Some counties in MO must have a 4 point on at least one side to be legal. That sure makes it tough to take a shot especially on moving deer or tighter racks. I’ve passed on a few that were shooters even so not seeing the brow tine has to get a pass I’m not taking any chances. It helps I’m not that obsessed to get a deer but I like the acorn feed venison.

That's why I hate antler count restrictions. Some guys just want to shoot a deer for the meat.

Pennsylvania instituted a three-point rule for most of the state and a four-point rule for some western counties bordering Ohio several years ago.

It does make it tough to identify a shooter sometimes. You have to see that brow on a six point or it’s not a legal deer.

If we ever get antler restrictions I'll use every doe tag I can get to shoot button bucks

Our acorns are hit and miss here. Had 2 does in the yard yesterday feeding on small post oak, but that's about I have. How's the crop in your hunting area?

Need to come further south, and there's no restrictions here.

…. Wait till yall get what we have …. A minimum spread rule …. The problem is the deer won’t let you measure them until after you shoot em

We have an antler spread restriction on a big timber company lease that I hunt. It’s supposed to be a 15-inch inside spread to be a shooter buck.

I’m told the way to tell that is that the antlers are outside of the ears when the ears are in an alert position.

I don’t worry about all that though. I’m a meat hunter and mostly target doe. If I “accidentally” kill a smaller buck on the lease, I just report it as being killed off the lease.

Defiantly changed the way we hunt.
Doe became legal at the same time and date.
After one season of bullets cracking overhead,
and trying to count points on runners,,
the thicket sneakers were done, and private land
stump sitters got bored from no moving deer.

If you mention that shooting only trophies
and letting runts breed is stupid.
You'll be told you don't know how to hunt,
by people who don't know how to farm.
Adapt or quit.

the WI 3 inch rule doesn't slow much down
especially when we have 3-5 doe tags this year in some counties

I saw a buck a few weeks ago , biggest spike I have ever seen , it had probably 7 inch spikes but didn't branch out at all.

Mo. has mismanaged the deer herd to the point the darn things are a problem. Couple that with the CWD threat and you end up with a real mess.

I love this thread!

"Meat" hunters rule the day on most public lands....then complain because they never see a good buck.....lol

If you're hunting an area with nothing but private tracts......must be patient....a good one is out there....must be patient! Kill the does for meat.

For you professed meat hunters: if an antlered buck and a doe is standing side by side....which will you shoot? Yeah...I thought so....

Yes, I'll shoot the buck, if he offers a shot first. But if the doe offers the first shot, I'll take her. I'm after meat, not horns. And 1 in the hand, they say.....

And I don't complain about not seeing big bucks. I'd darn sure complain about not being able to shoot a fork if I saw one and it HAD to have three points on a side.

Used to have a antler point restriction here in Mn. I believe that finding CWD had something to do with not having anymore, we had it at one time.

Yeah...down here in the deep Southern US most private tract hunters voluntarily have antler restrictions. Nobody wants to kill a small buck....everybody wants to kill a big buck.

State requires one of our two buck season limit to have 4pts on one side over an inch or a 15" inside spread. The other buck can have any size antlers.

We need to have a reg change that allows a 3rd buck (with antler restrictions) to be killed but only after you've killed 3 does and game check them....then a 3rd buck slot will appear on your e-license.

Our populations are high enough that meat gathering is not much of an issue.

Three point rule here in AR. Made a huge difference in antler quality. We now shoot more 16” 8 pts than we used to shoot spikes and forkhorns. When the 3 pt rule started here, there sure was a lot of whining and complaining. Within about five years, we were back to killing the same number of deer - they were just 6, 8, and 10 pts instead of spikes and forkhorns. Of course, always gonna be some complainers that I guess would rather be shooting a 100 lb spike than a 170 lb eight point.

Does

Fork bucks.

Freedom to choose.

You’ll never hear me complain about not seeing a good buck. I really don’t care if I never shoot another nice one. Give me a nice fat doe every time and I’ll be happy.


I’ll ask the same question of you professional trophy hunters, if an antlered buck and a doe is standing side-by-side.. which will you shoot?

Yeah… I thought so…

The point restriction was removed from our county last year after having it for close to 20 years. I liked it. The only thing I didn’t like was it prevents from removing bad genetics from the herd. Like no brow tines, or bucks that never became more than a 6-pt.

We used to use the kids during youth season to cull bucks but they quickly learned to be more patient and wait for the better bucks.