Would you support a statewide 15" minimum antler spread

[predator1]

I would support a 4 point minimum on one side. Would eliminate guessing.

I wouldn't support this either. I've got a six pointer most anyone would be happy with. I would not have been happy letting him walk because he didn't have 4 points on one side. Nor would he have made the 15" inch minimum spread. He was without a doubt a mature deer

 

[JPbowhuntonly]

And I agree there are some certain circumstances that a deer needs killed when wont meet size requirements. And all I said was so sort of restriction. This will be my wife and oldest daughters first year hunting and I guarantee you they will kill a mature buck or a doe. There is just no need to take a young buck with our deer population bein as high as it is.

 

[GSP]

. I hunt with too many guys who honestly don't care about shooting a "monster buck" and genuinely enjoy any deer that is harvested. .

How dare them. Do they not know there are other people's expectations to live up too? How dare they genuinely enjoy themselves and not take a tape measure out it the woods with them. Do they not have a clue that deer hunting is not about having a good time? It’s about antlers, not fun!

 

[GSP]

Well said. Hunting shows and record books are taking away from hunting.Bragging rights is what most are wanting now.

 

[LungBlood]

And I agree there are some certain circumstances that a deer needs killed when wont meet size requirements. And all I said was so sort of restriction. This will be my wife and oldest daughters first year hunting and I guarantee you they will kill a mature buck or a doe. There is just no need to take a young buck with our deer population bein as high as it is.

So when your wife or daughter wants to kill their first buck and its a small one you are going to tell them no they can't shoot it?

 

[JPbowhuntonly]

Yes I will I have 5 deer according to QDMA standards that are shooters and no deer other than those will be taken by me or my family.

 

[pentail]

So when your wife or daughter wants to kill their first buck and its a small one you are going to tell them no they can't shoot it?

Well heck yea! If he doesn't quash their enthusiasm by limiting them to mature deer, he might not be able to shoot a booner this year! I watch the hunting shows, if your deer doesn't score at least 150 you aren't a real hunter.

 

[predator1]

Yes I will I have 5 deer according to QDMA standards that are shooters and no deer other than those will be taken by me or my family.

I truly don't see how anyone could look at their loved ones and tell them "you can't shoot that deer because I don't think it's big/mature enough". Shouldn't take long for those people to lose interest in hunting.

 

[Brsutton86]

And I agree there are some certain circumstances that a deer needs killed when wont meet size requirements. And all I said was so sort of restriction. This will be my wife and oldest daughters first year hunting and I guarantee you they will kill a mature buck or a doe. There is just no need to take a young buck with our deer population bein as high as it is.

Not everybody hunts hundreds of acres with several mature bucks. I can hunt a couple different farms but not evrryone can. Someone with 20 acres and a food plot won't always have mature bucks. Should they not be able to kill a small 8 and only take a doe? There's no logic behind the restriction except trophies.

 

[WaterDog88]

I went on my first deer hunt when I was 12. If there were a 15in limit I would not have killed a legal buck until I was a junior in college. If that were the case I would have probably lost interest in the sport after a year or two, never gone to college, never gone to law school, and would have to resort to selling myself at the local truck stop to support my crack habit. Just say no to spread limits, do it for the kids...

 

[gobbl4me]

You know it is a sad state of affairs when a parent would deprive a child of the opportunity to kill a deer just because it doesn't meet the criteria of the parent for what a trophy is. I would never tell a child no you can't shoot that buck, if it is the one they wanted to shoot, just because i think it is to small.

 

[LungBlood]

Yes I will I have 5 deer according to QDMA standards that are shooters and no deer other than those will be taken by me or my family.

I'm glad I'm not your kid.

 

[bigpuddin43]

Fact number one for ya kiddo antler restrictions select against your best genetics. Fact number two who are you to tell someone what they can and cannot do with their legal tag. Funny I continuously see how people on this forum want government regulation when it fits their needs but not when it doesn't. We are a top big buck state and that can't be refuted if our system works why change it.

Plus most of your states that have gun season outside the rut are also multiple buck states. Their system works and ours does also but for different reasons. Shoot what you want and leave regulation out of it.

 

[bigpuddin43]

Also I'm about tired of fifteen age this or what does this score threads every week. If you are concerned about shooting a mature buck then learn how to age a buck on the hoof. If you are concerned about score learn how to score them on the hoof. To many people want the big buck but don't want to put in the time. Both in scouting and learning how to judge a deer. I understand the occasional this deer has me confused what do y'all think but most have done no research on how to learn these things.

I don't choose to shoot young bucks. I actually pass mature bucks because its not what I am looking for. I shoot my does for the freezer and if a special buck that I have history with that I think will look good on the wall comes by I will take him. I have passed deer that many consider me crazy for letting walk. But my first deer was a young three point yearling that I am equally proud of. Some people need to get off their high horse I'm better than any other hunter attitude.

 

[Sheriff]

If you think about it, we already have a size restriction in place. If you own, lease or whatever, YOU can dictate what size deer you and other people can take off that property. When you hunt public ground, you cant dictate anything. To make a mandatory size restriction is crazy because sometimes you don't have the correct angle to see spread or count points. I would hate to be in the stand with my boys and one of them shoots a good buck (in their eyes) only to get down and walk over to it and realize it is only 14" wide and try to explain to my son that we did something wrong. Not happening......