Antler restrictions....

[tator]

I've noticed while reading posts on here that some people shoot 4 pointers and even spikes and so forth. Missouri has an antler restriction law that says a buck you shoot has to have atleast 4 points on one side. You can shoot a spike, but they have to be less than 3 inches. Are any other states like this?
anybody against this, for this? what are you thoughts???

[flexj]

Oklahoma doesn't have antler restrictions, but I think it would help if we did. There is no need to shoot these small bucks. Letting these small bucks walk, and shooting does instead helps balance the herd and makes for better hunting in future years.

[tator]

I absolutely agree. Now for our youth hunts (we have two of them, and they both last 2 days) there are no restrictions. Which I think is good b/c that way a child gets the chance to bag a buck. My cousin's boy got a 4 pointer last year and was the happiest little guy on the face of the planet! HE's only 6! That's something he's going to remember and hopefully want to continue for the rest of his life!

[delbert]

We have to have at least 3 points on one side
I wouldn't have a problem if they had to have 4 on one side to be legal
Arkansas bucks are getting bigger because of it

[WisconsinDeer]

No restrictions here. But if a spike buck has less than 3" spikes its considered antlerless.

[Hunting Man]

PA has 3-4 point restrictions depending on where you are hunting. I have seen improvement in antler size/points since the restriction,however, PA issued so many doe tags that the herds have been reduced dramatically. It's becoming tough hunting now just to see deer. Also, the deer have become nocturnal in just the last few years. I hate educated deer!

[BruceBruce1959]

Vermonts Regulations says the following

Legal Buck: A white-tailed deer with at least one antler having two or more points.
Point: An antler projection of at least one inch measured from base to tip.
A broken main beam shall count as a point, regardless of length.
An tlerless Deer: A white-tailed deer without antlers or with antlers less than three inches long.

[spiker]

no restrictions where i hunt in new york i do think they implemented a restriction in a small area upstate,but for most ny hunters no restrictions

[Buckshot]

I am glad that TN doesn't have antler restrictions because I have never thought that was a good way to manage buck harvest. I know each area of the country faces different challenges when it comes to managing the deer herd but manageing the number points a buck has to have before you shoot just doesn't get it done.

If the goal is to improve the herd overall the hunters have to get over the antler hang up and start shooting does. Experienced hunters who have oportunity to take does and do not should never complain about small buck sizes, or other hunters that shoot small bucks, because they are not doing their part.

Buck age structure can be improved in ways other than an arbitrary number of points. Why would you let a 4.5 year old six point walk and breed that gene into the herd and then turn around and kill a 1.5 year old 8 point with much superior genes?

[Southern Man]

Originally Posted by Buckshot

I am glad that TN doesn't have antler restrictions because I have never thought that was a good way to manage buck harvest. I know each area of the country faces different challenges when it comes to managing the deer herd but manageing the number points a buck has to have before you shoot just doesn't get it done.

If the goal is to improve the herd overall the hunters have to get over the antler hang up and start shooting does. Experienced hunters who have oportunity to take does and do not should never complain about small buck sizes, or other hunters that shoot small bucks, because they are not doing their part.

Buck age structure can be improved in ways other than an arbitrary number of points. Why would you let a 4.5 year old six point walk and breed that gene into the herd and then turn around and kill a 1.5 year old 8 point with much superior genes?

I agree totally. It's up to the man that pulls the trigger. If not, he's not serious about larger bucks. He needs to do his part. But, at the same time, I think the 10 year old boy, on his first deer hunt, should be able to take his first buck regardless what it is. That 1.5 year old 6 pointer is a monster for a kid that young. And antler restrictions don't compensate for that. As he matures as a hunter, he'll grow into taking larger bucks. If not, he may be happy with little bucks. I do know people like that. They want a buck but don't care about size, and that's ok.