First group antler restrictions

[ras308]

I am in one of the original antler restriction counties, from what I have seen and what the statistics show, it has really helped. I have heard all the stories, in the beginning, there were many against it. We started a contest in the big city of Dime Box that included all surrounding counties also in the original test group. The first year, our contest was won with a 114 inch eight pointer, it has went up every year since, now it is taking a 140+ to place!!! To add to that, there has been a 169 (officially measured!!!), and a couple of 150's, plus some others in excess of 140 killed this year!!! I didn't write this to tell you about all of the above, but wanted to give you a little history. I also have two daughters who love to hunt and were lucky enough to be drawn on a Lake Somerville youth hunt, they ended up killing a spike, two does and four hogs!!! Anyway, the reason I posted this is because, I always hear about the deer that will not meet the 13 inch minimum and there's nothing you can do about it??? If this is truly a problem, I suggest you sit down and visit with your local Game Biologist, they are there to help. I have heard, if you can document an old and mature deer that needs to be culled, they can in some instances, wave the restrictions. Give them a call, what can it hurt??? The main thing is, we as hunters need to sometimes agree to disagree for the common good of hunting, there are far worse enemies for us to fight!!! Thanks for listening!!!

[q2xlman]

Thanks for sharing from someone on the back side of AR! I am one of the ones for the new antler restrictions, but it's always good hear from someone who has already been affected in a positive way.

[Seemore]

I like the AR restrictions, on my lease the land owner is an old school if it walkes it dies kind of guy and shoots young buck every year that have great hopes of being nice bucks. I am a hunt to eat person, I like mature deer, you get more meat for your tag. I do not care so much about horn size as i do the age of a deer and I think this will definatly increase the age of our bucks. P.S. The land owner is ****** about the whole thing, mainly because the game warden comes out frequently. I like it, Just my 02

[VorTexan]

Thanks for the report and I can't wait to see what happens in my County added this year.

[boss bowman]

Thanks for the report and I can't wait to see what happens in my County added this year.

Me too the county my lease is in got added this year, I hope the other two counties I hunt public land in get added this year.

[Bag Limit]

I also hunt in the Dimebox area and recognize that their have been postive effects of antler restrictions, but our land is about 1/2 from a county line that does not have antler restrictions so that has added a new set of problems for us personally and unfortunately because of that we have not seen significant changes.

[Hog_Hunter]

I have seen very good results while hunting Somerville WMA. I am all for antler restrictions now.

[huntmaster]

yee ha, the proof is in the puddin'.