Antler restrictions....

TX - depends on the county on antlers. Most counties are now going to a min 13" spread so that the bucks are larger, more mature. Spikes are legal and even get an additional couple weeks at the end of the regular season (doe too).

Preferences? Bucks with the big racks of course, but if they don't come along then I'll put a doe into the freezer any time. I had to let almost a dozen 6 pointers wander past me last season simply because they didn't meet the minimum spread. One came up behind me and walked past less than fifteen feet away. Best part of that is that most of them should be "legal" THIS year.

Should hunters have ethics? Do I care how others hunt? Okay, here's my opinion -- and that's what you're getting here, an opinion -- as long as hunters are ethical (and y'all can take that with a grain of salt or two) with how they hunt and do so without causing a black eye on the rest of us hunters, who am I to judge how another person hunts?

I've tried to instill my ethics of hunting in my sons in seasons past and hope to do so with my daughter this year. Hunting with my grandfather happens to be one of the few memories I still have of him, but the "life" lessons learned back then are still valued ones today. I just hope I'm still around when MY grand-children are old enough to hunt. I'd like to be there just to make sure those life lessons learned from my grandfather are passed on down to future generations.

My $.02 worth!

rdraider:
Ok, i have to ask, how in the world is a hunter supposed to know if the deer has a 13 inch spread? what if it LOOKS 13 and it's actually 10? That law seems a little rediculous to me. In Missouri, I personally asked a game warden last year, what would happen if I accidentally shot a buck that only had 3 points on each side (in MO bucks taken have to have at least 4 points on ONE side). He told me it depends on the size of the buck. If the buck is smaller, then they are more forgiving about it, b/c you can't tell as well on a small racked buck. but he said if it's an older buck w/a more mature rack, then they will fine you because you should be able to see if it has 4 points on one side. TO ME, that's a HECK of a lot of stuff to have to go through before you take a deer. I absolutely AGREE with what they are trying to do, BUT.... it's a pain. Some guys I know NEVER even seen big bucks on their property. One of my buddies has never even shot a buck. either because they are too small or the dominant buck don't come on his property. I think if the state's deer herd is healthy, they need to lift the point restriction. If it starts to go down or hurt in anyway, then put it back on. What does everyone think???

I oppose the implentation of most AR's. The goal of an AR being to promote bucks to a higher age class, thus larger antlers. But what does a point restriction really do? It makes the genetically good buck legal at an early age. Quite simply, a genetically superior buck with good nutrition may easily be an 8-point at 18-months. Is that the buck we want to kill?

Number of points is a poor managment system. Inside spread is better as it protects 75% of the deer under 2.5. However it is hard to implement and hard to enforce. Let's examine just what an AR does. I managed a piece of property for several years that required both 8-points and a minimum of 16" spread. The fine for making a mistake was hefty. But that was private property.

An AR may to some degree, help advance young deer to the age of 2.5 at which point they get killed. If the goal is to manage for antlers, then you pass everything under 3.5 years. After that age, few bucks need protection from hunters. But how do you get to look at their teeth? Few hunters on a statewide basis can age a deer on the hoof.

If the goal is to balance age strata, then by far, the second best method is to reduce the male bag limit and count all male deer, regardless of antler development, as a buck. I.e. a button buck would require a buck tag. This also improves sex ratios and sometimes requires an increase in doe kill.

Unfortunately, the goal of most AR's is to produce more antler and that goal is short circuited at age 2.5. a poor age to stop development if antlers are the goal.

The bst method of all, no matter what the goal, is hunter education. Unless there is a severe biological need. I oppose all AR's. If herd health is sound and ecologically secure, states should not regulate what ahunter can or cannot kill based on the desire of a minority for larger antlers. That should be done on private land or selected management areas.

Just my opinion.