If antler restrictions work so well..........


Strut10

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Re: If antler restrictions work so well..........

I talked with the some on the Arkansas Game and Fish commission guys and they say they are seriously considering changing from the current AR which is a 3 pt rule (on one side) to a 4-6pt slot, which means a spike or 3pt would be legal and the next size up would have to be a 7.

I know this year I saw at least 2 2.5 year old spikes that I would have taken out of the gene pool if they were legal.

I would welcome the change.

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Re: If antler restrictions work so well..........

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you can only take one antlered deer in ohio no matter the size if over 3 inches.

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Yep ,only one per year during all seasons.

That makes your choice more discriminating. Lots of spikes get walking papers because of it.

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Re: If antler restrictions work so well..........

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you can only take one antlered deer in ohio no matter the size if over 3 inches.

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Yep ,only one per year during all seasons.

That makes your choice more discriminating. Lots of spikes get walking papers because of it.

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Yeah that would put a stop on a lot of smaller bucks being shot. I like that idea.

Now I know why you guys have all those monsters running around. wink.giftongue.gifgrin.gifgrin.gif

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Re: If antler restrictions work so well..........

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I do not believe in managing a deer herd for the size of antlers. I believe in managing it for the health of all deer.

Ohio has some monsters taken each year without having a restriction except that we are only allowed one antlered deer and it is considered te be antlered if the antler is at least 3".

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Fred...I could be wrong but I honestly don't think the AR in PA were put in place to grow big bucks. I believe they were put in place to improve the health of the overall herd. The only real way of doing that is with AR. The average hunter in PA (keep in mind we've been shooting "brown its down" for 70 years) can't tell the age difference between a 1.5 year old and a 3.5 year old deer. I think (could be wrong) the PGC figured if it had a small rack...the average hunter would assume its a younger buck and by law have to let it walk?

We too are only allowed one buck...but with the shear number of hunters using rifles...alot get shot every year. I really don't want to see rifle season gone...but would be curious if it was gone in parts of the state to see what happened to the deer herd and rack size...cause I think your right about that Fred. wink.gif

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Re: If antler restrictions work so well..........

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AR does work....and i had a local hunter by my camp (old timer) talk to me the other day about this past season. he was saying that there are no deer left and that the AR doesnt work...i want the meet but i really want to shoot a big buck (this is what he was saying)....i responded with..."what did you shoot this year?"

get this....he responds with "a button buck and a 5 pointer"

i almost fell over!!

some people will never learn

by the way...both of these animals were shot a full sprint from about 200 yards with a high powered rifle. he thought the 5 point was an 8...and the button buck was a doe. what an idiot!!

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No offense, but how is that showing that AR works? To me, that story is pretty good example of why AR is not and will not work. smirk.gif

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Re: If antler restrictions work so well..........

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.......we're taking the better 1.5 bucks and letting the inferior ones walk....

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So are we. Now that's good science, ain't it?? wink.gif

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If that's the case, your AR's are not properly written. The entire purpose of AR's is to increase the average age of the buck herd without negatively impacting antler quality. But, AR's are not designed to grow trophy bucks. Proper trophy management requires much, much more than a simple regulation calling for X number of points before a buck can be legally taken.

Strut, I think what you should be asking is "Has the average age of bucks taken since the AR's went into effect increased?" If the answer is yes, then the AR's are working. IF there is a noticable decrease in desirable genetics, then the AR's may need to be rewritten to protect the young bucks with the most desirable genetics while allowing for a more selective harvest of those bucks carrying the undesirable traits.

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Re: If antler restrictions work so well..........

Here is some of the before and after antler restictions data compiled through Mississippi's DMAP program. As you can see, antler restictions here are about protecting young bucks to attempt to allow them to reach the 2 1/2 year old age group. As a result of that, more reach the older age classes too. State imposed antler restrictions are not about trophy buck management at all.

BTW...after antler restrictions were imposed we were not required to use special doe tags anymore like we used to. Voluntary DMAP participation has dropped since antler restrictions were imposed together with the doe harvest rules being changed at the same time. Basically since we didn't have to participate in DMAP to get special doe tags anymore many prior participants dropped out of the program. That has resulted in fewer numbers of deer being reported under DMAP here.

Deer_Data_Book_1.JPG

I'm not saying I necessarily agree with the way the antler restrictions were drawn up here, just showing you the results that have been posted through the 2002-03 season on this state's web site. Personally I'd rather see them stuctured to protect the young bucks showing the better antler genetics rather than the way it's structured right now.

JMHO but the most careless deer in the woods is a 1 1/2 old buck. Also, here in MS a 1 1/2 year old buck is about the same size as a mature doe so you get about the same amount of meat out of either one of them. For that reason, I'm not in favor of killing 1 1/2 year old bucks for meat. I'm in favor of killing does for that and let the young bucks grow some headgear.

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Re: If antler restrictions work so well..........

[ QUOTE ]

Here is some of the before and after antler restictions data compiled through Mississippi's DMAP program. As you can see, antler restictions here are about protecting young bucks to attempt to allow them to reach the 2 1/2 year old age group. As a result of that, more reach the older age classes too. State imposed antler restrictions are not about trophy buck management at all.

BTW...after antler restrictions were imposed we were not required to use special doe tags anymore like we used to. Voluntary DMAP participation has dropped since antler restrictions were imposed together with the doe harvest rules being changed at the same time. Basically since we didn't have to participate in DMAP to get special doe tags anymore many prior participants dropped out of the program. That has resulted in fewer numbers of deer being reported under DMAP here.

Deer_Data_Book_1.JPG

I'm not saying I necessarily agree with the way the antler restrictions were drawn up here, just showing you the results that have been posted through the 2002-03 season on this state's web site. Personally I'd rather see them stuctured to protect the young bucks showing the better antler genetics rather than the way it's structured right now.

JMHO but the most careless deer in the woods is a 1 1/2 old buck. Also, here in MS a 1 1/2 year old buck is about the same size as a mature doe so you get about the same amount of meat out of either one of them. For that reason, I'm not in favor of killing 1 1/2 year old bucks for meat. I'm in favor of killing does for that and let the young bucks grow some headgear.

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I think your picture got moved, so I reposted it wink.gif

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