Tennessee bucks

[BSK]

I'm looking at a bunch of the bucks in the Trophy Room and those posted in this forum, and I tell you what, I knew TN could do better than it was doing back when I started talking about and pushing QDM back in the mid to late 90s, but I never in my wildest dreams thought it would ever get to this point. A TON of seriously stud bucks are being killed in TN every year now. Who would have thunk it...? Definitely not me.

 

[tree_ghost]

Haven't been here near that long as most but I tell you what there is some good hunting to be had here these days….glad to be able to enjoy it!

 

[BSK]

Was going through some of my old photo census pictures on my place and realized - over the years - we've been lucky enough to draw in some great bucks. Wish I could say I killed most of these, but sadly, no. Just a couple. None of these are monsters, but pretty representative of what can be grown in TN with decent nutrition and age.

 

[BSK]

A few more

 

[Bo Diddley]

Nice deer BSK!

 

[Gobble4me757]

I'm from alabama and really I'd never hunted out of state until 3 years ago living in north Bama. As soon as you go across the state line you can see the difference and overall quality/quantity it seemed like. Now I'm living in west Tennessee for my residency program, and I agree..there are studs take left and right. I wish Alabama would adopt changes and take notes from Tennessee. Our gun season goes from middle of November to the middle of February where you can bait and kill two does a day for 3 months straight. Sure, Tennessee has their flaws, but the overall quality and quantity is night and day better vs Alabama.

 

[Roost 1]

BSK, seems like I can remember you and I disagreeing on this subject several yrs ago. Lol
TN has been growing nice deer for a while in areas, most guys like to keep it quite. However, social media has its way of letting the secrets out.

 

[backyardtndeer]

Was going through some of my old photo census pictures on my place and realized - over the years - we've been lucky enough to draw in some great bucks. Wish I could say I killed most of these, but sadly, no. Just a couple. None of these are monsters, but pretty representative of what can be grown in TN with decent nutrition and age.

A few more

I would argue that some of those are indeed monsters. Some great bucks in that collection.

 

[Volbuck777]

Nice bucks for sure. I'm definitely seeing people killing bigger bucks on the east side than I was 5 or so years ago, myself included.

 

[Wrangler95]

Those are some good bucks,trigger restraint is sure helping!!

 

[BSK]

Those are some good bucks,trigger restraint is sure helping!!

Actually, our rule is just "no yearlings." That's it. What is saving so many bucks to old age is the difficult hunting conditions. Very steep terrain and thick woods. Visibility is VERY limited. Average MZ/rifle shot is around 35 yards because hunters can't see farther than that.

 

[scn]

Bryan, your post beat me to one where I was going to ask you if you had envisioned this quality years ago when you were arguing going from 11 to two.

I'm old enough to remember those days where a basket rack 8 was something to show off. Some of the deer we see on here every day would have been deer that hunters would have driven a distance to see and take pictures of.

Pretty remarkable about what age and trigger constraint can do!

 

[muddyboots]

2 buck limit ain't so bad. Lol. Sorry. Could not resist. Lol

 

[Hillbilly Hunter]

2 buck limit ain't so bad. Lol. Sorry. Could not resist. Lol

I was against it at the time, but i like it now. In no way will I ever support a one buck limit though.

 

[AlabamaSwamper]

I've scored two from northwest Alabama this week for BTR. A 156" 8pt and a non typical at 169 4/8"

Got another guy calling with what looks like a near 160" 10

 

[Andy S.]

There have been some whoppers killed in TN this year, no doubt about it. Some serious bone! As mentioned, you have to let them grow up so they can express their full potential if you care to see and witness their full potential. Different folks, different strokes, and I am happy for all hunters with whatever they decide to shoot.

 

[BSK]

2 buck limit ain't so bad. Lol. Sorry. Could not resist. Lol

Was against it then. Still am. Wasn't needed. Didn't do anything. Everything we're seeing today (post 11 buck limit) is purely driven by hunter trigger control (which I NEVER expected hunters to do with the ferocity that they do today).

 

[BSK]

There have been some whoppers killed in TN this year, no doubt about it. Some serious bone! As mentioned, you have to let them grow up so they can express their full potential if you care to see and witness their full potential. Different folks, different strokes, and I am happy for all hunters with whatever they decide to shoot.

Agree with everything you said. Hunter wants to kill a spike? Good for you! Hunter wants to hold out for a mature whopper? Good for you!

 

[PickettSFHunter]

We are actually killing significantly less of those giants in my county than we used to. Significantly less deer also.

 

[BSK]

We are actually killing significantly less of those giants in my county than we used to. Significantly less deer also.

Why do you think that is PickettSFHunter? Fewer hunters? Fewer deer? Both?