Ive taken bucks over 130 inches in the ANF well before the antler restriction and ive seen bucks taken much larger than that so there is no way a little basket 8 would win any big buck contest ten years ago, and when we spot it isnt right around our camp we cover quite a lot of ground so i am pretty positive that it was a good thing, i dont know where u were hunting when a basket was tops but good luck to ya