Antler Point Restrictions

[ozzyso44]

A few years ago Missouri started a program that placed an antler point restrictions for gun season in a few select counties. I think now they have expanded the areas in which it is incorporated.

I want to know.
1. How many other states have antler point restrictions?
2. Do you like the idea?

I personally love it. I have never seen so many bucks in the last couple of years. I can pass up small bucks and wait, even though that doesn't always mean I bag a big one. It gives me hope that I didn't have in the past.

I always shoot 2-4 doe each year, and pass up on several bucks hoping to see that monster. Hasn't happened yet, but I think it will someday.

[777]

I think the point restriction that Arkansas started has been in affect long enough that we were seeing the results some last year. This year should be even better. I like the idea but some still hate it in this state.

[bownero]

Yeah! I wish Nebraska would do the same on the Antler Point Restriction. To many guys shoot small bucks around here.:confused2: They have the mentality of thinking " if it's brown it's down!" Shoot a doe and let the little bucks grow then. Anyhow, Nebraska has a new antlerless bonus tag to go with the regular tag. This is a start for sure!!

[223reload]

We have a restriction here in New Mexico. A few yrs ago it was 3 pts to one side or bigger,then they changed it BACK to a fork on one side. I am warming to it,but with the no doe policy ,I don't think it will help much. When you see herds of deer withat least 30 does and only one or two bucks ,that just doesn't look like a healthy herd to me.

[Kip Brandel]

I think the point restriction that Arkansas started has been in affect long enough that we were seeing the results some last year. This year should be even better. I like the idea but some still hate it in this state.
I Know there were some WMA areas in NE Arkansas that were 10 point and over ONLY. (this was the same year they went to 3 points on one side) We did some hunting that year and took a couple that were over 10. They were having a problem with dominant bucks staying in an area for a long time and inbreeding was a problem. Hunters were taking the smaller bucks and removing any upcoming challengers the dominant bucks would have to deal with. The big bucks were there they just had to be dug out of the woods where the younger ones were everywhere, but they got that old for a reason.

[bigcatmaniac]

I like the antler point restriction for firearms hunters, but i think for archery purposes it should be up to the hunter. I have seen much more potential for large bucks since the restriction was in affect. I just cant wait to see what the herds look like in a few years.

[ccso640]

I think its an awesome program here in Missouri. As was said, if you just want meat then shoot a doe, plenty of them and no reason to kill a small buck and take away its potential to grow. PROBLEM I HAVE SEEN, is alot of deer dead with less than 4 on one side, meaning some unethical hunter took the shot and then walked up to see that it was not a legal deer so just left it. Found 4 that way last year after firearms season when I was pheasant hunting. I mainly hunt on Conservation property which is where I found the illegal deer. I reported it as always, but the Agent said that he can't do anything about it without seeing it happen or knowing who did it. I work in law enforcement and understand the difficulties with making a case on those but man, it really irritates me. Chris

[DIESELkat]

PA established a point restriction a few years ago. 3 points to a side in the "big woods" areas of the state, 4 points to a side in the more agricultural areas. The first couple years were pretty bad with people shooting bucks, and then figuring out wether they were legal or not. It is pretty hard to determine whether or not they are legal when theyre running through thick cover. As far as the quality of the bucks is concerned, it really is starting to show now that we are about 6 or 7 years into it. The PGC really took alot of flack over this but I think most people are really warming up to it now. It really does take at least 5 years of the program being implemented and people actually abiding by it to find out what kind of bucks you really have. One of the farms that I hunt regularly in archery season seems to have a bloodline running through it where the bucks dont grow brow tines. Last year I saw 3 distinctively different bucks that should have been legal, but didnt have brows. 2 of them were probly 130 class 6 points (I hunt the 4 to a side area) and the other was a solid 140-145 6 point with an 18 or 19" spread. It seems to be a genetic trait when it comes to producing brows, and these bucks are out there breeding. I havent seen either of the 2 130's yet this year, but the bigger buck has been seen all summer and this year he is finally legal (he's an 8 this year) but his rack is actually smaller. I had him bed down with a hot doe last year about 50 yards from my stand and got a good look at him for about 2 hours. I figured he was a 5 year old last year, so this year he is probly getting past his prime which would explain the smaller rack. Its tough to pass up a 145 class buck because he's "too small" according the the law, but it sure is nice to know theyre in the area. This is the only problem I can see with the restriction other than the fact that it is hard to tell if theyre legal in rifle season when theyre turned inside out goin through the woods.

[CopeMan]

Here in my part of Missouri the 4pt rule has been put into effect this year. I just dont know if it will work or not. I would say it would be good for raising the numbers of mature bucks. But also if you see a certian basket rack buck that is too small one year and then the next you see him agian and he is a small 8 and he gets killed than i dont really belive you have accomplished anything. But what do I know:ooooh: In this area I believe the biggest problem with not SEEING big bucks is our buck to doe ratio. If we could get that in balance then the bucks would roam more, therefore seein more bucks. Hope this program works though. Myself try not to shoot any less than a 130 class or better. Just my 2 cents

[bluejay]

I hunt in Caldwell Cty. which just went under the 4 point rule. We have always had restrictions for the adults in our group. We would let the young ones shoot what they could. The next one had to be bigger.

We saw more bucks last year than we did does. First year for that and I was quiet surprised. Not much hunting pressure around where we hunt.
Took 3 bucks off my property last year. 2 7's and one 11. I can live with it.

[Kip Brandel]

I was hunting an area that was NO DOES for years. IT about KILLED hunting in the area. There was a HUGE amount of inbreeding, and the bucks did not have to go anywhere. I got 1 - 8 point that we got on the trail cam literally 5-8 times a day for over 2 months. I dropped him the first day of the season 5 minutes from the time he was there the day before. Between 4 of us we hunted that area for 3 years and that was the ONLY deer we got and there was no point rules. True Management should take on all aspects of deer and there well being. I saw days you could have run 30yds across a field and only stepped on does backs and there was not a buck in site. This was the first time I ever saw someone rattle and scare away a buck. The only thing I could come up with was there were so many does that they did not fight and the noise scared them.

[ozzyso44]

Then should you have to shoot a doe and check it in before being able to shoot a buck? That would cause a ton of conversation and conterversy! My buddy told me that would be his idea to eliminate some of the does.

[fishnfool68]

When the law first made a legal buck one with 3 points on one side,everyone at deer camp complained.Now a few years later we are seeing more deer,more bucks and harvesting bigger deer than before.I think it is a great change in regulations.

[opposum]

I like the idea of point restriction. Sure there will be some that shoot then count points. But I'd like to think that the majority of hunters are law abiding citizens. One of the keys to big bucks is age. The point restriction will help in that aspect.

[CountryHart]

I think it's the best thing since the invention of the 270 cal.:smile2::smile2::smile2: Seriously, if ya shoot em at 1 1/2yr. old forked horns, they ain't never gonna get bigger. Genetics and nutrition plays an important role but age is also critical to produce trophy deer.

[opposum]

Well said John. I agree 100%.

[ozzyso44]

My last thought is that I would love all the people that catfish and practice CPR 'catch, photo, release' on the big fish to chime in on this subject. That would be interesting to see if we have different standards for deer and fish.

[CountryHart]

I think it's the best thing since the invention of the 270 cal.:smile2::smile2::smile2: Seriously, if ya shoot em at 1 1/2yr. old forked horns, they ain't never gonna get bigger. Genetics and nutrition plays an important role but age is also critical to produce trophy deer.

I would like to add to this. Missouri has a youth season and if a new hunter shoots a yearling, i'm tickled pink for them. If gramps pops one off the back porch for meat, call me and i'll skin it and cut it for him. By no means am i tellin anyone what to take. I'll kill a couple doe this year prolly, but preferrable they'll be barren doe that need taken anyway. Use to, if it was brown it was down and i shot alot of button bucks by accident. Those days are over for me cause i love to hunt and have an entire season to pick and choose. Hopefully i can get a wack at a wall hanger but if i don't thats aight too.:wink:

[Kutter]

My last thought is that I would love all the people that catfish and practice CPR 'catch, photo, release' on the big fish to chime in on this subject. That would be interesting to see if we have different standards for deer and fish.
Not sure what you mean by different standards. I CPR most fish I catch & do pretty much the same for deer. I do that by passing up on the small bucks and does. Only older large does and bucks that have reached their potential are ok for me to shoot. About as close to CPR as I can think of. Once a buck has reached full adulthood, he's got nowhere to go but downhill. I have no problems taking him out. Well, if I can find that sneaky devil, I would.:wink:
With catfish, I pass on the older ones that can still keep getting bigger, unlike a deer who doesn't. CPR is all about allowing the fish or animal to reach the potential it is capable of.

[lance]

Some wma quota hunts here in KY have 15in. min. spread restrictions . I guess it would still be able to kill a spike if genetics were not great and they got knocked sideways . The 1 buck limit helps to grow some older bucks tho.

[Kip Brandel]

Some wma quota hunts here in KY have 15in. min. spread restrictions . I guess it would still be able to kill a spike if genetics were not great and they got knocked sideways . The 1 buck limit helps to grow some older bucks tho.

I have never liked the XX inches limits. Like this one at 15 inches. Maybe it is just because I have not figured out how to get a deer to stand still to let me measure him to see if he was 14 or 15 inches.:wink:

[flathead willie]

We don't have any restrictions. Anything with bone visible above the hair line has to be checked in on a buck tag. We can take all the does we want. There are a lot of places for a deer to hide around here so we can't seem to control the population. When I moved back here in 1980 there was a two deer limit. The herd has exploded.

[Kip Brandel]

My sister worked for a LARGE insurance company. Virgina has the highest vehicle/deer accident rate in the United States.

[flathead willie]

I have never liked the XX inches limits. Like this one at 15 inches. Maybe it is just because I have not figured out how to get a deer to stand still to let me measure him to see if he was 14 or 15 inches.:wink:

A mature deer standing alert will be about 15-16 inches between ear tips.

[Zing]

We do not have a point restriction, but we can only kill three bucks a year and only two in the same season (Bow,Black powder,Gun). In a lot of counties it is three doe a day. The average buck killed now is at least 2 1/2 years old. WMAs do have a point restriction, at least one is 5 on one side.

[lance]

They base the min spread by if the antlers are outside the ears its a 15 in spread . I do believe the state gives a little leeway .

[Trevor1]

When I go deer hunting, I go to hunt deer don't really care about the points, ones with nice racks are good, but so is a spike, doe, heck even a fawn. Don't matter to me as long as its a deer and it's legal to shoot I'll probably kill it. I rarely turn down a shot on a deer, because it might be the only shot I'll get on a deer. "One in the hand is worth two in the bush".

[poisonpits]

i dont mind the 3 point rule in arkansas but on our deer lease we started a 8 point 13 inch spread rule and i hate it.last year we had 3 8 year olds and 1 6 year old kill smaller buks while hunting with their dads.this is happening all over the state and its not rite.

[Kip Brandel]

i dont mind the 3 point rule in arkansas but on our deer lease we started a 8 point 13 inch spread rule and i hate it.last year we had 3 8 year olds and 1 6 year old kill smaller buks while hunting with their dads.this is happening all over the state and its not rite.
If your going to teach someone how to hunt it is your responsibility to teach them the correct way. If they were small by the rules then the adults should suffer the same consequences they would have if they shot the animal.