Possible new antler restriction exception rule

Was talking with a GW the other day and he told me that there has been some talk about how to get rid of the undesirable bucks that dont make ARs. He said that one idea being thrown around is to allow any buck to be shot by kids on youth weekend. That way kids who hunt in AR counties also have a better chance of harvesting their first buck. Also it would obviously allow them to shoot those culls that need cullin.

I do NOT want to turn this into an ARs are stupid thread, but what are yals opinion on this possible rule change?

Personally, I think its a wonderful idea.

Great idea.

Outstanding

There is an antler restriction



















Hahahahahahahahahahahaha

This would be nice. I can get my kids out and on a deer faster. They are getting bored waiting for that older shooter. We have nice legal young bucks but they are the ones I want to keep around. A young buck that isn't as nice as his classmates would make a great first buck for the kids.

I think it is a great idea. That has been my only real compalint about the AR's. Get the kids interested by letting them burn some gun powder on any buck they want to take!

GREAT !

Great.

Great Idea, i say let the kids shoot anything they want. Gets them more involved and intrested. Id rather have my kids in the woods than anything else for sure.

I would like to see a landowner tag issued for his discression where he could take a cull for every say 500 acres

I have several bucks on my place that I would love to let my kids shoot but can't because of AR. I think it would be a great idea.

Sounds like somebody has been listening. Great idea.

I'd be on board with this.

For you folks that need some bucks culled and don't have kids, I've got an experienced 16 year old deer hunter for rent!

I'd be okay with it if it was actually used for culls, but we know that won't be the case.

I don't see how that helps. A lot of properties have a lot more than just a few culls on each property. And I've been on a few leases that don't allow guests and/or none of the people on the lease have kids. They just need to allow you to kill culls as needed but required to take pics of antlers and maybe send in the jaw...

That would definitely be handy. Now just the special youth season or a youth during the entire season is the question.

The logistics of something like this would never work. The TPWD cant handle thousands of pics and jaws coming in. And what good would that do? If someone shot a yound deer they would never send the jaw in.

If the lease doesnt allow kids thats just dumb. Good way of securing a future with no hunting. And everyone knows a kid that would love to be able to have the oppurtunity to go hunting if you dont have any of your own.

Heck yea man, kids are a big part of it! That's why I let them hunt for free.

I like the idea of letting kids shoot em all year, but I fear that adults would cheat the system too much to let ARs work. Im sure there would be some of this on youth weekend, but at least it would be contained to that weekend. Just as im sure there are people who cheat on youth weekend now.

I like AR's just for the fact that it does protect those young bucks, but I think every 3 to 4 years or so they should suspend the rule and allow anything with a hardened antler to be taken and maybe even allow an extra buck, say instead of two go to three.
Would help get rid of those inferior bucks and give folks that don't like AR's somthing to look forward to.

I think that would be a great idea. However I am not sure that it is necessary. I hunt on three differenct places, in three different counties and I can count on one hand how many culls really needed taken out of the gene pool that didn't meet one of the AR requirements.

I do know there are some out there and some places there are probably more than others but I am not certain it is a huge issue.

It would be nice to have a window to do some elimination if needed.

Sounds like a great ideal. I would like to see the AR's changed to any buck but only one over 13" on 17 and under kids all season long. Our kids and grandkids are losing interest in the hunt after their 13" and over is down.

This should be done with no relation to the cull buck issue. It should just be done to make sure we keep the young ones interested in hunting. Give 'em a chance to get a buck quicker and not be constantly told that they can't shoot because it doesn't measure up.

I think its great, kids should be exempt from the AR in my opinion. They get really tired of hearing "don't shoot it, the horns aint right". They will loose all interest in this great sport very fast.

excellent afterthought.
ar should never have been applied to
youth hunters anyway.
anything walking for kids.

Yep, and the argument that people will cheat!....Well, what else is new?
I agree, we need the kids in order to further our sport, and AR's are not the way to get it done!

It would help a lot...even with just a few culls taken each yr. Those leases that don't allow or the people don't have kids would need to take a kid hunting! I'm sure the kid would be thrilled! I hope they implement this next year!

Agree with these!

im bout as bright as a burnt out light bulb still trying ta figure out what a CULL deer is trying ta learn

it has many different meanings to many different people, could be any spike, could be only spikes >2.5yo, could be anything over 4.5 with "only" 8pts, could be anything over 3.5 with only 10pts, just depends on where you are hunting and what the herd looks like. but also dont foget the ever present "monster" that turns into a "cull" in the photo section once that ground shrinkage sinks in and the tape measure gets pulled out.

Have visited with Biologists, program directors, regional enforcement people all in the last couple of months.... not a mention of any changes

rick

great idea!

usualy the bigger the deer the more pts ya get. kinda like a guy wieghing 250lbs can drink more pts than a dude wieghing 150lbs, little guy gonna get slobbernockeled a whole lot faster.

Good idea if it is true.

As far as people will cheat...you really think they aren't already???

There is no telling how many under sized deer have been left in the woods to rot or snuck out and processed at home.

or how many "6 year olds" have 160's on the wall from youth weekend.....

I've heard rumblings about this here and on other forums and I'm all for it.

Obviously it would allow us to cull inferior genetics, but more importantly it would be far easier for youth hunters to tag a buck.

Win, win in my book.

I don't like it. I'd rather teach my kid management and rules. I'd be all for telling my kid, no, he's not old enough. I believe that teaches responsibility and understanding of the laws.

If tpwd was to make an adjustment, it needs to be a deer that is over 3.5 years old. The ar's is a age law, so I think it needs to have that exception.

I've been wanting a rule like this to hit the books since the begining.

I've been going to meetings, e-mailing, and writing P&W about this for about three years. If this is true I'm glad, but I've heard nothing about it. Some of y'all may not like me very much because I've also proposed they lower the youth age to 15. At 16 a kid can drive. I know there's no "magic" number, but if the kid can drive on a public road he/she ought to have the maturity and patience to wait for a mature deer. Just me.

If this is your opinion you could always just keep doing what you are doing. The law doesnt say the kid has to shoot the first 4 point that walks out. But, some places a kid could hunt for years and not get to shoot anything and not every kid has the patience to stick with it.

As for a age limit, it will never happen. There is no way to police or enforce it.

I take a different view, you have a cull that's only legal for a youth hunter to shoot. It becomes his/her buck to harvest what better way to teach management. I can tell you from experience, when you have to match wits with one particular deer, it becomes a trophy.

Hunted this weekend with my 13 year old. The AR bug hit him hard on a few bucks he really wanted to take. I know he'd be in for this new rule!

I'm all for relaxing the rules for kids....and then I'd define kid as anyone under the age of 100. Let each of us form our own idea of what a good or bad buck is, and don't force us to use antler size as the criteria.

I have the same issue and I am all for it.

My son killed a few deer with a gun but few years back started bow hunting sat in the stand all season with his bow and passed up tons of small bucks got bored and does not hunt any more. don't know if not being able to shoot one with his bow was the reason or not. Just saying he is not interested in going any more.