Zone 3 antler point restriction

[MnBOWhntr]

The new 4 points or more on one antler law in 300 series zones for all seasons including archery, 3A, 3B shotguns seasons and the muzzleloader season. This new law is going to really suck for me this year as I know of a really nice 4 1/2 year old 6 point buck on my hunting property that I was hoping to get a crack at this year!!

[JackSparrow]

This new law is going to suck for a lot of people, especially those of us with a population problem. Antler point restrictions don't help the population problem one bit, and are a tool that doesn't work the way people think they do. States that have tried them are losing hunters as well as losing the battle against overpopulation. Not to mention the fact that because antler point restrictions put a sense of massive trophy management into the mix, you end up having a bigger problem with leased land, losing hunting land, which then turns into a big problem of population control.

[MnBOWhntr]

I don't think the antler point restriction is going to effect the deer population just cause guys can't shoot smaller bucks. I think that we should do like other places are doing and do an earn a buck tag. You need to shoot a doe first to get your buck tag. I also think that the way guys party hunt in my area there are going to be alot of illegally harvested buck/not registered "camp meat" and possibly bucks just left to rot in the woods cause guys shoot anything that comes out of the woods on deer drives!!

[south40]

I understand why some people arent looking forward to the APRs but I think eventually most hunters in SE MN will support the APR regulation. According to Lou, if APRs don't help with pop. control within the next 3 years SE MN will be earn a buck. Then people will complain about that.

[Grasshopper]

APR's will shift harvest to does and increase doe harvest for at least the first couple of years. This will result in lower populations.

As for guys breaking the "cross tagging" rule, certainly it will happen, but i doubt as bad as everyone expects.

Honest people are honest and obey the law.

Then there's the other guys...

[cowboy bowhunter]

WOW its about time. This will help the state out and hopefully they will turn it to the whole state next year.
For those who say it wont help. This will make people shoot more does. (better for deer herd)
Ths will get the antler size up, bigger bucks. (help bring more hunters into state) (tax dollars)

Im all for antler restriction, or earn a buck.

[Dogma]

I don't see why some people are so resistant to APR. If you are a meat hunter, does are the main target anyways. Unless you are a young hunter (teenager) where any deer is a trophy, I don't see any reason to complain.

One caveat to these rules for SE MN is greater Minnesota/Northern MN. In Northern MN, seeing any deer amongst the tree, wolves, etc is probably something worth taking. I don't necessarily think applying the APR rules statewide is correct.

[MnBOWhntr]

I don't see why some people are so resistant to APR. If you are a meat hunter, does are the main target anyways. Unless you are a young hunter (teenager) where any deer is a trophy, I don't see any reason to complain.

One caveat to these rules for SE MN is greater Minnesota/Northern MN. In Northern MN, seeing any deer amongst the tree, wolves, etc is probably something worth taking. I don't necessarily think applying the APR rules statewide is correct.

I don't have anything against it but like i said I know of a very nice 4 1/2 year old 6 pointer on the property I hunt and I was really hoping to get a crack at him this year!! I think an earn a buck program would be far more beneficial to reducing the deer herd than an APR is going to do.

[cornfedkiller]

I don't have anything against it but like i said I know of a very nice 4 1/2 year old 6 pointer on the property I hunt and I was really hoping to get a crack at him this year!! I think an earn a buck program would be far more beneficial to reducing the deer herd than an APR is going to do.

Its true EAB helps reduce the deer herd (ask wisconsin guys), but it doesnt necessarily help improve the age structure of the herd like APRs are meant to do. In your case, it sucks you wont be able to harvest that old 6 pointer, but that is a rare deer, and of course there are always downsides to everything...I think the benefits of the APRs outweigh the downsides though..

[greenyswatter]

the only people that are complaining about it are the ones that don't shoot does early in the season but as soon as that young forky comes in they shoot it and then throw the horns in the shed to collect dust and never see light again, so why not shoot does? If you all say it won't work then you have never hunted land that the landowner lets all the small bucks go for a couple years and shoots more does!!!! The herd becomes more balanced with buck to doe ratio and that alone is a HUGE improvement to most any land around!!!!!!!!!! GET OVER IT AND SHOOT DOES if all you want is the meat and if a buck is worth shooting it's worth hanging on the wall!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Grasshopper]

I don't have anything against it but like i said I know of a very nice 4 1/2 year old 6 pointer on the property I hunt and I was really hoping to get a crack at him this year!!

I feel your pain!

I would love to kill a giant 6-point sometime....I'd love for you to be able to shoot him and post a pic.

I guess this proves that no regulation is perfect. Oh well, maybe you can find a youth hunter who could get him for you? Just a thought

[MnBOWhntr]

I feel your pain!

I would love to kill a giant 6-point sometime....I'd love for you to be able to shoot him and post a pic.

I guess this proves that no regulation is perfect. Oh well, maybe you can find a youth hunter who could get him for you? Just a thought

I guess I will just have to take my video camera with me this year and video him if I get the chance

[Bird]

I think this will be a great thing. We have numerous 1.5 year old and 2.5 year old bucks on camera every year that disapprear by the end of the season. Not placing blame, but if a few of those deer could make it though year to year, I think hunters in general are going to be happier with what they see out in the stand.

Also with more bucks around it will intensify the rut which will benefit everyone who hunts.

There will be people who don't care what the law is, but they will get thiers in time. A hunter can only worry about themselves unless there is blatent law breaking going on, thats what TIP is for.

Also the law is not perfect by any means, but it is a start.

We have a 1.5 year old 10 pointer that is going to be a dandy if he makes it, but by the legal definition, he is fair game this year, which sucks, but that is the law of the land for now.

I think is 2-3 years we will all be happy this law was enacted, and see the benefits of allowing more bucks to make it to 2.5 and 3.5 years old.

Just my 2 cents.

[MnBOWhntr]

I still think the earn a buck program would accomplish what they are trying to accomplish better

[dbl lung]

Antler point restrictions are the best thing next to being able to harvest anything you want. When you look and New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Parts of Texas and Missouri sure many hunters do not like it the first three years but after that ask them. Most hunters like what they see after the first three years because many have not had the experience seeing trophy animals before. It has been proven to reduce the deer population in the areas it has been applied too just not as fast as EAB does.

I was infavor of EAB in my state (WI) and the area I hunt still practices and aggressive doe harvest every year. The problem with EAB is many people shoot the first antlerless deer that steps in front of them which could be a yearling buck. The other issue is if the state issues to many bonus tags. Many hunters like to kill, kill, and kill some more. Then complain in the years after of not seeing any deer in the area they hunt. This is exactly what happened in Wisconsin during the years of EAB.

So for you guys that do not like the antler restriction requirement watch out what you wish for and be glad MN has chosen a different alternative than EAB. I am sure MN will have the same problems as WI did if EAB is initiated.

[Drenalin13]

well said