NYS antler restriction?

[Devil Horns]

It's refreshing to see all of these posts about letting others choose to hunt the way they wish. Just go out their and enjoy yourself and let others do the same.

[Bucksnbows]

Agree 100%. I been saying that for years. Hunting means different things to different people. I choose not to shoot small bucks - my choice - however if someone is happy shooting a spike, I support that wholeheartedly. Hunting is about the total experience, not the score of the buck. Todays hunters fail to realize what hunting is supposed to be all about.. 

 

Too many TV shows, deer magazines, QDMA sites, etc. all pushing hunters to only shoot 5 1/2+ year old bucks.  That's great if that's what you want and you have the lands to do so on, but this isn't reality for 99.9% of us.  Some hunts I only pursue older, better genetic bucks and other hunts I may shoot the first buck I see.  It depends on the property, if I have a "target buck", what I have in the freezer, etc.  As I get older, I shoot fewer young bucks and would rather take a mature doe, but the new property we hunt in upstate NY has more deer than we can keep in check, so I may pass up all the 1 1/2 year olds and even 2 1/2 year olds and take the first 3 1/2 or better that walks by.  And sometimes I let pass the 3 1/2 if he has strong genetics to get older/bigger and shoot a spike instead.  I want to make that choice for myself and not have it made for me.     

[BenedictGomez]

  Young deer with the best genetics are shot each year while those with inferior genetics are protected.  

 

A class of permanently protected, genetically inferior, bucks is created.  Over time this class of protected sub-legal bucks gets larger while the number of legal bucks decreases.  Given enough time ARs can do some serious damage to a deer herd.    

 

I've never seen data on this, but that makes perfect sense and would be what I would suspect if I had to guess.

 

In fact, what I'd suspect is that initially you'd actually see exactly the opposite effect, you'd see more rack bucks for perhaps the first decade after the regulation is imposed as more "normal to good" bucks from the baseline herd will survive.   This would lead people to erroneously believe the regulation is working, but then after several generations have passed the harmful genetic effect on antler size that you describe should begin to appear.

[Lunatic]

I don't believe in antler restrictions because that takes choices from the hunter and we all hunt for different reasons. 1 buck a season you make your own choice of what you want to shoot and live with it and a Couple of doe tags. I see it done in other states and believe it or not it works.

 

I don't believe in antler restrictions because that takes choices from the hunter and we all hunt for different reasons. 1 buck a season you make your own choice of what you want to shoot and live with it and a Couple of doe tags. I see it done in other states and believe it or not it works.

 

I couldn't agree more. Why do we insist someone must be happy with a 3 pointer but not with a 2 pointer? 

Edited March 21, 2017 by Lunatic

[Woodsman416]

Two bucks per year regardless of weapon, buttons included is what I'd like to see.

[SlugsnArrows]

I see both sides of this! PA since putting antler restrictions on and what you can only take 1 buck a year has seen a big change in their buck population.

 

It may be more because people can't shoot multiple bucks than antler restriction or a mixture of both!

 

It could be because they don't have earn a buck and more buttons walk then get shot.

 

NJ has to do something though!

 

Being able to take 6 bucks a year is uncalled for and button bucks should count as bucks! It's easy to tell a button buck from a young doe, (know your target and beyond or don't shoot!).

 

Earn a buck should go also!!

 

 

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Edited March 23, 2017 by SlugsnArrows