14" minimum rule in alot of counties

[snakejake]

I was wondering the same thing, because where I hunt there have been a few OLD bucks that would not have made the 13 min. Oh, well the rules are general and aimed at keeping young deer aroung for later.

[Low Fence]

This law is not to try and grow trophy deer. This law was to help increase the age structure of the bucks in the herd. So even if he's a "cull" he is still a buck, and in the areas with antler rest. that is more important than "culling"

[SURVIVOR]

I like the limit for the age thing but as stated above genetics come into play at some point and why would they say its alright to kill a spike, without a length on the spike... a 1- 4 inch spike just to get another deer.. the warden said it did"t make since to alow only one over 13 inch and spike to get age up. i would rather wait on two over 13 than take a young,i said young spike a cowhorn, longhorn 8,10 inch spike ok, or even for the kids alright let them take their deer, but looking at the overall pic to get the age up????? why kill a young spike?

[cooksomerice]

If I am not mistaken, part of the reason for the restriction was to give younger bucks time to mature. We (hunters) were removing the young ones from the gene pool mostly due to their (the bucks) lack of intelligence. Like most people, with age comes wisdom.

Also, some of these were 1 buck counties and most people simply did not pass up the first buck they saw no matter what the size.

[DFWarcher]

I dont think you will run into many less that 14" 6 yr olds.

X2, alot of people don't even know what a 6 year old deer looks like because they have always gotten shot when they are young. All these folks saying they have grandpa deer running around on their place with 12" spreads probably have never seen a mature buck and have no idea how to properly age one. Once these antler restrictions are in place for a generation of deer (about 8 years), alot of peoples eyes are gonna be opened to actually how big bucks can grow in certain parts of north texas, if you just let them grow.

[DFWarcher]

BTW the rule is 13" inside spread, not 14 inches, and while the bag limit is two bucks you are only allowed to take one buck with a 13 inch or greater spread, your other buck has to be a spike.

[sailor]

I don't know any Game Warden that's gonna let you slide on the law. And I only know one.

[oktx]

I don't want to have a GW in my county if he is willing to let someone slide with a 12" deer!! Then he will have to let me slide by killing 6 ducks on 4 lucky shots.

How about a 12 3/4 shot by a 16 year old, their first bow kill on their first hunt by themselves. Hammer them with a nice stiff fine or warning? Just askin.'

[dogcatcher]

If the TP&W would make special provisions for young hunters to be allowed to shoot the 13 and under deer it would benefit on 2 ways. The youngster could be guided by a responsible adult and the older deer could be culled. The problem is that some people "tend" to abuse some of the programs set up for the younger hunters. Those few punish the rest of the people in the system.

[DFWarcher]

If the TP&W would make special provisions for young hunters to be allowed to shoot the 13 and under deer it would benefit on 2 ways. The youngster could be guided by a responsible adult and the older deer could be culled.

Totally disagree, we need to be teaching kids to play by the same rules as adults, kiddos should not be allowed any exemption for this new law and we should be teaching them this law is in place because in the past we have been killing too many young bucks and its not good for the deer herd to do that. Kids currently have youth season and all other seasons that are opened to adults, there is plenty opportunity for them as the rules currently stand.

[oktx]

If killing under 13 inch deer is bad for the herd why do they allow the killing of spikes? Heck, they have even extended our spike season. Hasn't it been proven that a spike may not remain a spike?

[kyle1974]

always hear the stories about 6 year old 12" spread deer running the country.... but I have seen but a handful of photos of them. I had one on a lease myself, but it was an anomoly, and there were probably deer with much worse antler qualities that should have been culled first.

It's not perfect, but it's rule that will work maybe 90% of the time. There will always be exceptions, but I would much rather let a 6 year old 12" spread walk, rather than letting 2 year old after 2 year old 10 pointers with a 12" spread walk, only to be killed by bubba on the lease next to mine that has the "if it's brown it's down" management practice.

[Fargus]

You might be surprised. The 13" rule was enacted to help bucks mature. If it is proven to the right warden that the pictured deer is mature then he might be willing to "look the other way". Seeing as how a mature buck with less than a 13" spread could be seen as genetically inferior.

I don't think there is a Game Warden out there that is gonna bless off on anyone breaking the law, just my opinion.

[glen]

oktx- I was under the same assumption you are about the spikes. I went to Kerr wildlife and walk around adn read alot of the studies. Better off shooting the spikes even though many times they will develop into more than just a spike. They never made it to much of a deer.

[leebtattoos]

i thought it was 13" inside spread... a lot of ranches only allow 14" inside too. even if it is not the law.

as a whole it is good imo. there are always going to be exceptions but how many baskets do you really have?? i would venture to say that the majority of everyone on heres mature bucks, fit in the restricted laws. if you have that one freak basket that legitimately is mature and is less than 13" inside spread, i bet your gw will let it pass if you can prove it is a stag deer. if not, judo point his butt until he leaves the area.