Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Missouri to drop the 4 point law in several counties

Was in Fridays newspaper.....no point restrictions in many Missouri counties for 2015

Several North Missouri counties will scrap the 4 point law starting this year

I like this idea. I am tired of trying to count points before I kill a deer. I don't want to do anything illegal I just want to punch my tag. If it's a big buck great. If it's a fork horn great.

I almost didn't kill a big eight pointer last year because I couldn't see his brow tines at 163 yards as he was on the move. Luckily he came to about 125 yards when I hit the grunt call so I could see his brow tines.

Dink

Did you get the deer survey in the mail back in January Dink?

I think the Conservation Dept is calling out CWD and EHD and other deer ailments as the reason for this change but I have attended several open to the public deer meetings

The general public......at least 80 to 90% hate the 4 point law and cheap non-resident antlerless license

Horrible news

Horrible news

MDC knew better than to try to impose that stuff in the Ozark's.

No I didn't get the survey.

Of course I just found the article and the county I hunt will still have the four point rule. Just my luck.

I have hated the four point rule since the beginning. I know everyone in this part of the country claims to be a trophy hunter but I am not one. I just want to kill my deer and put my tag on it.

MDC is going to have to get rid of the cheap non-resident tag prices or keep pizzing residents off. I know of a lot of lease ground now that will only lease to non-residents because they show up a couple days and then are gone.

I don't really know why our deer numbers are down but they are scared it's CWD related.

Dink

MDC is scared period!!!! One or two more down years and heads will roll.

Overharvest with unlimited doe tags combined with the 2 year drought and EHD has numbers very very low

I hunt other states and I'm 100% in favor of license price match....your state price equals ours......non residents get zero doe tags to keep Iowa, Illinois and Kansas out of Missouri after the standard rifle season

I am not sure the unlimited doe tags really has much to do with it. Most guys I know killed thier buck and maybe one doe.

I killed three or four deer several times when unlimited doe tags came about but I have have only killed a buck the last several years (except for one year I also killed a doe).

I don't know if I can name anyone that has consistently killed more than one or two deer a year (talking strictly rifle season).

Dink

I like the 4 pt restriction. I have seen a significant improvement in the number of mature 8 pt and better bucks in my area since the restriction went into effect a few years ago. There's no shortage of does in my area. I always thought one should shoot a doe if they want meat. Pass on the smaller bucks and let them get older.

Be nice if they let y'all shoot does instead of killing a promising buck just for meat.

I've never much understood why anyone would want to do that.

But its life. Different strokes for different folks.

Spread restriction works really well here, and I am so thankful they put it in, was tired of not seeing anything becuase anything with antlers got shot by the shoot anything crowd.

5 years into spread(age) restriction and I took 2 bucks almost 140ish inches with my bow..... and now I can take one every year I want to, if the need or desire is there.

Generally I'm too busy killing the culls rather than the decent ones.

roost

Missouri has had unlimited doe tags in many counties for nearly a decade...... $7 each.....as many as you wanted to buy and fill......resident or non resident for many years

Not to mention 29 days you can kill a $7 doe

This was eliminated last year thank god

I would like to see the doe season go away completely

Ted,
That's where hunters need to use some common sense. Just because they can, doesn't mean they need to do so. Similar ridiculous reduction happened here in WI and things went south in a hurry.

I have a hard time seeing a single downside to 4pts/side - save for maybe a youngster getting his/her first buck.

If you dont think people kill a lot does you havent hunted around a Amish community. They will kill all they can. Most people are happy with just one. It is nice to have the option to kill one with a bow and another in the late rifle or muzzleloader season if you dont score on a buck. I have bought far more antlerless tags then I have used.

I like the 4pt restriction because it does seem like we see more mature bucks. But I can also understand the frustration of a hunter that only has a few days to hunt, has marginal land to hunt or lack of experience not liking it. There basket rack 6 pt may be as much of a trophy as 150" buck to someone else.

We definetly need to up the Non Resident fee's I pay high prices to hunt other states when I can. They should do the same. It is damned hard to find a place to hunt even if you want to pay a lease. Lease ground is high for marginal land even higher for a good piece. I know several guys that dont hunt anymore due to not having a place to hunt.

Population is way down and I dont thing it is all due to EHD but the long term effect of unlimited doe tags has finally reared its ugly head. I think people are easing up on the doe harvest but it is 3 years to late. I think one doe tag per hunter is plenty whether rifle or muzzleloader. Let the bow guys keep there doe tags but only can use one per each part of the season most wont but it is a nice option to have. Youth of course should have either sex no anter restrictions. My 2 cents

Charles

IMO the four point rule is great. Was a resident of Missouri until I was 21 and have hunted family land with out of state tags for the last 16 years. A few years back when that blue tongue disease hit so bad we would go around the farm and see dozens of deer carcasses. Makes you wonder how many we didn't see.

Only way to get the population back to where it was when I was growing up is to have restrictions. I think the four point rule is good, and I don't have a problem with a two or three doe limit. There are some people out there who need meat in the freezer for the year. I buy one buck tag a year for myself and for last two years have bought one for my eldest daughter. More years than not I walk away without firing a shot and that's ok.

For me it's not just about the kill. I'd rather see the quality of deer back to where they once were for my girls and their families, who will hunt after I am gone.

This is why doe limits need to be set low.....very low

Heads might roll at M D C but they would have to get them out of their arsses first. What a joke for management personal!!!

I would say they do a dang fine job.

Ive hunted several states in my 46 years.....Missouri could teach a few states a thing or two

I like the 4 point rule. Here it's 3 in some areas, my personal choice is 4. I've noticed over the years that most of the guys I know who never seem to kill a good buck have a big pile of dink antlers around the garage somewhere....only makes sense, if they kill the first legal deer that comes along, of course they're reducing the chance they'll kill a good rack. On the properties we have, my brothers and I and our friends shoot does for meat and hold off on bucks unless we can see 4 points on a side. We've been doing that for some time now and the results show. Most of us get a good buck most years. If a guy likes to hunt as much as most claim to, it seems kind of dumb to burn your tag on the first crotchhorn or spike that comes along.

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