Stevens County Petitions Wildlife Commision for 4 pt. minimum restriction

[Wacenturion]

An interesting read.  Not so sure I would choose the Biologist's (S. Fitkin) logic for no antler restriction over the improved buck/doe/fawn ratios data shown after restrictions, not to mention general concensus of the local folks.  Also compare the results as to meeting Washington's management objectives (buck/doe ratios etc.) to what is said regarding Oregon's success with a different approach. 

http://www.wogameandfish.com/hunting/mule-deer-blacktail-deer-hunting/wo_aa075504a/

[Wacenturion]

Another article........strictly whitetail.

http://www.whitetailjournal.com/ArticleContent.aspx?id=2095

[mulehunter]

I promise they are trying to fool all of us trying to save as many deer to feed enough to Diamond pack and some new packs coming in. So it will balance out ok for 3 years at least then worst after that will happen for sure.

Mulehunter 

[Ray]

I think it will be a dud.

[bearpaw]

In this case, I know the people involved, they are all truly wanting to improve the hunting.

[WAcoyotehunter]

I promise they are trying to fool all of us trying to save as many deer to feed enough to Diamond pack and some new packs coming in. So it will balance out ok for 3 years at least then worst after that will happen for sure.

Mulehunter 

that's untrue.  The people pushing this are the sportsmen. 

[bearpaw]

I promise they are trying to fool all of us trying to save as many deer to feed enough to Diamond pack and some new packs coming in. So it will balance out ok for 3 years at least then worst after that will happen for sure.

Mulehunter 

that's untrue.  The people pushing this are the sportsmen. 

That is correct on this issue, it is local hunters pushing for this.

[Cleve]

I am undecided on the issue also.  On one hand you have people that are meat hunters that are forced to kill a immature buck just for the meat.  In that case give people the option to shoot a doe.  Coming from Montana where your A tag was good for either sex, many people would hunt all season for a big buck and on the last day shoot a doe to have meat in the freezer.  What would this do to numbers here in Stevens County if everyone hunted all season for a bruiser and if they chose to harvest a doe instead of a spike or fork horn just to fill the freezer.  Can the herd numbers support this option?  I love the option of letting the as Bearpaw stated "Stupid Bucks" live to grow another year, but at the same time I love deer meat and would be just as happy with doe meat if needed.

[Viszla]

I have not seen where antler restrictions have worked on the muleys so I don't really see why it would work with the whitetail.  Like everywhere else in the state, if they want larger deer herds maybe they should just cut down the archery and muzzle season.

[Ray]

Like everywhere else in the state, if they want larger deer herds maybe they should just cut down the archery and muzzle season.

I don't see how that works out. You should explain how the math works on that or the philosophy. The way I view such an idea is that many current muzzleloaders and archers will pick up a rifle and harvest the same numbers during the modern season. Probably same number of deer killed. People would just migrate to different tags (or even different states) if the respective primitive seasons are diminished enough. The only solutions I see are going to be shortening seasons which nobody wants to give on and/or creating permit only hunting where it's needed (seems more viable).

[NWBREW]

This is interesting. I have hunted stevens county for the past 20 years but I hunt in the "any whitetail buck" area. I cannot remember the last time I killed a buck with less then 4 pts on one side. I would support it but would like to see all the units go 3 pt or 4 pt or better. With a whitetail most have eyeguards....not all but most. So by making it 4 pt. or better all they are doing is leaving the spikes and forked horns alone to grow but that doesn't mean you can't shoot a young buck. I have seen young 1 1/2 year old bucks that would be legal under the three pt. rule and 2 1/2 year old bucks that would be legal in the 4 pt. rule. So this 4 pt. or better rule for whitetails would just add one or two years to a buck. Most ....if not all 1 1/2 year olds would walk. But a lot of 2 1/2 year olds would be legal. Not huge...but legal.

If anything it would let deer live past their first year with antlers on their heads.

[Viszla]

Don't get me wrong, I love to hunt as much as everyone else on here but at the same time I would love to see the muley season cut down to one week for each user group untill the herds are built up.  At least cut out the late seasons.  It kills me to to see these bowhunters coming down the mountain with a deer strapped to their snowmobile and laughing at how "you just run 'em until there tongues are hanging out."  The late seasons are having an imense impact on our migratory deer herds especially in the areas where you can shoot antlerless.  As long as the deer are being hunted 4 months out of the year their numbers will not increase.

[Ray]

Viszla that sounds illegal. Chasing the deer with snowmobiles. I don't support that with bows or rifles (or anything else). I'd ask the game warden and turn that sort of information over to them. Sorry to hear that but I don't believe most hunters I know are like that.

[sako223]

Antler restrictions are not synonymous with Quality Deer
Management. Rather, antler restrictions are a strategy to protect a specific age class (generally
1½ -year-old bucks, also called yearlings) or classes of bucks.

Many antler restrictions have been
used, including point, spread and beam length requirements as well as Boone & Crockett score. All
restrictions have advantages and disadvantages. The key to implementing an effective strategy is to
devise it from local data and then educate local sportsmen and women on the benefits.

Antler spread is a better predictor of whether a buck is 1½ or 2½ years or
older, and is therefore a more biologically sound approach to protecting yearlings.

The QDMA is encouraged by the increasing number of
states implementing strategies to protect yearling bucks. In general, the QDMA prefers the voluntary
passing of yearling bucks to mandatory antler regulations. However, we recognize that antler
restrictions may be justified in some situations to achieve specific deer management objectives. In
the long term, QDMA is optimistic that enough hunters will voluntarily pass young bucks that antler
restrictions will become unnecessary and even cumbersome to more sophisticated management.

The percentage of bucks in the harvest has declined in most states during the past decade. This is
a positive trend for the health of deer herds and habitat and for the future of hunting. The QDMA
recommends deer herds are maintained in balance with their habitat, with balanced adult sex ratios
and age structures. This situation is obtained by harvesting the biologically appropriate number of
antlerless deer and by protecting young bucks. For most states, adult bucks (1½ years and older)
should constitute less than half of the total deer harvest, and yearlings should constitute less
than half of the adult buck harvest.

These are quotes from the following Long Download link.
http://www.qdma.com/media/WhitetailReport09.pdf

Unlike most biologists WDFW related articles I find some palatable info here put together from across the US.
I also don't agree with more attempts at creating Trophy units as all that I can remember have failed and it is a lot of time wasted because the recovery time makes it even more miserable. Trophy units have failed for many reasons including that the goal is not exactly herd balanced. Next obviously is shoot-n-run and poaching. Then tribal hunting. Increased predators. Then the unthinkable disease and winters can bring it to zero again instantly.

Point restriction have become a requirement but dreams of creating trophy units will fail with point restriction being the only restriction. Even permit only trophy units have failed. Herd management should be the goal with limiting hunters. This will yield trophy animals.

[Skycruiser]

I've hunted Stevens County for over 30 years and have never shot a buck with less than five points on at least one side. I'm sure even some of the 4 x 5's I've taken weren't more than 2 1/2 years old. I think it's a good idea to let 'em grow up a bit.