4-point rule 117/121

[PA BEN]

Hey Pa Ben, does that one buck have 2 pedicles?

Yeah, it was an odd ball, kinda of a blade w/a another point. Two or 3 years later the neighbor shot one just like it. Hope we got it out of the jean pool. Haven't seen one around scene then.

[Jonathan_S]

Hey Pa Ben, does that one buck have 2 pedicles?

Yeah, it was an odd ball, kinda of a blade w/a another point. Two or 3 years later the neighbor shot one just like it. Hope we got it out of the jean pool. Haven't seen one around scene then.

Weird trait.  That buck you killed in the '70s is a beast! 

[PA BEN]

Hey Pa Ben, does that one buck have 2 pedicles?

Yeah, it was an odd ball, kinda of a blade w/a another point. Two or 3 years later the neighbor shot one just like it. Hope we got it out of the jean pool. Haven't seen one around scene then.

Weird trait.  That buck you killed in the '70s is a beast!

Yeah, he field dressed out right at 200 lbs.

[bearpaw]

I really noticed the buck population is picking up in 121 this last season, the 4 pt minimum is working. 

[sakoshooter]

When the WDFW went to 3pt or better for mule deer, they allowed youths to shoot any buck and also issued a lot of doe tags to youth hunters. The area we camp became a Walmart for opening weekend. Tons of youth hunters were every where and lots of young bucks were taken. No don't get me wrong, I'm all for getting young folks involved in hunting but not at the expense of everyone else.  Nor at the expense of the herd. The WDFW stopped it after the second year if memory serves based on the reasons above. Youth and seniors already have quite a few special hunts they can apply for and get drawn in areas that can take the pressure. No sense opening up the whole state to any deer to youth and seniors. Remember, those young bucks we're passing on are the trophy bucks we're looking a couple years later. If they're shot this year, they won't be around to become trophies.

[dscubame]

I really noticed the buck population is picking up in 121 this last season, the 4 pt minimum is working. 

I noticed that too Dale.  Also noticed the hunting pressure is starting to return.

[Bean Counter]

I really noticed the buck population is picking up in 121 this last season, the 4 pt minimum is working. 

Is this personal observation or are there recent population and harvest surveys available?

[vandeman17]

I had cameras out from late summer on and hunted late archery along with my old man. Between my pictures and what we saw hunting, the majority of bucks we saw were 4 point or better. The ones that weren't legal were young but showed potential which was a welcome sign.

[gvan]

I would hate to see it go backwards,the road hunters would be out even worse than they are now and the woods runnin' full of people just trying to fill a tag!watched one group stop -one guy got out before the truck fully stopped-got his foot under the back tire,driver stops ,foot still under the tire ,guy yellin at the top of his lungs.driver backs up and knocks the guy on his butt with the still open door- funny as hell to watch but that was my que to get outta there.Don't want to be any where around  those YO-YO's!!

[PA BEN]

I really noticed the buck population is picking up in 121 this last season, the 4 pt minimum is working. 

I noticed that too Dale.  Also noticed the hunting pressure is starting to return.

[GEARHEAD]

one of the best places in the state to get near 200, will do that.

[hunter399]

I live in 117 gmu and think it has done alot good for the deer herd. And have got my 4 point every year so far, It is really hard for youth and senior and first time hunters. I live next to some public land that gets hunted pretty hard during all the seasons. since deer season has closed i havent seen a four point or better .And some of the spikes and smaller bucks are gone too that i had seen before the saeson started.I think its a good rule ,but there needs more enforcement for it to work the way it should.My wife first year of hunting was the first year it happened and she got her first deer this year.She almost wanted to stop hunting ,but i keep on her to keep trying.and now three years later shes ready to hunt for a four point or better every year. 

[Firetwin3]

Wouldn't opening up these for youth/seniors to kill any buck just encourage a certain "breed of folks" to shoot their sons spike, drive it back to their house, then run back out the same day and put down a second non-4 deer and if they got caught just pull out the youth tag and say their kid shot it and it was a legal deer?

[runningboard]

I live in 117 gmu and think it has done alot good for the deer herd. And have got my 4 point every year so far, It is really hard for youth and senior and first time hunters. I live next to some public land that gets hunted pretty hard during all the seasons. since deer season has closed i havent seen a four point or better .And some of the spikes and smaller bucks are gone too that i had seen before the saeson started.I think its a good rule ,but there needs more enforcement for it to work the way it should.My wife first year of hunting was the first year it happened and she got her first deer this year.She almost wanted to stop hunting ,but i keep on her to keep trying.and now three years later shes ready to hunt for a four point or better every year.

I know a few people involved in getting this rule changed and that's one of their selling points, "those of us that live here won't really be affected because we get 4 point or better anyway."

Wouldn't opening up these for youth/seniors to kill any buck just encourage a certain "breed of folks" to shoot their sons spike, drive it back to their house, then run back out the same day and put down a second non-4 deer and if they got caught just pull out the youth tag and say their kid shot it and it was a legal deer?

those "breed of folks" will "bend" the rules no matter what so 

[hunter399]

There were alot more bucks this year over 4 points this year.But as to seeing that world class deer, i dont think so.Anything with 4 points are gonna be gone .Theres alot of presure on those deer now.It dont matter to me if they change it or not ,i hunted before the rule and with the rule sometimes got one ,sometimes didnt hunting was still fun for me .I know theres always gonna be a number of deer taken out of season ect. I dont feel that bad for youth and seniors cause they get 4 days to shoot any doe they want.But i do think youth and first time hunters should get a any buck tag(people that have never shoot a deer).I just dont think they should make rules that wdfw cant no way enforce.Cause we wont see the diffrence that we should be seeing from it.I guess if there is one deer saved for next year,better than nothing.