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Antler Restrictions, thread number 989.
#5490986
12/21/14 09:26 PM
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 10,496
Halfadozen
OP
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OP
THF Celebrity
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 10,496 |
Normally I am a proponent of the AR rules, but certainly can see the downside. I have seen an old buck, last year estimated at 5.5 yo, and then saw him again last night. We don't have pics of him on cameras as he stays away from feeders. This year he is a very tall 6 (could be an 8 but his brow tines are a lot smaller than last year) with G2 at least 14". Problem is he is right at 13" wide. I saw him during the rut a few weeks back and last night again. He gave me a full head on look and I just couldn't pull the trigger, too close on AR. This is an old guy, who has lost a lot of weight since the rut. Oh well, he will live out his life in security I hope.
Freedom is a fragile thing ...Those who have known freedom, and then lost it, have never known it again. -- Ronald Reagan
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Re: Antler Restrictions, thread number 989.
[Re: Halfadozen]
#5490995
12/21/14 09:31 PM
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Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 44,461
rifleman
Sparkly Pants
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Sparkly Pants
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 44,461 |
And no sidewinder, bushwhacking, hornswoggling cracker croaker, is going to ruin my biscuit-cutter!
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Re: Antler Restrictions, thread number 989.
[Re: Halfadozen]
#5491023
12/21/14 09:42 PM
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Joined: May 2009
Posts: 2,216
kyle1974
Veteran Tracker
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Joined: May 2009
Posts: 2,216 |
I'm going to call TPW and start protesting that refugio county should be included as an AR county.
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Re: Antler Restrictions, thread number 989.
[Re: Halfadozen]
#5491707
12/22/14 02:09 AM
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Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 2,773
Gone to Texas
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I don't understand Antler Restrictions, I get it that letting the deer grow big horns is great but I have a crap 5 point running around my lease and he has been there 3 years. Probably won't be a shooter for another 3 years or so, I would much rather shoot him than a doe. Only takes 1 buck to impregnate all the does but the does need to be alive to have fawns.
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Re: Antler Restrictions, thread number 989.
[Re: Halfadozen]
#5492115
12/22/14 05:32 AM
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 10,496
Halfadozen
OP
THF Celebrity
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OP
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 10,496 |
Im with you. AR seems to help most of the time. But running into a no win situation is notfun.
Freedom is a fragile thing ...Those who have known freedom, and then lost it, have never known it again. -- Ronald Reagan
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Re: Antler Restrictions, thread number 989.
[Re: Halfadozen]
#5492181
12/22/14 10:35 AM
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 22,210
Texas Dan
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Never a silver bullet. No one can argue the current rules are not producing a lot of great, low-fence bucks. The best and only legal way to avoid those antelope bucks is to get them early as spikes.
"Some people will never like you because your spirit irritates their demons."
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Re: Antler Restrictions, thread number 989.
[Re: Texas Dan]
#5492661
12/22/14 03:54 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 974
bossbowman
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 974 |
Never a silver bullet. No one can argue the current rules are not producing a lot of great, low-fence bucks. The best and only legal way to avoid those antelope bucks is to get them early as spikes. Not always true, there have been documented cases in which bucks like that grow to be boone & crockett class 150+ by 5 or 6 years old, I "think" tpwd put in the spike (cull) clause to appease the meat hunters, not allowing any young bucks to be shot especially in counties where does are off limits during guns season would have discouraged alot of hunters especially young hunters, and in turn discouraged license sales in the future. The AR's work because a percentage of the buck population is now protected to make it through to the next season, this helps the buck doe ratio to be more even, in the past all buck were on the hit list and if it had antlers it got shot especially in counties with no/limited doe days. I see more bucks since the rules have been in place, and the deer population has gone up bucks and does. Before the AR's our buck-doe ratio ranged anywhere from 1-10 to 1-20 in some years, now its 1-3. You have a more even buck-doe ratio = a more compact breeding season = a shorter fawning season = more deer, not saying it is like this in all counties under the AR's but this is what I have observed since 2009.
Last edited by bossbowman; 12/22/14 03:57 PM.
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Re: Antler Restrictions, thread number 989.
[Re: Halfadozen]
#5492684
12/22/14 04:02 PM
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 8,719
cameron00
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Jan 2009
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There isn't a rule that's going to work in 100% of cases.
Clearly there are going to be some bucks that need to be taken that ARs make illegal.
Still light years better than not having them, at least in the 2 counties I've owned land in.
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Re: Antler Restrictions, thread number 989.
[Re: Halfadozen]
#5492727
12/22/14 04:22 PM
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Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 2,566
KennyLee
Veteran Tracker
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I hated them the first few years, but starting to change my mind. Still don't have any monsters around me, but do have some mature bucks and more of them.
One thing Im starting to see is that my ratio is changing dramatically. I used to be way over populated on does, but it seems like it has switched. Based on my cameras I would guess I'm now around 1:1 if not slightly more bucks than does. Granted, most are young but it makes me optimistic for the future.
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Re: Antler Restrictions, thread number 989.
[Re: bossbowman]
#5493057
12/22/14 07:10 PM
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Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 2,773
Gone to Texas
Veteran Tracker
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Posts: 2,773 |
Never a silver bullet. No one can argue the current rules are not producing a lot of great, low-fence bucks. The best and only legal way to avoid those antelope bucks is to get them early as spikes. Not always true, there have been documented cases in which bucks like that grow to be boone & crockett class 150+ by 5 or 6 years old, I "think" tpwd put in the spike (cull) clause to appease the meat hunters, not allowing any young bucks to be shot especially in counties where does are off limits during guns season would have discouraged alot of hunters especially young hunters, and in turn discouraged license sales in the future. The AR's work because a percentage of the buck population is now protected to make it through to the next season, this helps the buck doe ratio to be more even, in the past all buck were on the hit list and if it had antlers it got shot especially in counties with no/limited doe days. I see more bucks since the rules have been in place, and the deer population has gone up bucks and does. Before the AR's our buck-doe ratio ranged anywhere from 1-10 to 1-20 in some years, now its 1-3. You have a more even buck-doe ratio = a more compact breeding season = a shorter fawning season = more deer, not saying it is like this in all counties under the AR's but this is what I have observed since 2009. It is extremely rare for a spike to become a B&C in 6 years and the conditions have to be perfect. 1 year of drought will prolong that process significantly, and you can almost guarantee a drought year here in Texas. I don't know everything about deer, but I do know that does produce fawns and it takes a long time for bucks to become monsters. I just don't understand why one would wait roughly 6-10 years to shoots a spike and hammer does between that time. Can you imagine the offspring some of those does could have? They could be producing some great bucks after a couple years. I understand the ratio problems, but I always like to see more does than bucks because I know they will pull in different bucks during the rut. The land where I hunt we have 1 shooter buck, 1 buck we are letting grow 1-2 years, 1 spike, and a crap 5 point (that we know of). The rest are does and there are tons of them, thats just fine with me. I would much rather shoot the crap 5 point and the spike than a doe. I am also more of a meat hunter I guess than a trophy hunter, that probably sways my opinion...
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Re: Antler Restrictions, thread number 989.
[Re: Halfadozen]
#5493173
12/22/14 07:55 PM
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 6,135
landsurveyor
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 6,135 |
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Re: Antler Restrictions, thread number 989.
[Re: Halfadozen]
#5493198
12/22/14 08:07 PM
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296
stxranchman
Obie Juan Kenobi
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Obie Juan Kenobi
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296 |
Are idiots multiplying faster than normal people?
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Re: Antler Restrictions, thread number 989.
[Re: Halfadozen]
#5493476
12/22/14 10:32 PM
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Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 6,170
Jimbo
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 6,170 |
I'll give a very small young looking (spots still visible) a pass, but when I see a spike buck with a buck with forked antlers and they are the same size the spike gets a dirt nap.
Thursday at 12:45 PM #33 Once i learned that i didn't "NEED" to kill something, and that if i did kill something all the fun stopped and work began, i was a much better hunter.
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Re: Antler Restrictions, thread number 989.
[Re: Halfadozen]
#5493881
12/23/14 01:03 AM
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Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 44,461
rifleman
Sparkly Pants
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Sparkly Pants
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 44,461 |
I'm leaving both the younguns alone since I really don't care how wide they are/get.
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Re: Antler Restrictions, thread number 989.
[Re: Halfadozen]
#5493913
12/23/14 01:19 AM
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Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 3,624
billyhunt
Extreme Tracker
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Extreme Tracker
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 3,624 |
Gone to Texas, I agree with you, and have just about the same deer your talking. I am a meat hunter also, but, if all I can take is a buck 13", heck might as well make a good ern. Cause I can take a doe, bow only, or a spike, like said.But it sure been a dry year, the deer not the weather. LOl!!!
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Re: Antler Restrictions, thread number 989.
[Re: billyhunt]
#5494160
12/23/14 02:57 AM
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 9,125
10pointers
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 9,125 |
My ratio has changed to about 13 to one in Lampasas county. Problem is the 13 are bucks that are not going to make 13" anytime soon. I have seen one doe this year on the ranch and she could not have been 60 lbs wet. I saw her early and should have shot her somebody must have cause she has not been back. I have been on this lease 3 years. The lease has 4 hunters on it and is 500 acres of typical hill country land. First year saw plenty of does few bucks. Second year less doe and more bucks. Third year tons off bucks and no does. AR's are working just not in our favor not one legal buck shot in three years, a bunch of small 8's and less and the does seem to be going extinct in our area. I know Lampasas county has been in AR program for longer than 5 years and the result in our area is the does have been overharvested in my opinion.
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