[quote]ORIGINAL: bluebird2
Who has the stats on the percentage of 4 year old buck being harvested? The number isn't too high being the deer pop is low and few live to be that old. Most are shot as barely legal AR buck before they get that old.
The PGC has the data ,but they won't release because they don't want to admit that ARs failed to produce the predicted results.
You and I agree there has to be more done than not kill younger buck and kill off more does in order for the program to be truly effective. We have too many doe allocations. The most basic premise of Antler restrictions has merit- let the buck live long enough to grow impressive racks. Most never get that chance if they are being killed off as button buck. I believe this is the major flaw in their program. We have a large amount of hunters and not enough buck in the 2.5 yr old plus bracket. We never will and most areas will not unless the land is managed by private owners. So, as far as public lands go... sure there will be a higher percentage of 6 pointers and above than there was 12 years ago. But the population is continually be killed off in too high of numbers. If doe allocations were reduced or the season went back to the way it was we would see more deer and more of these larger bucks.This population fluctuation will have to be periodically reduced, but not consistently year after year after year.I understand "controlling" the population. Trying to control the population and trying to increase the age structure of the population are conflicting agendas. At least one side is going to lose out...