3 point or better units

[WAmuleyHunter]

i am all for a few four point or better units.  I think are trophy units this would be a great thing.  I love the three point or better rule, i hope it never disappears.  I also would like to see a few tags for just those big two points for the youth or actually for anybody, november hunts, just for two points. anyone can put in for them. I am sure most people that would put in for this would be youth or disabled hunters but guess with only a couple points might as well.  I know i wouldn't mine drawing that tag and taking one of these smoker forked horns.

Garrett

[boneaddict]

Andrew, your idea would work better if they limited it to one or maximium of two choices for special permits. For point restrictions I am mostly refering to muledeer.  Whitetails can have three points with milk on their lips.  I'll leave it up to the experts to tell me what blacktails should be.  

[Buckmark]

For the guys that are saying "2 point only tag", are you saying for smooth 2 points, no eye guards or even small stickers? So we would have people that would be looking for and have to field judge if the buck is a solid 2 only?
Heck there are guys who cant count to 3 or tell what an inch looks like right now with the 3pt or better rule so i dont think a smooth 2 only rule would work at all, whoops didnt see the sticker/eye guard let it lay. That happens now with the 3pnt rule only backwards..

[boneaddict]

Probably the same thing

[banannaclip]

i like the 3-point or better,some units have already for senoirs,and young hunters a any buck hunt  so if they see a whopper they can harvest it, but they also can harvest a spike,2-point.if you want bigger bucks push the season to november and have a 4-point minium.

[chad s.]

Our deer camp has harvested a lot more deer since the 3 point min went into effect. I'd be all for a four point minimum, because I have no desire to shoot many 3 points I've seen.
cs

[fishunt247]

Of everything I've read so far, I think there have been two great ideas proposed: 4pt minimum in areas traditionally known to have trophy potential (maybe Entiat, Swakane, Alta, Mission, Teanaway, and an open country unit like the Ritzville for guys like me) to attract those who are after something special, and two point only youth tags in every unit. But with the two point tags, as many small two points will get killed as mature stagnated two's.

[swanny]

I imagine if it went to 4point or better you would see a decrease in tags purchased. Most people tend to only get a weekend to hunt and limiting them with what they can get even more would probably deter them from even going. People buying less tags means even less money for a department that is already hurting for funding.

[fly4fish]

The 3 point minimum rule is a great rule for mule deer, but it needs to be revamped.  It should be 3 points above the ears.  No 1.5 year old deer should get punished for having the good genetics to produce an eye gaurd at such a young dumb age.  Its like having a death sentence to grow an eye gaurd.  It is unfortunate there can't be a rule that all bucks have to be atleast 3 of 4 years old to harvest.  Obviously this would be impossible to expect everyone to know how to judge deer age, but it would work well.  Every year there would be a new crop of nice bucks, kind of like a limitted entry unit.  To me age matters more than size, I wont shoot a deer that Im think is not atleast 4 years old, they provide the challenge I am looking for and I think they deserve to live to maturity.

[huntnphool]

I imagine if it went to 4point or better you would see a decrease in tags purchased. Most people tend to only get a weekend to hunt and limiting them with what they can get even more would probably deter them from even going.

Swanny, with the general hunt only 8 days long, how many weekends do they have to choose from anyway.

[Kowsrule30]

I like the 3 point min rule..... For Mule Deer.... I've passed up a lot of small 3's and have tried my damndest to put a 3rd on some huge 2's..... The unit I hunt has also been through some bad winters, cougars are running the place, and that deer lice thing hit hard.... Saw a bunch of balding deer..... So IMO the GMU of my choice should be closed to deer hunting for a year or two and cougs should be unlimited....  I use to see a lot of nice bucks and a bunch more does.... Not so much any more....    I'm not the expert.... So take it or leave it....

[longstevo]

I haven't seen a huge handful of four points in my hunting career, but I have seen many three points.  So if the four point rule went into effect, I don't know if I'd see a lot of shootable deer.  

But such is the rules.  My favorite hunting unit when from a two point min. to a three point min. about two years ago.  And while I haven't had a lot of time to devote to there, but I haven't seen a huge influx of big bucks, so I don't really know.  

[Crowns]

I can understand both the ideas of 3-point above the ears and 4-point minimums. I really dont think THAT many 2-points with eye guards are shot but they certainly would seem to have better genes if young. However, I would lean more towards the 4-point minimum. I would say that 85% of bucks 4-point or better, even with eyeguards, are 3 1/2+ so that would let them get a good jump start on getting to that mature age. I have read studies that say skeletal growth ends at the age of 3 1/2 and muscle growth is 5 1/2 (5 1/2-8 1/2 is generally peak antler growth). Just my  .

[alecvg]

The problem that I have with any buck youth hunts is the same that I have with doe youth hunts, a lot of the Dads fill that tag and not the kids.  I personally know (but won't hunt with) folks who push their kids through hunters safety at a very young age just to get special youth permits and fill them themselves while Jr. is sleeping in the backseat of the rig.  (Like the guy who tried to fill his daughter's doe tag in my front yard)  It would be a great opportunity for kids but an equally great opportunity for bend the rules type of Dads, IMO.

That is true, and I have heard of that many times, but in my opinion, thats what happens.  We can't just take away youth tags because some dads break the rules.  Youth tags are what get kids into hunting, it did with me.  I think youth tags are necessary.   

[alecvg]

i like the 3-point or better,some units have already for senoirs,and young hunters a any buck hunt  so if they see a whopper they can harvest it, but they also can harvest a spike,2-point.if you want bigger bucks push the season to november and have a 4-point minium.

As fun as that would be, for a while, too many deer would die, hunting the rut with rifle, just about anyone can get a 4 point.  And alot of people would do it.