Three point or better laws

[blacktail luv]

I love the three point and better rule, but it does not apply where I hunt, two points or better for the blackies, but I would love to see the rule statewide.  I think most of us on here are a little bias though because most of us love big racks.  It is hard to convince people to let them grow up, a lot of guys will shoot the first legal buck they see.  Hey start a petition and send it to the dept. of wildlife all my budies from south central would sign it.

[RC3]

Its great, leave it!

I do wish we would go more like the way Colorado has the seasons broken up into seperate one week seasons for their permits so not so many hunters in the woods at once

[stumprat]

I go to the three year meetings, but I get pretty frustrated.  They already have their minds made up on the course they are going to take and I believe the meetings serve to only try and placate us.  They get such diverse ideas and thoughts and you get plenty of anti hunters at the meetings and writing in.  In the end I go and voice my opinion, and will continue to do so, but honestly I believe I have NO impact at all in this state.

My thoughts exactly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[elkaholic_74]

As a blacktail enthusiast I would love to see at least a 2 point or better restriction here on the west side, 3 point would be even better. Area 636 Skokomish has been 2 point or better for years, I'd be interested in knowin the facts on how much this has increased the mature buck population there. I'd like to see all doe tags limited to the youngins and disabled hunters as well. But of course it does little good to limit areas to 3 point or better if the tribal hunters can and will shoot whatever.

[youngchristof]

three point rule is good, I personally have a 4 point rule,  let em grow up a little

[mossback91]

An area just up the road from my place in omak has developed alot of large 2 points. It would be the pogue unit which I dont usually hunt but check out the deer very often..........I saw 3 different 2 points up there all over 20 inches wide with one being over 20 tall and very heavy horned.  I think there should be a way to kill these bucks


Also the only problem with the any deer youth season is the fact that *censored*head parents shoot deer for their kids......I had a chance to hunt seasons liek this for two years in ok county..... I know kids whos parents actually shot deer and made them tag it and I think that had alot to do with the season change even though it is good for the youth.

[croix]

I recently read a study conducted over a 20 year period on a closed ranch. The study closely tracked the breeding of every deer and documented antler growth and overall health of the herd. They discovered that a deer with spike antlers in its first year RARELY grew more than seven points total (even after 5-6 yrs). Additionally, the offspring of these bucks invariably had spikes in their first year. Deer with forked antlers in their first year would consistently grow "trophy" sized racks. Of course available food sources have a lot to do with antler growth, but in this closed environment food was in abundance. The long and short of this is

If you want more deer with smaller racks, then let the spikes walk. If you want more trophy racks, then pull the trigger on spikes.

The other interesting thing that I gleened from this report was regarding overall herd strength. It seems that the biggest factor affecting overall health and herd size was the buck to doe ratio. The closer they got to a 1:1 ratio the better the herd did.

It is hard to argue with the success of three-point restrictions in certain areas, but IMO weeding out the inferior genetics of spike deer would have an impact that would be hard to ignore. It is also my opinion that no matter what antler restriction is used, antlerless deer population has to be controlled for overall herd strength.

My bottom line is that I cannot support a state wide restriction of any kind. Each area can support different populations and should be treated as such. I would rather see a good overall population than a ton of trophy racks. I like to see a good rack on my wall as much as the next guy, but like Teacherman's signature says... "antlers dont taste very good no matter how long you cook them..."

Just my 

[yelp]

I think there are a lot of differences around the state.

I think three point or better isn't the answer for quality mule deer.

Permit Only and proactive deer management.

 I think most hunters aren't trophy hunters.  I think if wdfw changed some GMUs to any buck.  80% of hunters (knowing they didn't have to count points) would take a few 3 pt bucks but the majority just like before 3pt or better would harvest the first buck they saw.  I think we would see more of the older class of bucks make it through to the rut.  Those are the bucks we want to pass on genetics not big two points.  Deer management must be proactive and fluid.  It must roll with the punches.  If we have a bad winter.  Initiate 3 pt or better for herd recovery for a few years. Increasebuck recruitment. Private land GMUs and Public Land GMUs have different harvest rates and different hunting pressures.  It is all based on opportunity.  That is why many private land areas have quality hunting.  Now there are public land GMUs that have lots of quality deer with lots of pressure.  I believe these areas are product of habitat, terrain and herd composition.  The hard part about Mule deer is that they move and they migrate.  Some areas get pounded by hunters and buck numbers are low going into the rut.  Has anyone seen late fawns Late June/July.  Well many times some areas don't have enough bucks to breed all available does so when unbred does migrate down to winter range they will hook up with a buck later.  Not all fawns are born at the same time.  This delay affects winter survival rates.  Buck composition seems to be different in each GMU too.  The WDFW manages on a PMU (collection of GMU's) which means that you may have one GMU that has got it all. 25bucks/100 does.  But when you average it with all the other GMUs within the PMU the average drops to 16 bucks/100 does.  That is what the seasons are recommended upon.  I would like to see more focused management.  Remember before three point or better?  Longer seasons, small bucks.  Some areas exploded when 3 pt or better was implemented.  It seems that it cause a natural selection for a two point by removing three point or better bucks.  I don't have any answers but I don't think three point or better is the only answer.

[fc2038]

Love it and do not want to see it change

[bobcat]

Seems to me they might as well make it a 4 point minimum if they want to manage with point restrictions. Otherwise I'd rather see general season eliminated and have all mule deer hunting by permit only, and what the heck, blacktail too...and with no point restrictions.

[ICEMAN]

Havent read this whole thread, sorry if I repeat someone elses thoughts;

I like the 3pt/better.

One problem I see is that in some areas, genetic 2's end up perpetuating their genes to the point of crowding out the bigger rack gene. One area I hunt (might be entiat, might be chiwawa, might be swakane....) is crowded with big2's, and they keep hatching more 2's.... 

[buckbrush]

Would like to see this in the packwood unit.  Maybe even a couple years of no late buck hunts there also.