Ratajczak: The key to controlling the deer population at this time in Unit B is the control of the doe population. The doe harvest is controlled by quota hunts in some counties and then by protecting does during the gun season. If we insure more does survive, we increase the deer population overall. Three years ago, the agency didn't recommend changing the statewide three-buck bag limit to two bucks in Unit B. Enough people supported it and lobbied for it that the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission changed the limits. The hope was that lowering the buck limit by one antlered deer would increase the age structure. However, in the last three years, there has been no change. There were already enough yearlings surviving with the three-buck bag limit in place. Going from three bucks to two did not improve the age structure at all.

THE STATEWIDE BIG BUCK PICTURE
Tennessee Sportsman: How can regulations be designed in Tennessee to move toward bigger racked bucks, given that over time that's what many hunters say they want?

Ratajczak: If we lower buck limits, we're not going to see any significant difference as far as hunter success rates. The vast majority of hunters will shoot the first buck in front of them. Only 1 percent of all hunters harvest more than one buck annually. If we go to a one-buck limit, bucks will just grow older. Tennessee hunters have just as much success at killing a mature buck as those states with tighter buck limits. A lot of states have gone to the tele-check harvest reporting method. Our harvest tracking method is the truest snapshot of the herd. The harvest is getting better every year, with an increasing age structure of bucks. Since 2000, the number of 1 1/2-year-old bucks (in the harvest) has been declining while the number of 2 1/2-year-old and 3 1/2-year-old bucks has been seeing increases. Compared with other states that harvest 56 percent or more yearlings each season, Tennessee hunters have leveled off at a lower yearling harvest percentage of 50 percent. If you looked at WMA data alone, we had a buck harvest of 40 percent yearlings, 40 percent 2 1/2-year-old bucks, and 20 percent 3 1/2-year-old bucks.

A CLOSER LOOK AT WMAS
Tennessee Sportsman: Which WMAs have reached their carrying capacity of the deer herd?

Ratajczak: WMAs are managed differently from regional or countywide management. With managers on the ground, you get a better feel for the deer herd. You have relative control over a smaller area. Since most WMAs have their own managers, they have a good feel for the herd and relative density. Most assuredly, none are approaching biological carrying capacity. If they are, something went wrong.

Tennessee Sportsman: Which WMAs are not at carrying capacity and how can they be improved?

Ratajczak: With WMAs, you can manage an area (so that) hunters have more opportunity to see deer like the situations found at Chuck Swan WMA and AEDC. Hunters have opportunities at these places to see a lot of deer on a given hunt. With areas that feature a lot of prime habitat, you can manage the deer herd more for quality, like Catoosa, Oak Ridge and Presidents Island WMAs. That's why you see areas that feature antler restrictions and a management strategy based on quality. But you still have to manage some WMAs to give hunters somewhere they can go to just shoot a deer.

Tennessee Sportsman: How have changes in buck bag limits affected the populations on WMAs, specifically those with quality deer regulations?

Ratajczak: Catoosa WMA is a good example of what antler restrictions can do for an area. It's been charging along for six or eight years now, and you can see that there are more 2 1/2-year-old-and-older bucks being harvested. Catoosa now has a wonderful advanced age structure to its herd. However, out of 250 bucks or so harvested, there was only one 4 1/2-year-old buck taken last year. With the antler restrictions, bucks have to have a minimum of 4 points on one antler on all hunts. For the most part, the 1 1/2-year-old bucks are protected. Interestingly enough, 90 percent of the bucks harvested at Catoosa WMA fell into the 2 1/2-year-old age group. At WMAs that employ antler restrictions, they are working quite well. We're accomplishing what was expected and accomplishing our objectives.

Tennessee Sportsman: How can regulations be designed at WMAs to move toward bigger racked bucks?

Ratajczak: We are particular, we're not going to take every WMA and do that. The agency is trying to promote the gambit. More or less, to each his own. You have an opportunity to kill deer at Chuck Swan and AEDC, and other WMAs offer bigger deer. Will more be added? Possibly. A lot depends on what hunters want, and generally, they want to see deer on their hunt.

Tennessee Sportsman: Are there WMAs showing new trends to move toward antler restrictions?

Ratajczak: Catoosa WMA and Presidents Island are known for antlers, and they're doing well. Moss Island and Ernest Rice WMAs were the most recent additions, but it generally takes three or four years of monitoring and tracking data to see how management processes are working. Most WMAs with antler restrictions are still in the analyzing mode.