• The SH Membership has gone live. Only SH Members have access to post in the classifieds. All members can view the classifieds. Starting in 2020 only SH Members will be admitted to the annual hunting contest. Current members will need to follow these steps to upgrade: 1. Click on your username 2. Click on Account upgrades 3. Choose SH Member and purchase.
  • We've been working hard the past few weeks to come up with some big changes to our vendor policies to meet the changing needs of our community. Please see the new vendor rules here: Vendor Access Area Rules

Buck Limit In Your State

This is the state’s guidance on the matter here in Texas. Being on public land, and having little to no knowledge of the bucks in the area, I tend to air on the side of caution if it is close. There are definitely some 2-year olds that are marginal and/or fall short. Rarely do we have a 3-year old or older buck not meet the restrictions.

64521c45bfe2945b1fe46413bffe7f87.gif
 
austin1990 said:
An average buck in my area will be 14-15 inches inside, above average is 16-17 inches. I've only ever seen one buck over 19 inches wide in my county. Some areas though produce wider on average, especially in the delta and farmland. Interesting enough the Arkansas state record scores like 240 inches non typical and has a 13 inch spread, that's why I'm not a big advocate for spread as a APR requirement.
Click to expand...

This was the Tuscaloosa area.
 
I forgot I had these pics still. This is another example of why I'm not to big on APR's. This deer is clearly 4.5+ but hes not legal here because he doesnt have 3 points or more on one side. Also he wouldn't meet the main beam or spread requirement of several other places around the state. Hes a cool old buck with character I would have shot if he was legal. Had him come by at 15 yards one morning following a doe and never could put a 3rd point on that left sideScreenshot_20190625-112447_Gallery.jpgScreenshot_20190625-112434_Gallery.jpg
 
@austin1990 that's a cool looking buck. I agree there are times where the 3pt and the spread rule hurt. Unfortunately I don't know what other ways would be an option. If I had to pick one or the other I would prefer the 3 point rule simply because it's easier in my opinion.
 
Here is a buck I had come in a couple years ago that was a similar situation as yours. 4pt, only 2 on each side but I feel he would have met the spread requirement. I watched him at 25 yds for a good 30 minutes trying to put an eye guard on him.
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_20190625-132930.png
    Screenshot_20190625-132930.png
    1.2 MB · Views: 22
I hate spread rules. On one of the draw hunts here a fellow killed a 6 pt with a 22” inside spread.....4 or more on one side reg at said hunt.....$200 fine and they took his deer.

Most of the folks on the hunt left because of it, but not before they took up a collection and gave him $200.
 
Wow that's bs. That's cool that everyone donated to help him get his money back though.
 
2 bucks and as many does as you want to buy tags here.

I would like to see a new, federal limit, with no state overrides. The rule is simple... you can take as many bucks as you want, but they must be turned in to a registered taxidermist and mounted with at least a shoulder mount. If you are caught cheating, no license ever again in any state and a $25,000 fine.

John H.
 
South Carolina.

Donnelly WMA to be exact. This was several years ago. I knew a group of guys that were on that hunt, but I wasn’t there myself. I asked a friend of mine that worked for DNR about it and he confirmed everything I was told.
 
Last edited:
I see. South Carolina season opens pretty early doesn't it?
 
In Ontario where i hunt it is one deer tag automaticly a buck tag and we have to apply for an antlerless tag if you get the anlterless tag you can shoot either a buck or a anterless deer. We can apply for addtional tags as well if offered in the WMU you want.
 
Really? I thought they were a one buck state. I've considered trying to hunt some public land in MO. Some places wouldn't be a bad drive for me.
 

Attachments

  • 1561522903975.png
    1561522903975.png
    12 KB · Views: 7
austin1990 said:
I forgot I had these pics still. This is another example of why I'm not to big on APR's. This deer is clearly 4.5+ but hes not legal here because he doesnt have 3 points or more on one side. Also he wouldn't meet the main beam or spread requirement of several other places around the state. Hes a cool old buck with character I would have shot if he was legal. Had him come by at 15 yards one morning following a doe and never could put a 3rd point on that left sideView attachment 12947View attachment 12948
Click to expand...

A small percentage of bucks will always slip through APR restrictions. There’s just no way around it. Understanding the management goals (typically increasing average buck age in the herd), and how properly structured APR’s can meet those goals... I am fully on board with the regulations. I will gladly miss the opportunity on a few bucks for a 1.5 year average increase in harvested buck age across the board. That’s what the inside spread restrictions did in north central Texas.

Before AR’s the vast majority of bucks killed in the county I grew up in was 1.5. Now, it is evenly split between 2.5 and 3.5 years. Also, the idea of what a “good buck” for the area is has risen AT LEAST 20 inches since before the regulations kicked in.

Texas Parks and Wildlife definitely did their homework on the AR’s, and I really believe the inside spread restrictions are by far more age related than the points system many states use. Heck I’ve seen yearlings throw 5 small points on one side. Even though it means I can’t shoot some bucks I otherwise would, I am a happy camper with the regulations in place!
 
My hatred of the antler craze and the "I woulda shot him, but he had a broke tine and wouldn't make book" folks stems from hearing (more often reading) someone say to a kid "that's a good buck for you" or "he'd a been a good one next year". No, he's a great one right then and there. period.

I have a picture of a BEAUTIFUL 3 pt I need to dig up. My son came to me one day and asked if one of his football coaches could come hunt and bring his kid. "Absolutely". When I talked to him ahead of time I assumed his kid (8) had never killed a deer before and we had plenty. Wrong. The lease he belonged to had a rule that each buck you killed had to be bigger than the one before it and his son had killed a bruiser of an 8 pt. They held the kid to the standard as well. He might well go the rest of his life and not kill another buck like that one. he kid lost interest because he never could shoot any of the bucks he saw and quit wanting to go.

They came out and I told him to shoot ANY deer he felt like shooting and he did. He killed a 3 pt and the smile on his face said it all.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top