsmen.

Even something so seemingly straighforward & simple as some different regs on public hunting lands will often back-fire in creating division and resentment between hunters.

Some hunters only hunt public lands, some only hunt private lands, while most may be hunting both private & public. Regs work best when they're as uniform as reasonably possible from one hunting area to another, since unnecessary differences commonly just create more division & resentment among hunters, as well as among the officers handed the task of enforcement.

Rakkin6 said:
I am also for dropping the limit to 2 turkeys.
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While this may be a good idea, it may only be "necessary" if TWRA fails to delay the season opening by a week or two.

IMO, at this time, the very best, most easily enforced regulatory change for turkey hunting should be a delayed opening date by at least 1 week. My personal idea is the resource (and the hunters) would be best served ongoing by delaying the opening by 2 weeks, while extending the close by 1 week later, meaning the season is only reduced by 1 week, and would still be one of the longest spring turkey seasons in the U.S.

As to the turkey tactic of "fanning or reaping", either make it legal or illegal everywhere in TN on both private & public lands. My vote would be to outlaw this tactic. That is the only "tactical" change I would make in the regs. There is no real "need" to outlaw other commonly mentioned things such as decoys, TSS shot, pop-up blinds, much less comfortable clothing, raincoats, cushions, or sights on shotguns.

Rakkin6 said:
Deer season I could actually get behind the 1 buck a year thing also.
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IMO, going to a 1-buck limit (at this time) is simply unnecessary, and possibly even counter-productive towards maintaining/achieving that good buck:doe ratio. The 2-buck limit seems the most ideal compromise, and the least "compromise" to anyone.

What we most need to be concerned about is how TWRA reacts to Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). Outside the CWD zones, I have no significant complaints regarding the statewide deer regs, which may be best just left unchanged.
 
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TheLBLman said:
IMO, most important thing is to have regulations which are very simple, and most easily enforced, as any law is typically only as good as its enforcement, and unnecessary regulations just create unnecessary resentment and unnecessary hardship on the most honest sportsmen.



While this may be a good idea, it may only be "necessary" if TWRA fails to delay the season opening by a week or two.

IMO, at this time, the very best, most easily enforced regulatory change for turkey hunting should be a delayed opening date by at least 1 week. My personal idea is the resource (and the hunters) would be best served ongoing by delaying the opening by 2 weeks, while extending the close by 1 week later, meaning the season is only reduced by 1 week, and would still be one of the longest spring turkey seasons in the U.S.



IMO, going to a 1-buck limit (at this time) is simply unnecessary, and possibly even counter-productive towards maintaining/achieving that good buck:doe ratio. The 2-buck limit seems the most ideal compromise, and the least "compromise" to anyone.

What we most need to be concerned about is how TWRA reacts to Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). Outside the CWD zones, I have no significant complaints regarding the statewide deer regs, which may be best just left unchanged.
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I don't necessarily have a problem with 2 bucks. But if you look at the states that have a one buck limit around us Kentucky, Illinois, Ohio, Indiana and Missouri they have really good numbers and lots of big deer. Missouri only allows one during firearms season and one in bow season so technically you can kill 2 bucks in Missouri if you rifle and bow hunt. I am not a trophy hunter per se but I would rather shoot a fat doe than a 1.5 year old small six pointer. Not going to be that much difference in the amount of meat I get. I am not knocking anyone's choice on which deer they decide to shoot that is all personal preference. Just my opinion on how I hunt.
 
Methane said:
Actually, in Missouri, a bow hunter can kill 2 bucks. One before the rifle season and one after the rifle season. They can kill one with a gun in gun season with a firearms license.
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I was reading the regs for Missouri and it seemed like you could take two bucks. One during rifle and one during now. Thanks for the clarification.
 
I would be against night hunting for yotes, pretty sure I have read trapping is the best method of control, to many issues with it imo, at least with coon hunters they are a dying breed unfortunately and have to own a dog to partake, every yahoo with a rifle will have the opportunity to trespass also, most would be safe but a lot of area's it just isn't .I been involved with coon hunting since I was 3 years old and have been hauled across more property's we didn't have permission to be on than property we did, only thing needed is a safe place to park the truck, you all ready to double the license fee to double the game wardens so we can have a 2nd and 3rd shift? it's not as simple as some folks think it is when you start listing the good and bad with everything that's impacted with life's choices.
 
Same thing i send in every year that will wadded up and trashed. Why do you treat the 3 grand divisions of our state the same in regards to deer and turkeys? There is nothing the same about them, why should they be hunted under the same blanket of regulations? It's extremely lazy.
 
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mike243 said:
I would be against night hunting for yotes, pretty sure I have read trapping is the best method of control, to many issues with it imo, at least with coon hunters they are a dying breed unfortunately and have to own a dog to partake, every yahoo with a rifle will have the opportunity to trespass also, most would be safe but a lot of area's it just isn't .I been involved with coon hunting since I was 3 years old and have been hauled across more property's we didn't have permission to be on than property we did, only thing needed is a safe place to park the truck, you all ready to double the license fee to double the game wardens so we can have a 2nd and 3rd shift? it's not as simple as some folks think it is when you start listing the good and bad with everything that's impacted with life's choices.
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There's no evidence of what you claim in all the other states or with the current night hunting that is taking place by me and others in Tennessee. If your gonna claim it has "too many issues" you need to back it up with FACTS and not your imagination.
 
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I would be EXTREMELY opposed to a one buck limit. There is no need for it in most parts of TN (but would not be opposed in areas that might benefit). The data shows a continuously increasing harvested buck age structure and a decline in yearling buck and button buck harvests. In addition, I think a one buck limit would be counterproductive, as many hunters would stop hunting after killing their one buck, reducing the possibility hunters taking enough antlerless deer to keep densities at necessary levels (in higher density areas).

And as I've stated many times, I strongly disagree with the practice of knocking down deer densities to "slow" the spread of CWD. This may be "throwing the baby out with the bathwater." Nothing is going to stop the spread of CWD. It is eventually going to spread through the entire whitetail's range. Only Nature is going to be able to solve the CWD problem (by developing immunity naturally). Knocking back deer densities will just drive hunters out of the sport, and hunters are THE key piece of deer management everywhere. Without hunters, there is no deer management.
 
BSK said:
And as I've stated many times, I strongly disagree with the practice of knocking down deer densities to "slow" the spread of CWD. This may be "throwing the baby out with the bathwater." . . . . . Knocking back deer densities will just drive hunters out of the sport, and hunters are THE key piece of deer management everywhere.
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So very true!
We've already seen that mass exodus of hunters from deer hunting in those West TN counties where TWRA 1st implemented their draconian covid-like cwd edicts?

This has additionally led to unreasonable fears of eating venison by non-hunters, causing many remaining deer hunters to kill fewer female deer. Meanwhile, many former deer hunters have taken up duck hunting, which was already an over-crowded sport.
 
I think trapping and night hunting works. I trapped this hunting club. I took 30 coyotes off it so far. Still all kinds of coyote sign. And even called some in and shot them. Looks like didnt even hurt the population of them there. Almost ever coyote i shot and trapped had mange bad. The coyotes here will catch peoples pets and kill them. We need more trapper and coyote hunters in the wood. I am planning on hunting this fall for deer. And for turkey in 2023 in Tn on private land. Its my wife's cousin place. He dont hunt much anymore. I just want to here them gobble. I from Arkansas. We used to have a 3 point on one side rule. Some had 4 point on one side or 15 inch spread. Most of them rules are gone because of cwd. But i still see some nice bucks. We can kill 2 bucks and 4 doe's. Or 6 doe's with a bow. Our turkeys are gone. I hunted almost ever day of season. I heard 3 different gobblers. At the most one gobbled 3 times. Didnt see any hens seen 5 jakes last day of season. We used to have a fall season bearded turkeys only. They stopped it. No jakes season opened 2 weeks later. U can only kill 1 turkey first 7 days. 2 bird limit. We can used decoys. Its unreal the hogs we have on public land. But the game and fish will only let u kill hogs. On public land during our deer rifle and ml season. I think is so bs. I think the hogs has alot to with it. Now they let us coyote hunt at night on private land 24/7 365. They started letting us trap 365 days. For coyotes coons oppsums bobcat and skunks on private land. They said it would help the turkeys. Little to late for us. Game and fish has 2 things they care the most about. Thats ducks and rainbow trout thats where they make the money at. I just dont want ya to go thru thru what we are going thru. The cwd is all over Arkansas. Same with hogs. I hope ya can get it turned around. I see way more bear sign and bears. Than turkeys and turkey sign. .
 
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Wrangler95 said:
I sure wish the TWRA would help the poor turkeys out,they are quickly going away.Guess we can fish and squirrel hunt in the spring!
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They are spending an incredible amount of resources trying to figure out what the real problem is, and to come up with regulations that will help. They are researching a number of possible causes for the decline. The answer is by no means a simple one.
 
BSK said:
They are spending an incredible amount of resources trying to figure out what the real problem is, and to come up with regulations that will help. They are researching a number of possible causes for the decline. The answer is by no means a simple one.
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While I agree with you, the problem I have with TWRA regarding the turkeys is they have done very little in the meantime in terms of proactively managing the statewide turkey population. Any changes have been way too slow (by years) and way to small to make much difference.

My concern is TWRA has done too little too late.
Should point out that other agencies or managers being much more proactive have still experienced declining turkey populations.

The State of KY opens their season significantly later (even adjusted for latitude), open half as many days, and with a 2-bird limit ---- population still fragile. LBL (which is larger than many TN counties in huntable acreage) has gone to a 1-bird limit with a delayed opening, 2-week season. Turkeys there are not flourishing.

Despite significant regulatory measures seeming to do not enough, that's still no reason not to take such measures, even realizing that hunting regulations take the back seat to Mother Nature in most years.
 
BSK said:
They are spending an incredible amount of resources trying to figure out what the real problem is, and to come up with regulations that will help. They are researching a number of possible causes for the decline. The answer is by no means a simple one.
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They could do the same as other southern states and lower the limit and start the season a week or two later is things that is easy to do and show the hunters they care about the turkey.This won't fix the problem overnight but it's a start.What really makes me so upset about the TWRA,the population has been declining for years and they haven't said anything about it until recently.If you saw my post about Clay county harvest reports for the last 12 years you will see for your self the steady decline that the TWRA has known about for several years,because us turkey hunters has sure known!
 
Chances for turkey season opening 1-2 weeks later statewide are not that great in my opinion. Money driven and will not sell as many out of state licenses to turkey hunt. Staying open a week later wouldn't affect me much because I am like a lot of people and do not like hunting them as much in hot weather. I doubt very seriously 1 buck limit will happen either because of their misguided management of CWD and TWRAs kill em all mentality. Some counties should not even be in unit L and every county that has a EHD outbreak should be temporarily taken out of unit L after the outbreak. TWRA is NOT a management agency. They are season setters and that is it.
 


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