Antler point restrictions

[Nic_58]

Beginning last year, Missouri implemented an antler restriction program for the 29 counties in orange:

Here are the regulations:
In the following counties shown in orange on the map above, only bucks that have at least four antler points on one side of their rack may be taken during the archery and firearms deer hunting seasons (except the youth portion) including muzzleloading season.
Each of the following counts as a point:

>an antler point, if it is at least 1-inch long
>the brow tine, if it is at least 1-inch long
>the end of the main beam
>any broken tine that is at least 1-inch long.

I am in favor of this change because I haven't been shooting immature bucks for several years now by my own choice. Now every hunter in the 29 county area must do the same. Hopefully, we will begin to see the effects of this by seeing more mature bucks in the next year or two.

In my portion of the state, any number of anterless deer tags may be filled so there is no reason the hunter wanting to fill his/her freezer should come home emtpy handed unless they are just holding out for a mature buck.

I was just curious if your state has any antler restriction laws and if it doesn't, would you be in favor of it to give the younger bucks a better chance to make it to maturity?

 

[big6x6]

I think that is a great idea. I just takes one year to be a success.

This year, Alabama has one county with antler restrictions as an experiment. That county Barbour, is four point or better on bucks.

 

[Grouse]

PA does have Antler restrictions. A pretty heavy fine and possible loss of license for not following the rules.

 

[MObigbucks]

Nic,
The county I'm hunting in in MO doesn't have the antler restriction, I'm like you, and we let the young ones pass anyway. We've done that for 5 years now, and the antler size and quality have increased tremendously. I expect that a lot of folks who hunt in those areas will kill their best buck ever this year because of the restrictions.

Currently, my farm looks like an asphalt parking lot because of drought conditions. I'm trying to figure out how many does I should take this year, because there's no mast at all, the acorns are currently falling, and they're no good, and the leaves are turning and will probably fall by Sept.. I'm thinking of drastically increasing the doe harvest, because the food this winter will be non-existent.

 

[Anonymous]

Don't get to excited about antler restrictions producing big bucks. It can do just the opposite. Arkansas 3 point rule is a miserable failure in my opinion. After 5 years we have reduced 2 1/2 y.o. and older antler size.

It only makes sense when you target the best 1 1/2 y.o. bucks that in the long run you will reduce antler size.

A four point rule may be a little better but there is evidence that it also reduces antler size long term.

There is only one way to assure large antlers and that is to reduce buck harvest, in most cases dramatically. The masses of deer hunters for the most part would not be willing to make the sacrfices necessary to grow large antlers. In my opinion the state (any state) should not be in the antler mangement business. I have practiced quality antler mangement on my farm for over 15 years. I believe the state should co-operate and assist with private land owners that want to manage for large antlers.

Have a look at this: www.ardeerhunting.com
on the left side click on "Arkansas hunting magazine articles"
then click on "Is quality deer management working?"

Also if you want more interesting reading go back to www.ardeerhunting.com and click on "arkansas hunting chat room. Register and do a search for "3 point rule"

 

[Harry1]

I think antler restrictions state-wide is a good idea too. As big6 said, Alabama is just beginning to look at it. We have such an abundance of deer and very liberal harvest rules. One buck a day for 74 days and two deer a day (only one buck) for most of state and time. I think over half a million deer were harvested in Alabama last year. And I hate to think how many of these were spikes. I'll bet it would be unbelivable. And to me spikes just seem to be the dumbest of all. I'm just curious if they might survive future harvests better and grow to a riper age if they get past the first year or so. But hunters still seem to resist more antler restrictions, certainly this is the case in my hunting club. Our rules have gone up to 3 and 2 on the main beam excluding brow tines. (could be a 7 point) But the members accepted it kicking and screaming. It was 2 and 2. I'm hoping each step helps the antler size in future years.

 

[HighTechRedneck]

I am not in favor of a rule like that. There are some animals that should be taken out of the geen pool, and restrictions like that will cause them to have to stay. Here are a few pics. of a prime example of the type of animal I am talking about. If you see a X instead of the pic. right click on the X ans select show picture. Sometimes my imagestation account causes that when I post pics.

 

[Admin]

There are some animals that should be taken out of the geen pool, and restrictions like that will cause them to have to stay. Here are a few pics. of a prime example of the type of animal I am talking about. [/quote

That's the thing about QDM that the states can't do with regulations.

 

[elkstalkr]

HighTech,

Where you hunting? Near a freakin nuclear waste disposal? :lol:

Thems some messed up antlers.

Good and bad comes with antler restrictions. Just like anything, its not going to work everywhere most likely, but does have its attributes.

One thing I HATE about point restrictions is actually trying to determine if the animal qualifies as a shooter. I hunt under pt. restriction in CO when bull elk hunting. Must have 4 pts or better on one side to shoot. Well it can be really tough to determine if a boderline bull is legal even at 150 yards. I have personally found this out.

 

[Harry1]

That is a weird one hightech. At first glance I thought it had crossed with a musk ox! I once personally saw a dead 7 point doe with points that grew straight up and some strange spikes but nothing like that. I agree they do need to be taken out. I got too trigger happy once and shot a buck with too narrow a rack at my club. Cost me $100...first offence. If he is border line it is very difficult to distinguish in low light, thick brush, not enough time..etc.

 

[VENISONEATR]

I would be willing to bet that deer sustained some type of injury. Probably got hit by a car is my guess... Freak antler growth doesn't always mean geneticcs. Just my$.02

 

[Anonymous]

Hightechredneck, what is the age of the malform buck in the pics?

 

[cayuga]

We have no set antler limit on the buck other then it has to be a spike over I think it is 3 inches to be considered a legal buck. Otherwise most areas have such an abundance of antlerless permits that there is no problem shooting a doe or small spike.

There are large land owners near me that demand a 6 point or better before you can take it. If you mess up they have a fine of so much per point. You don't pay you don't ever come back. This has been in effect for about six years and I heard they took some massive horned bucks over in that area. So whether this works, I do not know but there are a lot of bucks over there. More of the hunters take the antlerless ones I am guessing.

The strangest horn I ever took was a spiked buck with 10+ inch spikes that were flat like a goat would have. I always regret not mounting it because it was a very large deer and rather impressive looking.

 

[HighTechRedneck]

Well the highest cancer rate in the US is rite around my home so there has to be some kind of waste dumped in the ground to cause that.

I guessed that deer to be 2 1/2, but I am not good at aging deer.

Yes injury can cause deformed racks, but I do not think it was from an injury. After doing a euro mount it appears that the antler bud was always on the top of his eye socket. My buddy shot him out of the same stand where the buck in my avatar was shot the next night.


cayuga
I have also taken a spike just like the one you described. It also came from the same stand. It was nearly 15 years ago, and I still have the antlers.

 

[MObigbucks]

HTR,
About 5 years ago, I killed a 4 pointer that had one antler tucked under his chin. I thought it was bad genetics too, but upon further examination, this buck had a skull fracture around the entire pedicel. The antler was firmly attached to the skull, but a portion of the skull about 1.5" in diameter had been broken from the rest. This was the portion the pedicel was attached to. Don't know how that happened, the deer appeared normal in its behavior. I too would bet that that malformation is from an accident of some kind. Either way, that buck would never be able to win a fight with a normal antlered buck, since his one side is totally unprotected. He might breed one or two does here or there, but I don't think he could dominate the breeding in his area. Obviously, no one solution or regulation is going to fix all the problems, but I feel that the protection of most 1.5 year old bucks is a step in the right direction for us here in MO. If you let them grow, our Missouri bucks will turn into some really big deer. Last year, my brother killed a 162 and 5/8 non typical that was aged at 7 and 1/2 years of age. Best of luck to all who read this, I hope you all take the biggest deer of your life this fall.

 

[schoolmaster]

In Indiana we have the one buck rule. Only one buck may be taken by any means. My taxidermist tells me that he has found several smaller bucks during the season that someone shot and left lay. He says because they were too small. I have seen more higher scoring bucks since the rule was passed. Most any area has the genetics to produce big bucks the keys are age, forage, and habitat. It is difficult to pass on a smaller buck and watch him cross the fence and hear the shot a couple of minutes later. But that doesn't always happen.