Hypothetical regulation changes.

If I was in charge bow season would be what it is minus xbows, muzzle loader/xbow would be 9 days starting the first Sat in November, a 5 day break and gun mzlr xbow season would be 2 weeks starting that Saturday after the break. Then bow season would start back till ending at dark New Year's Eve. 2 buck limit with liberal does as conditions permit.
 
Iglow said:
If I was in charge bow season would be what it is minus xbows, muzzle loader/xbow would be 9 days starting the first Sat in November, a 5 day break and gun mzlr xbow season would be 2 weeks starting that Saturday after the break. Then bow season would start back till ending at dark New Year's Eve. 2 buck limit with liberal does as conditions permit.
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Good thing you aint😂 lots of people wouldnt get to hunt, those that can hunt Saturday only and aren't bow capable would be screwed. Pressure isnt near what everyone thinks it is after thanksgiving since most hunters only get a week altogether in a season, we have to remember the folks on tndeer are usually above the norm or more die hard than the general public
 
Iglow said:
If I was in charge bow season would be what it is minus xbows, muzzle loader/xbow would be 9 days starting the first Sat in November, a 5 day break and gun mzlr xbow season would be 2 weeks starting that Saturday after the break. Then bow season would start back till ending at dark New Year's Eve. 2 buck limit with liberal does as conditions permit.
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Do you hunt that way now?
 
I hunt all the seasons. Just because that's the method the state dictates at those specific dates. Things haven't gotten so easy that killing one with a muzzleloader or rifle is a piece of cake and I need an added challenge. It's all still a challenge. As specific times of the year the deer shift. And the woods change. Having to rethink everything from archery to muzzleloader to rifle. Leave it be unless it benefits the herd.
 
Ski said:
I like your thinking but I'm not sure the harvest numbers support your notion. Ohio has regulations almost exactly as you describe. Gun season is shotgun or straight walled rifle, lasts only one week, and doesn't open until Monday following Thanksgiving. ML season is a meager 3 days and doesn't open until January. Bow season open first of October & runs into February. In terms of bow hunting for big antlers it's hard to beat Ohio's regulations .... on paper at a glance. But when you begin digging into harvest stats there's an unexpected surprise. Although Ohio has fewer deer than TN, in 2022 they killed 210K deer. TN with it's liberal limits and regulations only killed 165K.

OH's herd is estimated at 700K strong. TN's is estimated 900K. Yet OH is taking more deer from a smaller herd, with MUCH more restrictive regulations. I understand your thought process that shorter firearms seasons, especially during rut would be a rational way to increase buck size. But that's not what actually happens. I'm not exactly sure how to interpret the numbers so I don't. This is a point where I trust the state wildlife agencies to make the most informed decisions they can for their respective state. They catch a lot of he!! and some well deserved, but overall their bottom line objective is to manage the resources for the a hunt that best fits the constituency as a whole. Each state does it differently because the hunting culture and biological factors in each state are different.
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Generally people hunt harder when the season is shorter. In other words hunters are great procrastinators.
 
My hunting season generally begins Nov 14 and is over by the 18th.
I take my 2 bucks and take 3-4 does for friends and neighbors.
Luckily, there is high density where I hunt.
 
I like it the way it is and the problem I see with any weapon all season long is deer are somewhat more predictable during bow. That in the long run I believe would have a negative effect cause the bigger bucks would get killed faster out in the middle of those bean and corn fields. Where with a bow you're not reaching out there 100+ yards. I believe the buck structure would feel it when the more desirable bucks were taken out before breeding. I also enjoy being out in the woods and not hearing rifles going off and feeling like I have the woods to myself.Honestly none of that would really cause me a problem cause I hunt strictly mountain land that has ZERO crops around but in general I think the herd would suffer in the long run.
 
I recommend leaving the seasons as is; However, less gun pressure during the rut would yield a slight increase in older age bucks IMO.
 
SinningSaint33 said:
How many on here would be in favor of regulations changing up a bit? Say, archery opens 4th Saturday in September and runs til mid-January, ML opens the day after the early youth hunt and closes the following Sunday. Gun doesn't open u til the first Saturday of December. So archery only for 95%+ of the rut? Would we start seeing bigger bucks after a couple years? Would it negatively impact deer herds with overpopulation??
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Why open season year round say with a sling shot
 

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