13" rule longevity

[Big pig]

I am saying that without the rule, people would spread their harvest over different age classes, albeit a lot of them very young. However, you wouldn't have the intense pressure on a specific class of animal (3.5yo and 13+ inches in most cases) resulting in what I believe to be 90+% mortality rate in my immediate area. Again, I agree with it overall and have seen many benefits in a lot of counties, but just not in my particular part of the county.

Exactly what happens in my area of leon co. The Long buck season is an impossible gauntlet in such a high pressure area for any deer to reason 4.5 much less their potential.

BP

[SoTXAg06]

Before antler restrictions at my Lavaca county ranch it was rare to even see a buck at all. We had a decent doe population but very few bucks. Since the antler restrictions have been in place the buck population and age structure has continually improved. The number of bucks has risen dramatically.

In counties like Lavaca and the surrounding counties that consist primarily of small acreages that are heavily hunted, I think antler restrictions have really helped the deer herd and the hunting.

I tend to agree with this. When the antler restrictions went in place we rarely saw bucks. Not saying we didn't see any, it was just rarely. Now on a good day we might see 2-3 bucks. Last year right at the end of the season I had a total of 13 different bucks on camera. Most of them were young (1.5-2.5), and a few were 3.5+.

I've personally seen a few over 5.5 that I have trail camera pics or have seen over the years. We have one buck that I have seen for the past 3 years that was 4.5+ when I first saw him. He might make 13" this year, but my brother has only seen him once. I also shot a buck last year that I had missed about 4 years prior when he was 3.5+. Point is, the older age class bucks are now present also.


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