DaveH

For evidence that ARR's are working, you need look no further than PA. I have quite a few friends who hunt there and they ALL have told me about how many nice bucks they are now seeing compared to seeing a couple of dinks scattered among the tons of does. There are some very nice bucks coming out of PA now and that will only get better.

I realize that some younger hunters might miss an opportunity to tag a spike or forkhorn, but how is a very young buck any greater a success than a nice doe of equal or greater size? Having a tiny set of antlers does nothing to improve the harvest IMO.

-DeerSlayer-

Wel not everyone can determine whether or not its a point either guy. Im telling you right now, that no matter what they do, it isnt going to work, so why have them? And If U arent aware, I have NEVER seen a wild yearling that scored over 125, have you? ok then. Why wouldnt this method work to get bucks bigger, or at least get a little more mature? Outfitters do it, why cant anyone else.

Deer902

Why can't everyone else??????? Because PA has 1 million hunters that hit the woods on the 1st day of deer season. You want to hold the seminar to teach these old timers (no offense to anyone) how to judge a rack at 150 yards. AR are working in PA and while everyonre has a valid point for or against AR they still remain the most general management tool that everyone can understand.

datamax

forcing antler restrictions on a general population is bad. Its NOT herd management, its trophy management and not good IMO.

As for the opening statement ? It forces guys who want meat to poach deer, plain and simple. Arkansas passed antelr restricitons 5-6 years ago and the little bucks being shot and nody saying a word about it is in the thousands IMO

Buckhunter 17

deerslayer said it right in his last post. i know i've never seen a yearling scoring over 125. plus howdo the outfitters get great bucks every year. from QDM or the antler scoring of 125 min. i know around where i hunt and the outfitters i've talked to havealways saidthey harvestgood bucks in the numbers they do is because they can manage them how they want. not how the state tells them to.

and forKevin1. i don't care whatyou say about my postor what u quote outof it. for all i know, is thatyou saidthat you didn't like the law and i said i din't either. therefore we can harvest or practice QDM however we want to. if you like killing spikes and forks and what not. go ahead, but i don't and i was expressing my opinion on how i practice QDM. i never once told anyone how they shouldmanage their herd of deer.i shoot what i think is a good deer to harvest and you shoot whatyou think is a good deer.

no one...and i mean no one has ever came up to me and said go out and poach a deer. and if they did i would tell them to **** off. and at 150 yds...thats what binocs are for. i use them and can tell what i think is a good deer to take. and lots of other people shoot deerwell past 150 and they can tell a good deer from a fork or spike. maybe not exactly how old they are, but 1/2 a yr or so off.

glew22

Why wouldnt this method work to get bucks bigger, or at least get a little more mature? Outfitters do it, why cant anyone else.


How many average gun hunters could judge a rack for score especially at the moment of truth, because i could tell you the majority of people in Pa wouldnt even knwo where to begin when scorign or judging a rack. And as for using age, thats just downright impossible to introduce to a whole state. AR are the management tool that can be best accepted my hunters in this state, and many others,and they seem to be working great so far. As for juniors, seniors, and members of milatary can shoot whatever buck they please.

-DeerSlayer-

There is no law that will ever help on this. U have to use your own judgement, NO LAWS, U are the only one who can determine if its a shooter or not. If its a big mature 6 point that needs to come off the herd, then I am damn well gonna take it off the herd. Luckily, there is no Law in IL yet. If there is, Im not going to be the one who will let a big 6 point pass because the law requires that I SCREW up my quality deer herd. If its gonna ruin my chances at getting a bigger buck on down the road, then Im doing what I need to do. There should be no Law, there should be a thing called common sense, but since about 60% of the hunters cant do the smart thing and let little bucks walk, the rely on a dumb law that solves nothing at all. Its all they can do. But I am still against AR's for management purposes. Do what U will, but dont go to the state when U have a bunch of little 6 points runing around because U couldnt take off the bad apple in the herd because there was apoint limit.

Bill Yox

Im a taxidermist by trade, so to me, I dont want to shoot a small buck. Thats personal, as I handle better racks all day long, so the need to have the antlers isnt the same to me. Im holding out for something bigger, and doing so by choice. I realize the buck I might refer to as a dink is a decent buck to someone out there, so I respect that.

Yet, as a person who understands management, I wish we could protect an age group, too. I think Windsorarcher and deer slayer nailed it...I agree with them both. Slayer mentioned the system failing, and heres another way it would. After a couple years of protecting young buckstheyd need to re-evaluate what to protect, as the herd would be growing, under their theory, and young bucks would appear bigger. I dont support a point system, rather a score system. I will admit that its not easy to evaluate, but then again, I dont want AR anyway.

I just have a hard time having them tell me its "illegal". Fishing uses "slots" to protect certain age groups, I know, but fish dont mature at the same rate as a whitetail either. Deer wont be shot out. Reduced yes, but not eliminated.

I guess Id rather educate the hunting majority and let the chips fall, and see modest gains for those who CHOOSE to let the skippers walk. Personally, I take great pride in watching one walk...even though Im thinking the next guy it walks by will pound it! Im one of those who is in favor of less animals = better quality though too...not a popular theory with many others.

rile1564

The main reason PA began ARs was due to massive complaints by hunters that PA deer were 125 Lbs spike and "Y" bucks. Obviously it shows that people weren't allowing bucks to grow to adults (not all hunters and deer.. just in general). So PA implimented the law to allow deer to mature a little and develop nicer racks. It's working, and I personally like it. It's nice to see deer that have a descent size to them (body and antler).

Buckhunter 17

Bill i feel you on this one and all the others who don't want the AR law. i personally think a great hunt is when i watch lots of deer walk under my stand as apose to kill them. just me tho. killing a big buck is great in all, but i think i learn more about the deer when i watch them in person than on TV. i have a friend who is a deer taxidermist and said to me that he doesn't nessisarily like to mount small deer, but will. he says it is all money. although what he loves about it is that he gets to mount these quality big bucks racks.

all i have to say is if AR come across IL "ALL HELL WILL BREAK LOOSE"