2pt minimum

[PolarBear]

I've never been a big fan of point restrictions, but I do think a 2 point minimum for blacktail deer would be a good thing, and would really help the numbers rebound. The spikes just don't know anything yet and they often don't have enough sense to get out of the clearcuts before the sun comes up.

But before a minimum point restriction, I'd rather see doe seasons eliminated, except in units in which they truly are over carrying capacity.

[mossback636]

It would be even sweeter if they eliminated doe tags and made it 3 point or better for all of Western WA!   

I agree with this!  let the real hunters kill some "tanks" and keep let the youngins grow!

[Huntbear]

I am completely against, and work adamantly against any more point restrictions/regulations in this state....  how many spikes are actually shot each year compared to forky's and 3x's.  Show me some data to support your theory on how many spikes are killed....

Kids, and newbies are usually the ones shooting the spikes.  You take that away, you take away their success, they quit hunting, you lose hunters voices when it comes to issues like wolves, and WDFW commissioners, etc..

Blacktails thrive anywhere there is logging.  You go up on the state land in certain units, and the blacktail population is unbelievable.   

[throttlejocky20]

Show me some data to support your theory on how many spikes are killed....

Sit at the main gate to Vail and that should be proof enouf. I agree with the kids being able to shoot a buck if they see one but this could be done with permits. All units east a west should have limited youth tags for any buck.

[X-Force]

I haven't seen any data to assume deer numbers or buck numbers are suffering on the wet side from the current hunting regs... especially when only a quarter of all harvest are spikes 
Hopefully my little graph shows up... But if it doesn't here is the break down from 2011 by percent of harvest
Spike 27%
2pt 41%
3pt 20%
4pt 8%
5pt 4%

[RClare1223]

Maybe not all of the westside but we do need more 2pt min units over here.667 could sure use a 2pt min restriction.

[Jonathan_S]

I saw way more forkies while living in Western WA and I agree with the rest of your post too

I am completely against, and work adamantly against any more point restrictions/regulations in this state....  how many spikes are actually shot each year compared to forky's and 3x's.  Show me some data to support your theory on how many spikes are killed....

Kids, and newbies are usually the ones shooting the spikes.  You take that away, you take away their success, they quit hunting, you lose hunters voices when it comes to issues like wolves, and WDFW commissioners, etc..

Blacktails thrive anywhere there is logging.  You go up on the state land in certain units, and the blacktail population is unbelievable.

[Boss .300 winmag]

I saw way more forkies while living in Western WA and I agree with the rest of your post too

I am completely against, and work adamantly against any more point restrictions/regulations in this state....  how many spikes are actually shot each year compared to forky's and 3x's.  Show me some data to support your theory on how many spikes are killed....

Kids, and newbies are usually the ones shooting the spikes.  You take that away, you take away their success, they quit hunting, you lose hunters voices when it comes to issues like wolves, and WDFW commissioners, etc..

Blacktails thrive anywhere there is logging.  You go up on the state land in certain units, and the blacktail population is unbelievable.

 

My daughter could have tagged out by now if not for a 2PT restriction on a west side unit, we passed two spikes in a spike unit yesterday because they were obviously to small, but a different unit next to it has a two pint res. and has a really big spike in it (bigger body size than my 2x3 this year) but no its not legal. Where is the comman sence in this regulation !  

[Dan-o]

I am a STAUNCH SUPPORTER of the 2-point restriction.......   but only for HuntBear.

[Boss .300 winmag]

I am a STAUNCH SUPPORTER of the 2-point restriction.......   but only for HuntBear.
[/quote

For some reason this made me think that only hunters older than sixteen (when youth doe permits are taken away) should have antler point restictions. I wonder if this has been pitched to WDFW?

[DaveBTS]

I tried to get this implemented. The genetic potential of a buck is easiest to determine at 2.5 years old.

[Basket Rack]

But before a minimum point restriction, I'd rather see doe seasons eliminated, except in units in which they truly are over carrying capacity.

I couldn't agree more on the doe seasons/permits. 

 I would be all for the antler restrictions so long as youth and disabled could still take a spike.

[lewy]

  Id vote for it here (white river drainage) if the tribes would follow the same rules, but would have trouble agreeing to anything that further limits "us" and continues to allow the Indians to do what they are doing now. I'm not sure a 2pt. minimum is exactly what we need to rebound our deer herd, but letting those young dumb guys walk would be a good start......

[deerslyr]

I dont think you would be seeing much of a rise in 3 or 4 point harvests. Probably in 2 point but not much of a difference between your typical forky and a spike.
My reason for thinking this way, once a BT buck hits maturity they hit the brush for most of there life and you will never see them again except the 2 weeks between general and late buck (the peak of the rut)
The majority of hunters, and the majority commenting on this thread (me included), dont have the wits and skill to beat a mature BT buck on his turf in the thick brush. The ones that do (a few come in mind when thinking of members on this site) kill them year end and year out.
I have hunted all species a fair bit and blacktails are the toughest to hunt IMO. Whitetails being a close second, but they just dont reside in the same type of habitat and weather and there are far greater populations to hunt.

[X-Force]

I have to agree deerslyr. Just because we would eliminate spikes being harvested doesnt mean we will necessarily increase the number of mature bucks harvested. If deer harvest are remaining steady, which they are, we have to assume that the population is remaining steady as well. Because if populations are suffering the lack of spikes would be one of the first indications. Instead the spike harvest as a percentage of total harvest has remained steady over the last 4 years or more...