Why?

[DRH1175]

I too agree on passing on small bucks. I bowhunted this year and had a good shot on a 6 pointer twice. I passed both times. However where we hunt the neighbors all shoot anything that comes by. So what I am getting at is until there is a minimum pt restrictions or earn a buck there is almost no point in passing on the smaller bucks. I am sure that 6 pointer that was passed on twice by me probably was shot by the neighbors. Deer management has to start at the DNR level untill they care we will not have a quality # of bucks.

[rabbit lake dude]

I am not in it for the rack or the big antlers. So to me a deer is a deer. I have plenty of time to hunt. I will shoot anything that comes close. That is way my freezer is full of deer all year long. Almostthere has a point. Why do you want big antlers? I never here anyone complain about all the small does being harvested. Just the small bucks. To some of us, who cares about the antlers big or small, it's going down.

[BLACKJACK]

In the last issue of the MN Deer hunters magazine there was an interesting article concerning antler point restrictions. States out west that have had antler point restricitions for years are starting to abolish them because they've run into problems with a) animals getting shot and left to lay because they didn't meet the minimum every buck above the minimum getting shot, creating an unbalanced herd with no older bucks.

If the states out west have found antler point restrictions to be a failure, why should we repeat that failure??

[Ron Burgundy]

I would like to think I could pass on the little guys. Then again the only buck I've ever shot is a little 5 pter. I buy two tags right away so I can take a doe for the meat and then wait for a respectable buck. Zone 349b is pretty cool.

[Gissert]

I'm not sure antler restrictions alone will do it. Look at the deer in this photo. Three of these bucks are eight point or better, yet I would be surprised if any of them are over 2.5 years old. The future does look good in my neck of the woods,

[lawdog]

Hey Giss, I think you have a different problem! You need a guy like me, or maybe even a couple of us to help you thin out the overpopulation of big bucks you'll have there next year or the next... I could be available to help you, but only because I would do that for a fellow FM'er in need

[ricqik]

We don't need someone to tell us what a trophy is. We don't need more regulations. In my 10yrs of bowhunting, I've never shot a big buck, nor would that big buck mean any more of a trophy than my first spike I've ever shot. The DNR stands for Department of Natural Resourse, not Department of Trophy Sport Hunting, so we don't need to be pushing for sport hunting. You want trophy sport hunting, organized a group and buy some thousands of acre somewhere and fence it up for you sport. With so many wants and needs from so many people and their opions, hunting and fishing has strayed from it's roots and becoming more a sport rather than the fishing or the hunt it should be.

[Gissert]

Geeze Lawdog, what a pal, LOL.

One of those bucks was shot by a neighbor. They pretty much scatterd once the velvet came off.