Do you all think antler restrictions are working as planned? It's been 10 years in many areas, have any of you seen a change?

[JM1993]

Do you all think antler restrictions are working as planned? It's been 10 years in many areas, have any of you seen a change?

[JM1993]

I'll answer my own question I suppose. Last year during gun season I saw three mature bucks that werent legal due to having only 3 points max. on each side. The past three years I have ended up putting a tag on a less mature, smaller bodied buck than the non-legal ones I had seen earlier on. Personally I do not see a change compared to the years before the antler restriction.

[Fritz Dreyer]

The restrictions here in Missouri are Great. Keeps some of those future Monsters in the woods another year and it has been phenominal with our deer here. I usually pass small bucks anyway but now everbody has to. this year unlike past years I have gotten 7 huge bucks on Trail Cam. No food plots just crops and woods. only 1 trail Cam. Thank you Missouri Dept. of Conservation.

[JM1993]

Thanks for comments fritz, I live in Missouri too, I just think our county in specific(macon) needs more time to mature. That and our county is top 5 mostr deer killed year afteryear in missouri.

[Derik Lee]

It is an interesting question to ask. In Maine we don't have antler restrictions and there are certainly people that think we should. I'm not sold on it yet, there are plenty of good sized deer that get shot and many smaller deer. For me to be swayed I'd need to see the data from a state with antler restrictions that has similar conditions and problems with Maine before I made a decision my self.

[JM1993]

Thanks for comment Yoda. I think the problem is that too many people supporting the antler restrictions are only doing it so that they can kill bigger antlered deer. Personally I would rather shoot a big mature buck with dinky little antlers than a little 2 year old 8 point.

[6phunter]

of course it has to help the size of antlers as more bucks grow another year or two,it may take a few years for the genetics of a herd to change as older bucks will breed mor e doe,

[Pathfinder1]

I usually don't trek very far,
when all around me black bears are.



Hi...

Here in the Lower Catskill Mountains of NY State it appears to be working...bigger (more mature) bucks being taken.

Department of Invironmental Conservation also concurs.