Antler Restrictions in New York
 

someone told me the Antler Restrictions in New York where the deer have to have 3 points on one side to shoot them, is being made state wide or at-least more areas being added...I looked this up but couldn't find any info about it. Anyone know if the whole state or more areas are going to be added?

Here are the new dmu's listed ... its not state wide but they added new zones

listed areas 3a, 4g, 4o, 4p, 4r, 4s and 4w as the seven new antler restriction units for 2012.

I think this will increase the number of quality deer in a few years, but does the NYS DEC really think that it will cut down on the number of deer taken overall. You are still going to have the same amount of deer taken because the DEC does not have enough officers out in the field to enforce the regulations. It is just going to have more deer not reported so the heard estimates will be way off.

Hopefully will not come to central and western NY.

agree with above

My state went to that a few ago. It really increased the age of our bucks, but I imagine a lot of spikes and forks either got left in the woods or smuggled out, mistaken for a doe or legal buck. I was against it at first, but then I saw what it did for our buck size, and I was OK with it. I am sure I've let some legal bucks walk because I could not confirm the 3rd point, but so be it.

Now I'm hearing talk of main-beam and width restrictions. I'll have to draw the line there. I feel like we gave the trophy hunters an inch, and now they're trying to take a yard. I'm in Arkansas, not Iowa. With some exceptions, we grow little bucks and we kill and eat them, and a lot of us are fine with that. Excuse the rant, but this emphasis on trophy bucks is starting to get to me.

we have a width restriction here is DE for the "quality" buck tag...15" spread...

but, we also get a tag the is a "choice" tage and can be used for anything...

I would imagine eventually the choice tag will go away...and DE hunters will be limited to one buck per year someday

I can tolerate the point restrictions but main beam length and width? Not a chance. Like the one post above stated this sounds more like trophy management and not deer herd management. I hunt for the joy and pleasure of hunting. And when I get an opportunity to harvest a legal animal I will take it. I am not a trophy hunter by any means nor do I care to be.

Antler restrictions are a good thing and do work in the long run. herd reduction is the big issue in PA. Without the herd reduction, we would all be shooting big 6-12 points instead of spikes like yesteryear. With HR and AR we have big bucks, but not available to the masses. Soccer Moms, and Insurance industry are behind the HR. Ar is is a good thing.

Not completely put down in stone yet but that is the rumor. 4O is the area I'm in. Not looking forward if they put in effect. Hard enough to get a buck now without having to count points being you drop the hammer on a deer.