"The legislation proposes a ban on the taking of "immature bucks," limiting hunters to "antlered deer with a least one antler with at least three points bla bla bla... " In the name of Buck Maturity (bigger antlers)?... riiiigght....
That restriction will have more to do with "high grading" and specifically targeting immature bucks that may exhibit the most genetic potential for antler development before they get to pass those genes along imo.
"hunters can increase the likelihood of harvesting a 2.5-year-old or older bucks simply by choosing to pass up shots at young bucks."
^^^^ It ain't rocket science. Education is the Key, not more regulations IMO. Many of the same folks that are always bitching about gov. over reach are the very ones that want added hunting restrictions on ~others~.
I found out something along time ago. The folks that can't kill a mature deer now aren't gonna be any better at it with more restrictions added.
This very approach (3 point rule) was tried in Mississippi several years ago and the results were exactly as you describe. 11/2 y/o bucks with small six point racks are the ones you want to protect because they have the genetics you want to be passed on but they ended up being the ones that got hammered by hunters. Most taxidermists noticed the downward trend of antler size pretty quickly.
Fortunately the state's game biologists realized what was happening and got the regs changed. We have since gone to using inside spread and/or main beam length to define a legal buck with exceptions for youth hunters. The state also recognized that different areas of the state due to presence or lack of agricultural crops, have different antler size potential and the state is divided into three zones. There are pictures in the state's game brochure giving ways to estimate beam length and/or spread using nose length and ear spread. We don't have "check stations" or deer tags per se so it's pretty much self-policed but so far the system seems to be working well.
Last edited by navlav8r; 03/16/17.
NRA Life,Endowment,Patron or Benefactor since '72.
