Antler Restrictions - What are your thoughts?

[Meat Hunter]

Absolutely right!

[SteveB]

Yep - a few more 2 and 3 year old bucks to kill before they mature.

[nyantler]

_{With more antler restrictions in place this year and this past winter that wasnt are we setting ourselves up for a few more big bucks down the road and/or a bigger population all around ?}

Yeah thats where doe take becomes very important... the DEC needs to do their homework to make sure they keep a balanced population... so far they haven't led me to believe that they're completely up to the task... we'll see.

[SteveB]

Yeah thats where doe take becomes very important... the DEC needs to do their homework to make sure they keep a balanced population... so far they haven't led me to believe that they're completely up to the task... we'll see.

Questions on their population balance figures, but their buck kill aging is accurate?

[Larry]

If I remember in a report by the DEC in the ar area they estimated the buck to doe Raito was 2.43 to 1. I assume that that would be does 1.5 years or older. I’ll look to see if I can find that report later today

[WesternNY]

WOW what a thread.... I admit I did not read all 95 pages LOL

A couple things came to mind while reading the first 20 pages..

First, once a spike always a spike has been scientificaly DISproven!

You can not control genetics in a free ranging herd, scientificaly proven

Genetics make alot of the deer, but so does the soil. Better more fertile ground produce bigger racks, scientificaly proven... take a look at B & C enteries for our state and the nation and compare them to soil fertility maps. What a deer has available to eat has a huge impact... more fertile ground has plants that have absorbed better rates of minerals and proteins... that then is available for the deer.

AR are not perfect, harvesting by age is best, but difficult for the Mass General Hunting public. Learning to age on the hoof is not easy, but can be done. I don't know if I like mandatory AR, I feel hunters should make the decision, but I would hope we would all strive for 2.5 yr old or older, except for the kids or someones first buck.

Personally I would not want to shoot a 1.5 year old, and on my farm after 5 years of QDM I can honestly say my hunting is better, and I have better age class distrubution than before... based on hunter observation data and trail cam data.

Doe havrest... if the buck to doe ratio is in balance you Should see more rut activity. The simple message of shoot more does is misleading. It is not a one prescription rule for all properties, we need to base it one the currect data for that area... some places in NY are overrun, others scarce... we need to base our harvest decisions on the carrying capacity and herd ratio. I would guess 80% of NY Hunters are not into all this stuff as I and alot of you are.. they just want to go out one or 2 weekends a year with the family and harvest a deer.

[Doc]

I would guess 80% of NY Hunters are not into all this stuff as I and alot of you are.. they just want to go out one or 2 weekends a year with the family and harvest a deer.

That is one thing we all seem to occasionally lose sight of here. We are here on this forum because we have a greater-than-average interest in deer hunting. That is why when we try to invent or support various management schemes, we have to realize that we may not be talking for the majority of the hunters. Yes, I know that management decisions are supposed to be for the critters and not the hunters. But I think we all realize the reality that both have to be satisfied because hunters are the most important management tool that the DEC has. Currently, there is no management without hunters.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Question?----if there are such high numbers of support as is claimed by the proponents and that seems to be consistent with the survey on this thread......70+% in favor in some form or another. Why would it need to be mandated if 70% want it. Does that mean that a lot of the 70% don't have the constitution to follow their beliefs unless it is mandated by the DEC? If it is that popular of a concept wouldn't it be in practice and no need for a regulation?

[SteveB]

Question?----if there are such high numbers of support as is claimed by the proponents and that seems to be consistent with the survey on this thread......70+% in favor in some form or another. Why would it need to be mandated if 70% want it. Does that mean that a lot of the 70% don't have the constitution to follow their beliefs unless it is mandated by the DEC? If it is that popular of a concept wouldn't it be in practice and no need for a regulation?

I have asked this same question numerous times here and other places.

Most times it is simply ignored.

Occasional will get an attempt at an excuse, but never a solid reason.

Amazing that only 30% of the hunters can kill all the 1.5 bucks each and every year!

[growalot]

Well I was wondering how long before the light came on...Thks CHC....

[nyantler]

Questions on their population balance figures, but their buck kill aging is accurate?

LOL.. I didn't say that the aging is accurate.. just that they check more deer than most people think... some of the DEC folks I've met couldn't age a deer if it had a birth certificate..!!

Edited July 23, 2012 by nyantler