It's that stupid "restricted" tag that we have. You can shoot a spike and still have another buck tag to use, as long as the next one has at least 4 points on one side. So there's no reason to pass on the young bucks because you've still got another buck tag in case a nice mature buck comes along later in the season. The problem is, because of the system, that mature buck is hardly ever seen because he was killed as a 1.5 year old.

The restricted tag isn't bad because it encourages people to shoot too many bucks. Heck, most 2nd buck tags go unfilled. The restricted tag is bad because it encourages people to shoot too many YOUNG bucks.

In Michigan, too many guys (gun hunters especially - sorry but its true) would rather shoot a 1.5 year old buck than a mature doe - just to tell the guys at work they filled their buck tag for the 10th year in a row. It's a badge of honor. Killing does is for sissy's around here. It's too bad, but that's the way it is. It's starting to change SLOWLY.

If we only had one buck tag, guys would think long and hard before blasting the first 1.5 year old basket rack that walks up on their bait pile: "Do I REALLY want to waste my only buck tag on this forkorn? Naw, I'll let it walk and wait for a bigger one..." You get enough guys thinking this way, and Michigan could be just as good as Illinois someday.

As longas the two buck system exists, in which there there is no reason to pass young bucks, we'll be forever known as the spike and forkhorn capital of the USA.