I live in Michigan which is divided into DMU, deer management units. All kinds of rules on the books per unit. Unit where my deer camp is only had no doe permit restrictions yet the herd has never built up and it isn't all about harsh winters. Lots of people feed their family's in the area, any deer standing in sight of a road is fair game any day of the week season or not.
Where my Brother lives they have a doe permit drawing and all bucks must have at least 3 points on one side. Just made the locals mad and poachers out of a bunch of them. 90 percent of the locals butcher their own deer so they shoot any buck with 3 inch antlers like they always did. Do not display the deer and butcher it so who can say it didn't come from the county 25 miles away.
Where I live in Southern Michigan, no antler restrictions except the 3 inch rule. I usually get an 8 point every year to fill my big antler combo tag. Many times I get a second one and rarely ever any thing smaller than a 4 point to fill the small antler tag. Yet we have a 5 doe tag per day over the counter sales, A 3 week muzzle loader season and a from just a day or some before Christmas to New Years private land special doe season.
Just yesterday walking my pups in the field and woods I had about 12 to 15 does near me in less than an hour, Really scared to death too standing 10 feet off the trail watching as the pups and I walked by.
Personally I think they should take the antler restrictions and shove it where the sun don't shine.
I like my 1 1/2 year old 8 points and the spikes are not bad eating either. Yup farm fed, with corn and soy beans.
Why would I want to shoot an old tough sway back buck to eat.
I said once before at deer camp if they want to cut the deer herd sell doe permits over the counter. double the cost of a buck tag and make it a drawing to get one too.
Of course today I would stop deer hunting if they did that.
Al