nyantler

I agree mike... my kids responded well to hunting small game... where they got some action... they just want an opportunity to pull the trigger on something... that gives them a thrill.

Looks like part Kangaroo in the first pic!!

no.. on the side of her neck..lol

I understand all that... I'm only talking about how easy I think it is to pic out a legal deer if the AR is in place and that under the 3 on a side AR rule there is no accidental kills... just irresposible kills. We must also remember that there are many that DO think the trade off is worth it... I just don't think the accidental kills thing is a good argument against AR's.. The best argument is that hunters just don't want them because they want to be able to kill yearling bucks and don't care about a balanced buck age structure in the herd... that is at least honest.

Unfortunately, many of the hunters that are for AR's think it is about bigger racks as well. That seems to be some of the problem with it's exceptance.

Nope not any more than the 3" antler restriction thats been in place for 100 years. It is merely a change in the minimum of the old AR set in 1911 and much easier than trying to pick out a 3" antler.

Sure.. you can get your hopes up... thats what makes it fun.. at least you've seen him and know he is in the area somewhere... I never hunt one rub.. I look for a series of rubs or a "rub line"... one rub, If it is even his rub, is usually just a place where he decided to stop and kill some time... rub lines and clusters of rubs are usually a sign of the buck frequenting the area.. I pay better attention to areas surrounding those types of rubs... but know that things will change drastically between now and when the heavy pre-rutting starts... you could run into him almost anywhere then... I pay more attention to scrapes than rubs early on... bucks seem to frequent them more.

I'll challenge it again... 3 is not a very hard number to count to... there are only two numbers before it... and the only non-legal bucks will be spike horns, 3 points and 4 points... even a five point will be legal... not many of us hunter can't count to 5... I think you're putting way to much weight on your theory that hunters are that uneducated that they can't count to 5 and somehow the DEC has imposed a law that nobody could possibly figure out responsibly... shooting a 4 point for a legal buck would not be a mistake... again it is simply irresponsible.... I will even go as far as saying that hunter doesn't put much value on safety either.. if he "refuses" to identify properly such a simple target...

That just seems soooo unnatural!!

If you're talking about culling him.. I say no way... look at the width on him.. he just might turn out to be something special.

You know it!!!! That is about as nice as they come right there! I would take work off all season to catch up with that bad boy!! It is seldom that you see a buck that is 7 x anything!!!

I have many a shirt tale and pocket missing from when the urge came upon me unexpectedly!!

I am not against the youth day.. but I think it is unnecessary as well... everyday can be youth day without keeping adult hunters out of the woods... those 8000 youths don't need a special day to have someone take them hunting... take them hunting every day.. now that would be special!

A scrape would be as a good a place as any to start... but like lawdwaz said.. it's a bit more complicated than just seeing him once... especially this early.

Happy Birthday!!!

It isn't about head gear... pretend they have no headgear and they are just male deer and the yearlings need to be protected... the headgear is just used as a gauge to help identify the yearlings. You can go back and read in any of the AR threads what the point is, I posted it numerous times I think.

I'm waiting for virgil and the rest of the crew to chime in... it will be interesting to see how this will be spun..lol

I don't look at it as restricting hunters, just a change in the regulations... they happen all the time. Whether or not hunters can be responsible enough to shoot a legal deer is up to them. The 3" rule... that must really have restricted the hunters that hunted close to the rule when first imposed... trying to determine if the antler is 2 7/8" or 3 1/8"... at 100 yards I assume that would be a tough one... but the rule was put in place for a purpose... not to piss off hunters by making them look a bit harder at their target, but to protect does back in the day... now the purpose is to protect yearling bucks and the 3" rule doesn't work so that regulation has been altered to 3 points on a side, it isn't put in place to piss off hunters with more restrictions... if there are some that have a hard time identifying their target.. they'll just have to make up their mind to whether they want to take a chance or not... but whatever they choose will not be a mistake.. it will be a choice... not an accident. The rule is not ambiguos it is well defined and easy to follow if you really want to follow it. You think it makes it more difficult.. I think it's easy. We have different opinions.. what's new?? LOL

That has to do with phermones and other scents present when deer pee on their glands.. we don't have those glands... our pee is not going to attract any deer... it just won't spook them... basically what they smell is the ammonia which is present in all pee.

Charlie Alshiemer did a study on this a while back and found that you can pee away.. it breaks down so quickly in the soil that in a few minutes it has the same properties left as if any animal peed in the same spot. Keeping it in a bottle doesn't allow the properties to be absorbed like it is in the soil and actually can be detected much easier by a passing buck, especially that little bit that never seems to make it entirely in the bottle..lol

Not sure about 130.. tine length is a bit short...I'd like to see him without velvet... but he's definitely ahead of the game as far as antler size... just a really handsome buck.

Yeah I guess if hunters are determined to try and hunt close to the minimum there will be those that will shoot an illegal deer... but not by mistake... if you think about it 3 on a side means, a one antlered 3 pointer, a 3x1 four point, a 3x2 five point and anything above.. that leaves any doe, any spike buck one or two horned, a 2x1 three point, and a 2x2 four point that can't be taken under the new AR law... I just don't see the complexity of killing a buck that makes the cut... anything above a 5 point is legal... the trick is don't hunt close to the minimum.. but look for a substantial sized racked buck... if the idea is to protect yearlings that's the responsible thing to do... anyone with that itchy a trigger finger is putting way too much emphasis on having to kill some buck at any cost. I'm sure we'll have to agree to disagree on this one, but sorry I just don't see the complexity... I see it as extremely simple... at least as far as the 3 on a side law is concerned... your argument I think is more valid as point restriction increases though. My hope would be that as hunters see the benefits of protecting yearlings... greater point restrictions won't be necessary to ensure a more balanced age class of bucks.

the guy made a mistake, said he learned a vailuable lesson... the guy that taught him a lesson is still a thief and needs to be taught a lessen as well.... the idiot even left the handgun outside in a bag (with a knife) where any kid could have picked it up.. he also put the word gun on the bag so that someone passing by could tell what was in the bag without opening it... first guy stupid, second guy REALLY stupid!

Likewise!

Determining 3 points on a side is far simpler than determining a 3" antler... Nobody seems to have any problem with the 3" AR that's been in place for 100 yrs... Doc, I understand hunters are infallible... but I have a difference of opinion as to why.. I think it is basically irresponsibility. Your last statement might be right... but if getting guys to not pull the trigger sometimes gets to the goal then the law is working. I just don't see a problem with being sure of any shot that you take... I have never taken a deer I didn't mean to shoot and I never experienced a feeling of complexity by taking the time to identify fully what I was shooting at. And I still contend that it is not a "mistake" to take a deer that doesn't meet the requirements of the law.. it is irresponsible. It either is or isn't legal.. if you aren't sure.. you shouldn't shoot. I think it's very simple. I do realize that some hunters are not going to be responsible and will take an illegal deer... nothing the DEC can really do about those individuals except ticket and fine them.. that element of hunters will exist regardless of the law.