State wide Antler Restrictions????

[ChippyMotai]

I was talking to a guy the other day and he said TPWD is going to make the antler restrictions statewide next year. I can't believe this, have any of you heard this?


Chippy

[Smart]

I was talking to a guy the other day and he said TPWD is going to make the antler restrictions statewide next year. I can't believe this, have any of you heard this?


Chippy

They are just proposing to add some more counties.....nothing statewide that i have seen...

[Blue Tick]

I think its a good thing, if true. However, they could use some better provisions for eliminating the basket rack bucks that of mature age. I believe its Mississippi that has a width rule and also a main beam clause to help with this.

[holdem]

Lord please let folks figure out what a 5 1/2 year old deer is. Thank you, Amen

[Dusty]

i don't think it is needed statewide. It just seems foolish to proposse that for the s.texas brush country. I mean really who is going to put up that kind of coin to shoot a 1.5 yo 8? I am a BIG believer in letting them get old but this would be a bit much IMO.

[cosmiccowboy]

It was practically statewide. They were talking about adding 50+ counties. I only checked mine (Atascosa) and we were included. From a selfish standpoint on our place (small acreage/low fence) I didn't have a problem with it but on the ranches I cull on I guess it will have to be be a SSS deal.

[rjet]

Am curious on this one.
What exactly does antler restrictions do to help the deer herd?
Is it about size of antlers or health of herd?

[hoythunter02]

Lord please let folks figure out what a 5 1/2 year old deer is. Thank you, Amen

Thats right.

[BillfromFtWorth]

Wrong, they are just implementing the antler restictions for all of north texas SEE THE MAP orange counties are the new ones green already have them.

[Tx625]

Lord please let folks figure out what a 5 1/2 year old deer is. Thank you, Amen

AGREED!!!

[tvc184]

Am curious on this one.
What exactly does antler restrictions do to help the deer herd?
Is it about size of antlers or health of herd?

It helps get a majority of bucks past their first year of life before an east Texas hunter decides that an 85 pound 4 point is a good kill.

[Hagen]

In my area of Pa we are in our 5th year of 4pts to a side minumum. Initially i thought this was a good idea to get away from "brown it's down" thinking of alot of pa hunters. It's protecting the older inferior bucks and allowing them to pass on their genes. Harvest of deer scoring over 120 have dropped big time since the restrictions. I put in around 30 full days of hunting and saw one shooter buck that would score 130 or so and too many to count that were older basket racks.

[predatoraddct]

In my area of Pa we are in our 5th year of 4pts to a side minumum. Initially i thought this was a good idea to get away from "brown it's down" thinking of alot of pa hunters. It's protecting the older inferior bucks and allowing them to pass on their genes. Harvest of deer scoring over 120 have dropped big time since the restrictions. I put in around 30 full days of hunting and saw one shooter buck that would score 130 or so and too many to count that were older basket racks.

Its not the antler restrictions, its the inadequacy of the hunter

[Codie]

It helps get a majority of bucks past their first year of life before an east Texas hunter decides that an 85 pound 4 point is a good kill.

I promise you they are not just shooting 85 pound 4 pointers in East texas only. I see them on the back of vehicles all the time during deer season around here

[tvc184]

I promise you they are not just shooting 85 pound 4 pointers in East texas only.

And I've never implied that. I hunt a lease in east Texas and I can assure you that there are no young deer killed by the members. There is however, a huge following in east Texas that goes by the creed, "If it's brown, it's down".

In answer to rjet's question about what the AR does to help the deer herd, there it is.