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New for my county this yr is an antler restriction, that says a legal buck is one that has an unbranched side(spike), or one with an inside spread of at least 13 inches. While this will decrease buck harvest for a yr or two, it will make for better and more mature bucks in a few yrs. We can only take two bucks, but only one can be larger than 13 in, so you can take a good buck, and a spike. AND, iftheFish and Game peopleallows does to be taken in your county,they willissue a set amount of doe permits per lease/ranch. We are usually given 12-13 permits for our 1200 acres. What I don't like about the restrictions, is that you have to get the buck to stop, and look at you to be able to tell if he has a rack with inside spread of at least 13 inches. They say that as long as the inside spread is outside the alert ears, then you are OK. Seems like alot of people may shoot what they think is a legal buck, only to find out it is a little to narrow. What do you guys think about this, and do you have restrictions where you hunt? Sorry for the long post.
I wish we did! Ohio does not and I get very upset when I pass on deer only to see them laying in the back of someone elses truck! I know a trophy is in the eys of the shooter but I know if we had it we would all be taking nice bucks. I think it would be good but with speical rules. Like I think if you are a youth hunter, 17 and under then you should not have this rule, I have seen kids melt like butter to walk up to a small six point and would hate to discurage any harvest from a kid. But we adults should be able to pass and have nice racks for all to hunt. I go both ways when I think about it, but as time goes on I would like to have say like a five year trial in Ohio.
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Hunting is like Marriage, you get out of it what you put in it. Sometimes you score and sometimes you don't, but its always fun going out!
Here in Florida, the public land hunting rules are quite similar. You can take:
Archery - Any deer, except spotted fawn
Gen Gun-Only deer with at least one antler 5 inches in length.
This holds true for mostManaged Public land, but there is some variation on the rules depending upon the area.It's important to read/understand the rules for each place that wewish tohunt.
In My area of Michigan, we can only takes a buck with 3 points of atleast 1 in on one side. I really like this rule and think it has made the buck growth alot greater. We have seen many more big bucks, but it did take about 2 1/2 years to see the difference.
The only problem I have is passing up this nice four point, which isn't a problem with me. He was big for a 4, maybe 15" spread. Great buck next year I thought. Ran through the woods to the next field, BOOM.... Bad ending to that story! I am still mad.
__________________ ...on the water or in the woods...
The state of Ky as a whole does not, but at least one WMA has a 15" spread limit. Higginson-Henry does. Hard to tell what effect it has had simply because it gets over-run during the season even tho its archery only.
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What u get out is what u put in!
On the property we own (600 acres)we have a self imposed 8 point or better rule, or doe's. There areusually 4 adultswith many deer underour belts hunting the property. Any kid or a hunter who has never shot a deer can shoot anything they please! Anyone shoots smaller than 8 point they pay for groceries for the week of rifle season,, and we eat good!
typically we shoot 1wall mountand 3 does for the group.Usually several 8 points are passed on through out the week. Any wounded deer that are seen on the property are not applicable to this rule.
Anybody have antler restrictions?
