PreacherTony

Seeing Gary's thread and hearing about New York's expanded antler restriction program got me wondering what your thoughts are on Antler restriction programs in general .....

This is from the NyDEC's website ....

The pilot antler restriction program in the Southern Catskills has been expanded and now includes WMUs 3C, 3H, 3J & 3K.
The regulations REQUIRE that bucks taken in WMUs 3C, 3H, 3J and 3K have at least one antler with 3 points (or more) which are at least one inch long. This restriction applies to the archery, regular and muzzleloading seasons.
Important: Hunters under 17 years of age are exempt from the three point requirement.
Why is this change being made?
For nearly 100 years, a "legal buck" has been a deer with at least one antler that is 3 inches long or longer. However, in recent years, other states have experimented with programs to change the age structure of bucks. In simple terms, these programs produce bucks that live longer. These programs have been well received in other locations, and we are now examining this form of deer management in New York State.
The pilot program was initiated in 2005 in WMUs 3C and 3J. Based upon strong local support, the antler restriction pilot has been expanded to include WMUs 3H and 3K in 2006. It will provide important information for both hunters and the DEC, and the results will be widely shared when they are available.

With 2005 being the first year of antler restrictions in WMUs 3C and 3J, buck harvests were down 65% in WMU 3C and 40% in WMU 3J. This was an expected decline, but DEC predicts that buck takes will return toward normal levels in 2006 and 2007 with a larger number of older bucks seen and taken by hunters. A similar trend is predicted for WMUs 3H and 3K with a reduction in buck take in 2006 followed by steady increases toward normal buck harvests in subsequent years.



Your thoughts?????????????

Assume all 4 choices allow youth to take any buck..

GMMAT

I'm assuming your No 4 choice includes amendments that allow youth and disabled hunters certain leeway. If so....I'll go back and vote that way.

bawanajim

Antler restrictions are not the cause of theproblem in PA.

Its the unending doe slaughter that has some people up in arms.[:@]

PreacherTony

Let's assume all 4 choices allow for youth up to 18 to take any buck ........

OHbowhntr

Tony,
I asked how everyone in PA felt about the AR that were introduced there, and the only person who wasn't FOR the AR was Buckeye, because he's afraid Rob and Co. will ALL start shooting bigger bucks than him too!!!!

But seriously, everyone of those guys that I'd talked with about them LIKED them. That's saying something, at least to me. I think that this part

[Important: Hunters under 17 years of age are exempt from the three point requirement. ] , is very important in getting guys to be MORE accepting of AR, because MANY guys I've heard against them used their kid as a reason they were AGAINST them. Though, I think 3 point is a little lax for MOST places, considering the number of deer that for some odd reason don't grow brow-tines/eye guards in NY, I think 3 is reasonable.

GMMAT

Ya know T....I wasn't expecting that![8D]

Since you put it that way.....I had to think about it.

In doing that....I realized that it isn't about big deer for everyone. While I'd like to see more (bigger. older)and better (racked)deer in the woods....It's not all about me.

I voted against them.

bloodcrick

mixed emotions for me as well. It wouldnt affect me to much but i would not like it if it did the youth. Indiana's problem has been the long gun season.

PABuckbuster12

I voted for them. They have made a small difference. But this statement here is correct. I know several people, including yours truley, who are buying doe tags, and using them as beer coasters. Sometimes the sportsmen have to take things into their own hands. Specially when you have a game commission like ours. I think they are being sued right now for the 5th year in a row? one day they will get it together.

mez

I voted against. I echo GMMAT's assesment on the issue. Who am I to tell someone how they can or can't enjoy deer hunting so I will have a chance at a bigger deer. Shoot whatever makes you happy.

If big racks are that important to you there are plenty of avenues to shoot a wallhanger without telling someone else what to shoot.

Germ

I used to be against them, but nowI am 100% for them.

I now understand why DNR and states do them. In states with to many deer it does help with the doe harvest. Yes mobo even in 1 doe counties it helps. It helps with states/counties who want to maintain numbers as well.

We have had a history of peaks and valley's in our deer numbers. What AR's do is help change a mindset, instead of waiting forbuck, a hunter may shoot that first nice doe now. IMO AR's will help keep deer numbers in check, and avoid the explosions in numbers we have had in the past.

Mobo it's not all about the antlers, on the surface it appears that way, if we truly are conservationlist, we should support state DNR's programs. It goes both was also, if mandates come out on no shooting does because of numbers in an area, we should be happy to follow them.

AR's do not just help with bigger bucks It's also a great tool for herd reduction. OBR is great also IMO