State wide Antler Restrictions????

[BrandonA]

I could care less if it is a spike, doe, 10" 6pt, 24" 30pt, or whatever.......if it walks out and I can legally shoot it then it is going into the freezer. Would I like to shoot an 18" deer? Sure. Will I feel deprived if I die before I get the opportunity? Not at all. Do I feel an obligation to improve the deer heard? Nope. Is it a "spiritual" experience to kill a deer? Nope, it is just rice and gravy on the table.

So what you are saying is you have no patience and cant wait for a doe or a spike. If you can hunt only 1-2 days a year I can understand the mentality but if you have a lease and hunt from oct-mid jan multiple times then you just want to kill and feel you only have a successful hunt if you kill something. Just my .02

[ranchdog]

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.

Exactly, I have been saying this for several years even to my TPWD biologist. We need a main beam length. If they don't give a break to people killing 6.5 year old 12.5" inside spread bucks then this is just crazy and is really turning out to be a money maker for them. I wish they would let the poor people who make a mistake appeal based on age of deer. If if proves to 5.5 or older then no fine and or restitution.

Here is Mississippi's website on the matter

http://home.mdwfp.com/wildlife/species/deer/default.aspx

Ranchdog

[lovemylegacy]

I thought it looked familar.

[Tommyh]

That can't be right. Montague is in yellow there and we are in our 2nd year of AR.

go look at the time of that posting, my friend. 2009

[LWolken]

Here is the link to the study.

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/game_management/deer/antler_restrictions/

[sharkhunter]

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.

you would be suprised. I was a guest on a Web County lease and those guys shot everything that walked...

[gtsticker]

To all the fokes that say kids need to learn. I challenge you to take a 8 or 9 yr old to six flags and set down in the middle of the park and tell them no you cant ride anything maybe next time. Do thid night after night and see how long they are willing to load up and go with you.

They have hieght restrictions on rides so sometimes they have to wait until next year when they are big enough. That builds excitement!! Kids can shoot slick antlered deer and all you people worried about domination of the basket rack my question to you is ARE YOU SHOOTING SPIKES?????? THat is part of the reg fora reason!!!!!!!!

[Tommyh]

I can tell you that our property we lease is part of over 50,000 acres of one contingous ranch and the deer there may never cross off the property in their lives. If were were forced into the state's antler restrictions that "work" for the Cross Plains, Post Oak Region, or East Texas, it would be devistating to our management program. Our hunters pass on anything that is not "mature". If they don't it costs them some serious change and in some cases their membership.

I am from East Texas... grew up there, learned to hunt there... family is still there... That's why I don't hunt East Texas. I KNOW how they hunt... I was one of them, and I did not like it. No, all people from East Texas don't agree with brown is down, but it is absolutely the prevailing attitude there to this day.

The whole idea of managing whitetailed deer to improve the quality of the herd began in South Texas and I can say that without a doubt, the big ranches there sure don't need the TPWD to come in and tell them HOW to manage their herds, even free ranging ones like ours. We are not high fence, and are not MLD or anything. We manage what is naturally there. We manage by education and self imposed restrictions, and it's has worked pretty dang good for us for over 25 years.

Now I don't have a problem with those of you who do want antler restrictions for their property or counties, but those of you who make blanket statements that they want or think it would be good to have them state wide have no idea what you are talking about when it comes to the current "South Zone" deer season area of the state. We DON'T need antler restrictions in our area of the state. Some of you on here have hunted with me and you know what I am talking about. You've seen what we've done and you know we have plenty deer, and plenty of quality deer. These antler restrictions would take managing out of our hands and turn it over to a bunch of gubment bureaucrats that wouldn't know a "trophy" deer if it gored them with it's antlers... the same bureaucrats that took ALL restrictions off of archery equipment that allows a 20 pound peak weight bow to be used to take deer... No sir, no thank you.

OK, I'm off my soap box now... carry on...

You guys keep deciding what a cull is and ill happily give em carbon poisoning

[bow4my2]

Now I love where I live, but has there been any collaboration with other states who do not seem to have these issues?

[SaltwaterSlick]

Now I love where I live, but has there been any collaboration with other states who do not seem to have these issues?

There are no other states like Texas with respect to white tailed deer population. There are more deer in Texas than in the rest of the country put together. That is in itself part of the problem. To keep a herd balanced, a LARGE number of the deer should be taken out every year. Too many deer equal, smaller less healthy deer. Texas has always lead the nation in deer management. Other states have taken Texas's lead in this and are now growing giants. The Northern White tailed deer and those found throughout the mid-west are a larger sub-species of deer than our native deer here. Therefore with proper management techniques developed with our deer here, they have been able to grow some very large high quality deer.

[bow4my2]

So ur exact statesment prove a point, density is the issue, then y should state mandate what I shoot on my property or in any high dense deer population, there are northern states that have very high deer populations without AR's that grow giants, if a states wants AR's then do so on stated land.

[txrdkng]

my 2 cents...........i think its ok.. but let the kids shoot what they want too. what are you going to tell a kid when they are hunting with you. no you cant shot that one its not big enough. lets get more kids hunting and stop the crying about antler restictions.i mean im fine if i dont shoot a deer.but let the kids shoot what ever,

On every lease I have been on the Principals were allowed the good bucks and culls, kids and guests were allowed does and spikes. My son couldn't WAIT to go to the blind with me hoping to see a fat mama doe or an eligible spike. And if a good buck walked out he would light up and say "get him, Daddy!". He learned there are rules to follow, which deer to shoot (mature vs. young, etc.) and had a great time doing it. If we didn't shoot anything we had a great time planning out next strategy. He still hunts often but WILL NOT pull the trigger unless it is the right deer.