Anyone notice how the deer are growing longer ears? They have this AR thing figured out. Survival of the longest ears!

Actually that could happen.... there has got to be a gene that controls ear length; and they will definitely receive preferential treatment from hunters via selective harvesting, so yes, they could have longer ears....

In fact, someone needs to file for an injunction on the grounds that ar's discriminate against short earred deer...

9 pages and it is still sorta civilized... ..sorta

Now come on sig, you know that antlers and ears and such is not a genetic thing, LOL!!! And AR's will save East Texas!!! I think it is a PETA conspiracy to keep us from killing deer in East Texas!!!

P- Protect
E- Eventual
T- Trophy
A- Antlers

I thought the going theory on THF was that you could not alter genetics thru shooting deer for the purpose of altering genetics? Hmmm culling for ear length....kinda like saying that bucks got big ears...you know that means.... ..

That's why my moto is "Let Man control the quantity and let Nature (God) control the quality."

Maybe in a room your in.

But sometimes there isn't a sucker. Just people with different opinions. It pi$$es people off when someone tries to force theirs down everyone else's throat.

That's what AR's are. This is the way we think everyone should hunt and if you don't like it they tough sh!&.

Screwed up on post, TPW not doin there job is the problem and people who dont have a clue about e. tx hunting.

AR's are a "blanket solution" for the whole state but in my small piece of Texas, the "solution" doesn't work because the bucks have narrow rack traits and the State needs a more localized solution instead for saving more of the young bucks!!! That's why I contend that if they adopted a "3 points per side" and/or reducing to 1 buck instead of 2, it would be better for East Texas!!! You will never be able to make an orange into an apple!!!

This is what I don't like about them. I'm very dubious that most of the guys in this area will abide by the law, so that those of us who do will now never see a shootable buck.

Trophy, trophy, trophy. What's the deal with Texas. Now we got trophy catfish, trophy alligator gar, the whole damn state is caught up on trophies. Used to be the trophy was just catching or taking one bigger than your dad's. Now that ain't good enough?

Define trophy? Ask 100 members on here and you will get a whole lot of different answers. So trophy is not a bad thing depending on who you ask IMO. Trophy is not always defined by size or score in my book.

Exactly, but TPWD defines it at 13" or bigger. When did we let them decide?

Is that a trophy or legal deer to harvest?

For folks in AR counties that hunt year after year after year and never see a legal buck whats the difference?

Im not going to agree or disagree with the AR'S. but i know where i hunt it has seemed to help a little. I have seen more deer that an average meet seaker would take on a yearly basis. In the past two years i tagged a 140 10 pt and a 157 12pt in van zandt county. im not goin to complain about AR'S

This is what I'm talking about!!! The rules are "blanket" coverage rules where the AR's work in parts of the State and not in others!!! I'm glad they work for some Counties but I know they will not work in My County in East Texas, (or at least in my area)!!! For those of you that have seen improvement, more power to you but with the genetic traits I've seen where I hunt, I have serious doubts about them!!!

So if you see a deer now that makes the antler restriction, are you going to shoot him?

You guys realize every state has a regulatory body that governs the game laws and regulations, right? You realize that in a lot of states, there is no hunting deer apart from the agency draws, right? I'm pretty sure we (as in, the people of our state) gave TPWD the right to set the rules when we created them as the governing body over our game laws.

Now a very small percentage of you don't like the greatest reg since "Remember the Alamo" and all of the sudden "No one gave them the authority to tell me I can't shoot it just cuz it's got spots!"

Yes, actually, we did in fact give them authority to tell you that you can't shoot it just because it's got spots. Their very existence is proof to that.

I've seen 5 bucks this season and 4 will never make AR's and 2 are mature,(5 1/2 yr old 10 point with 12 in maybe inside spread and an a 4 1/2yr old 8 with 12 in), and the 5th a spike with 1 horn that is in the freezer!!! I have the last 2 days of muzzle loader season when I get home from offshore and I think I can shoot a doe then if I'm not mistaken!!! I doubt very seriously if I'll see a legal buck!!! I'm a meat hunter, obviously because I hunt E. Texas, but I still try to shoot mature deer only and if that mature doe that blows at me every time I'm at the stand steps out ...!!!

they are still moving pretty good next door...hogs are back in full force though this year.

(from back in Nov)


can still make out the frame on this one.


12" 12pt

hey rifleman, is it me or do the bucks in your pics not have spots on them? cameron seems to be under the strange impression that any buck not making antler restrictions has spots and milk on their lips.

P- Protecting
E- Eventual
T- Trophy
A- Antlers