size restrictions
 

WIth the season coming up we all have set restrictions on what we will kill and what we will pass on.

So what are your restrictions and what are you hoping for.


I would be happy with a doe since I am still deerless. A nice size doe would be great but as far has bucks go I will shoot any large body 6 or a ok 8 point. If I am sitting at the start of muzzleloader with no deer I will probably end up dropping the first that does not have spots.

For KS. whitetail, I will kill at least one doe, maybe more if I don't kill an elk in Sept., and as far as my personnal restriction in KS., no antlers on the groun unless they are at least 140".
On elk, state restricted to 4 points or more, or a 5" brow tine, or a cow. Which ever gets close enough first.

After seeing a number of 8+ point bucks in my backyard on the game cam, I am going to hold out for one of them the first 3 weeks of bow season. After the three weeks, I will re-evaluate depending upon what I and my neighbor/his kid have seen.

On public land, I will take the first good size deer (doe or buck) that presents itself.

I plan on holding out on my buck till I see one of the big boys. One spot I hunted last year I know has a 11 in it if he was not killed last season. I saw two bucks one a 8 and one good size 6 in a field I will be hunting. Big does are common because of all the corn and beans around. One big spot I know is a hot spot is planted in beans this year so will be hitting it.

for guys who have killed monsters their whole life, the story begins...
as for us, depends where we are...
at one place, there are so many does it aint even funny, so we just take does, and let bucks walk, as we are meat hunters who would like to kill a nice buck some day...
but in our other spot,
we let the does go,( just about as we have taken a couple from here,) and only kill a bigger buck than the one ya killed the time before is our rule.
so a spike is ok,
and a 4,
and a 6 but ya cant go back down.
as for me, i am waitin on that 8, not that ill let the 10 walk..but to get bigger and bigger each year might run out someday, we will deal with that when we get there. nothin wrong with changin the rules later.:cool15:

Does, I plan on having three tags in three different management units. In 4E, I will only shoot one specific doe that I been playing games with for the past two years. In 3B, it would have to be the right situation. (buck tag filled, last light on a night that I don't have to work the next day, a Saturday when the boys are in the woods) In 5B, I will continue to slap it to the first 1.5 year old or better that finds herself inside 30 yards of me.

Buck, If I get excited, he's getting it.

I think your way of doing it is a good way. I hear a lot of guys around here telling me how they shot 4 or 6 and wish it was as big as the 8 they shot last year. :confused: For the first month probably two I would not shoot a fork or maybe a 4 as I know their bigger and will be around. A doe eats just as good or better then a 4 point. I like the going up but not back down thing.

The wildlife management area (public area) I usually hunt on the bucks have to have 5 points on one side or a 15in spread for all seasons to shoot them or you can shoot does with archery equipment. You also get one 3 day hunt to kill 1 doe with a muzzleloader. No does can be shot with a centerfire rifle. The other area I hunt you can kill 3 does a day everyday and a total of 3 bucks with atleast 3in spikes for the whole season. I don't really have a set size limit for myself there but I usually let the smaller bucks pass and shoot a doe if I want some meat.

I stress this more than ANYTHING everytime an antler restriction topic comes about.. POINTS DO NOT MATTER! It's all about age and size. I have a 3 1/2 135" minimum set on our farms. the reason i stress age and size rather than points? because I have saw MANY1 1/2 yr. old bucks with 10 or more points. If you go by points you can easily shoot a 80" 10pt.. you can read all about how to judge age and size and eventually you can feel the joy of knowing that your letting them grow..
BUT NOW, being as you have not killed a deer yet, kill anything so you can get the feel of what its like to harvest a whitetail. Practice practice practice on does and if a smaller buck will make you happy, then harvest it for your first buck. Eventually you will be ready to start letting bucks walk and see how big they can get before taking them. It can be one hell of a fun experience!! thats why I'm ADDICTED! haha. Hope you can get some venison in the freezer this year! Good luck man!
-Shane

The only size restrictions I have are self imposed. If he's not mature OR wall material, he gets a pass.

Nannies, on the other hand, beware.