Dead 2 point mulies

[Bob33]

If in Montana, common sense would be used. In Washington, get ready to lose your hunting privileges!! Maybe if WDFW used common sense in these instances the deer would not have went to waste. People would rather walk away- which is not right, but WDFW doesn't encourage people to do the right thing, when mistakes happen.

WDFW Officers can and do use judgement in self reporting violations. Are they still going to get charged, sure (as they should). Is it automatically going to be for illegally taking an animal out of season (2pt in 3 or season), no. Plenty of times the individual is cited for something like failing to tag instead of the bigger charge of out of season, in fact this was seen on the Rugged Justice show.

Problem is if you say self reporters face no penalties then more people will take shots without identifying their game and if it's a 2pt in a 3pt they can call WDFW and walk away free.

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I suspect the number of hunters who violate a game law and get consequences that may be excessive or unreasonable is far outnumber by the number of hunters who violate a game a law and get off too easily, or aren't caught at all.

[steen]

I've seen 3 beyond the ears 2 pts. One was a giant way outside the ears with a square hind end. You can't shoot based on antler width. I had to pass on a beauty of a 4 pt cause he was looking straight at me. My son was trying to put eye guards or a third on him. As soon as he turned and ran it was obvious he was a 4 X 4. A few does went with him and out steps another outside the ears bugger looking right at us....300yds. He turned and was a smooth two! They will never be more than that. Now if you could shoot two points that were outside the ears we could eliminate the problem. I may have taken 3 by now! I would have been proud of all three! The game warden we camp next to had 3-4 two points, among others, in his tractor bucket when we hunted in Twisp area. He also said there was a 30 inch two point taken. That is the only draw back on the 3 point min. I like being forced to take a larger buck. Love hunting mulies!!!

[Skyvalhunter]

And love eating tag soup!!

[andrew_in_idaho]

Alright guys, this is a tough one for me, especially the flaming on about always identify your target. It’s been long enough ago that I’m sure statute of limitations has run out on this one so here goes

A couple of buddies and I were out hunting in some mixed scabland/dryland farm country. We spotted a group of deer, 3 bucks, 7 or 8 does. We are watching them cross this field and all 3 of us put a 3rd point on the right hand antler of the 2nd buck in line, my buddy shoots and he drops. We walk up to the buck and the 3rd point is not there. None of us are the type to walk away and leave a deer to waste, but we are also young and a little bit scared. 15-20 miles away is the one and only mule deer unit that is open to “any buck”(I think at that time it may have been any deer) we got that thing cleaned up and scooted on over to that unit for the rest of the day, and if we got checked the story was that this buck came from said unit. Was it right? Not in the least. Did 3 different sets of eyes,with time and glass, make a poor judgement call on whether or not there was an extra 1” projection on a set of antlers? Absolutely.

All of this to say I understand that mistakes do happen.

As to the 3 point minimum rule I don’t know the correct answer. Unlimited “any buck” hunting is not the answer. Very few of us want to see a draw only system so that probably isn’t it either. The 2 pt or less strategy is an interesting one but they are currently using that strategy in the Owyhee’s here in Idaho and I know that they are currently, quietly re-examining that strategy as they are starting to see detrimental effects to buck to doe ratios so that probably isn’t the answer either. As it stands the 3 pt minimum is probably the best tool in WDFW’s toolbox for managing their deer herds/hunters.


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