Here’s how it used to work, back when we had mule deer.
Would be a deer camp of 4-5 hunters. Two would shoot spikes or two points the first couple days. They’d be happy with that. Success. Then everybody would be done hunting and go home. At the same time you could take a kid or old timer out and find them a spike or two point opening weekend.
Now same camp of hunters hunts and hunts and hunts. They stay for the whole season. Because they’re out so long pounding the woods they kill one or maybe two mature bucks. If they would have left early like back in the day those breeders would have survived again. When the whole camp doesn’t get anything they say what fun they had just hunting. The old timers quit buying tags (me now) and the kids lose interest and don’t go out.
On the deer side. So now we’ve got fewer mature bucks. Who are more experienced breeders, genetically superior to a buck that was born a spike or smooth horn two point, and are more adept at eluding predators.
We’ve got a preponerance of inferior spikes and smooth horn two points that will always either be spikes or two points, or throw weak middlin horns.
We’ve got young bucks not being chased off does by mature bucks. So young bucks are falling off does, and pestering them, making the does burn more energy trying to keep them off. Weve got late fawns being born because the doe didn’t get bred the first cycle. Late fawns die. We’ve got inferior breeding stock producing inferior spike and smooth horn two points until the deer are gone.
Not everyone wants big antlers. But I’ve always said if you want to grow big horns, every spike or smooth horn 2 point should be knocked in the head the day it’s born. Or at least the first year it throws horns.
Bingo
I have been in this game a long time. Started at 10 and now 74.
Loop has it right on. Most hunters could care less about anther points. Everyone in my group which ranges from six - 20 hunters would be happy with a spike. And let the bigger ones live. Seems like older bigger bucks would be better breeders.
You have no further to look than your hunting dog breeder to figure out genetics. Same applies to deer.
I have said this many times on here smaller bucks are being shot and left. Three and better show up in the trucks. People are pulling the trigger walking up and counting points.
It’s not going to change unless you throw out the three point rule.
My other opinion is you go to draw only, you kill hunting in this state. It will just go the way of Pheasant Release. No body is going to show up in deer camp to watch one guy hunt. The family hunts, friend hunts will all disappear. For you trophy guys who hunt alone no big deal .
You will love it for awhile, but reduced hunters buying tags it will not take this state long to cut your hunts down to two or three dates. This isn’t Idaho or other states where herds have been taken care of and where the majority supports hunting. This is Washington and any means they can use to reduce our numbers is a good thing in the antis eyes.
