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Post by ozarkmountainman on Dec 9, 2009 16:52:16 GMT -5
In it, Larry unleashes his dislike of the 4-point restriction currently in place for our area's deer hunters. Fair enough- not everyone is for the idea of managing a deer herd thru point restrictions.
But then the article gets weird. You need to read it, but basically a friend (and an experienced hunter) shoots a six-pointer by mistake, then leaves it lay to prevent "making numerous other game violations."
I like Larry Dablemont. He gets to the point, and many (most) of the time he's dead-on, especially when it concerns the MDC. But this time he's living a fairy tale. I contacted our local agent, and as I expected, he stressed that he could not write a ticket for a non-legal deer taken by "accident", ESPECIALLY if the deer was a mature animal with some mass to its rack (as apparently did the deer in Larry's article), IF the violator came clean to start with. The ticket(s) that could now be written would be for wanton waste, shooting a non-legal animal, failure to check it in, etc.
Your thoughts?
Dale
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Post by nemoparttimer on Dec 9, 2009 17:58:23 GMT -5
My thought is that the local agent is full of crap. There is no exception for taking a non-legal buck by "accident". It is the responsibility of the hunter to know before taking the shot. That's not to say that an agent wouldn't be more understanding if the violator came clean to start with but I have my doubts about no ticket at all being issued.
I don't deer hunt but if I was a local deer hunter the 4-point restriction is the LAST thing I would want to see. Ask any Illinois or Iowa local deer hunter what has happened to their favorite deer hunting and or trapping ground once the area becomes nationally recognized "trophy" hunting.
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Post by midmotrapper on Dec 9, 2009 18:36:18 GMT -5
Myself, Think the point restriction is not a bad idea.. it gives everyone a chance to shoot a wall hanger. "Some" hunters will see three points on one side of a rack and assume that it has brow tines as well..MISTAKE! I have saw many bucks that have no brow tines and some that never seem to develop any.
I have a few things about the MDC I do not care for.. One is MDC agents stomping onto peoples property and walking through the brush with no hunter orange on during a firearms season. Just doing as they please. When someone comes onto my property unannounced.. I call them trespassers no matter who they are.
I can see there not being any tickets issued, that all boils down to who knows who and how much money you have to spend in the end. Justice is blind my A**!
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Post by evertrap on Dec 9, 2009 19:03:50 GMT -5
This 4-point rule is kind of like the length limit on crappie .. except the law benefits the sportsman, not the population, (plus you can't throw deer back). It's bad for meat hunters, and good for trophy hunters. So that makes it bad for the majority of hunters. The only good I see in the rule is that it forces law-abiding hunters to identify their target a little more carefully. For the outlaws it makes no difference in their aim, and can only increase their nightly poaching profits. It's not a really bad rule, but it is a very strange rule when you think about it. And it does work. We've always had a similar rule on our land for bucks .. If you ain't gonna hang it on the wall, don't shoot it.
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Post by bigbob on Dec 9, 2009 21:26:55 GMT -5
I think the point rules suck, big time. There's way too many deer in Mo now. If they are serious about making the state into a "Big Buck Farm" they should shut down Buck hunting statewide and make it Doe's only for a few years.
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Post by Guest on Dec 10, 2009 11:11:51 GMT -5
Antler restrictions are virtually nation wide. In some form or fashion. such as in Montana a legal bull elk must have a 4 inch brow tine. now at 200 yd its a guessing game - you guess wrong your in violation. don't touch it leave it lay happens all the time. These regulations are new to Missourians hard to accept for some people. Anny time you pull the trigger you better know Wat your gonna kill. I read all of Larry's articles I think hes beating the wrong drum on this one. Now the It"s Our Land Now article should be printed in all news papers. in brief it tells how the MDC takes peoples property at will. UN Believable. Do you get Common Sence Conservation? BY Larry Dablemont box 22 bolivar mo 65613
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Post by segsarge on Dec 10, 2009 12:38:14 GMT -5
Don't fool yourself, you're NOT going to "get a break" from an agent and not recieve a violation for reporting shooting the wrong deer. I'm not encouraging leaving them lay, be careful what you shoot. Many times it's impossible to see how many points one has, you just have to pass those shots. I don't support the antler restriction for a ton of reasons, but i don't support shooting and leaving it either.
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Post by mmaxwell on Dec 10, 2009 19:16:34 GMT -5
Where is this article???? I hunt southern Missouri, Wayne county to be specific and do not want a 4 point rule at all. My 20+ years of deer hunting in Wayne county has scored me one deer that would meet the 4 point rule. I always have dreams of bagging the monster buck and there are a few around but really I don't care. The first deer I see opening morning gets shot, small buck or doe I don't care its a trophy to me. Its all about meat in the freezer and my family eats good until its gone. The hunting pressure on deer in Wayne county is extreme, I think half the men and women in the county deer hunt. This year I seen a total of 10 deer opening morning and shot one, never seen another deer the entire season. After opening morning all deer movement is at night. I hunt all day with my daughters and seen nothing. Shine a spot light out in the field behind the house around midnight and see 20 or more deer. ( Oh noooo did i say out loud I shined a spotlight at a deer  ) I looked it up on the MDC web site and 4067 deer were checked in Wayne county. I guarantee that number accounts for about half the deer killed in Wayne county for the month of November. The 4 point rule may work out fine in the crop land areas of the state but not in the hilly brush country. I have spent some time on the chat boards of the Mississippi Dept of Conservation website on the 4 point rule subject there and the primary complaint some land mangers in Mississippi have managing a piece of property for large bucks is the 4 point rule eliminates their ability to take out some inferior bucks. My personal opinion if the MDC wants a 4 point rule fine, it applies to MDC properties. Private property owners should have the say on what deer get taken from their property. |
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Post by mryoungtrapper on Dec 10, 2009 22:56:10 GMT -5
Im sorry but things do happen, you se a buck you get 'Buck Feaver' and miss count the points. Any young hunter could do it not everyone is perfect and looking at that buck at 150 yards through your scope and he is getting ready to leave and he looks big dont you think you would be counting points a little fast? I do not have to worry about it down here much unless I go up north aways. We only hunt for meat and when you are haveing small bucks walk 10 yards away and you realy need the meat it kinda pisses you off. The point is the rule is hard on the deer and hard on the people that need the meat the most. Trophy hunters can go back to IL or anywere else for that matter cuz all they are doing is crouding the woods.
Off my soap box.
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Post by evertrap on Dec 10, 2009 23:49:38 GMT -5
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Post by ozarkmountainman on Dec 11, 2009 14:11:11 GMT -5
Although it can depend heavily on the hunter's attitude, my agents are only giving warnings for mistakes. They are being VERY generous, unless a guy gets smart.
Dale
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Post by mryoungtrapper on Dec 11, 2009 14:57:40 GMT -5
I think most agents are that way anyway you dont here about alot of people getting busted realy hard over it.
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Post by ozarkmountainman on Dec 11, 2009 15:06:06 GMT -5
Around here what with the bad weather during the season, and the fact that the deer are in the grassy fields, they've had way more issues with road hunting. You know, guys breakin' the rules on purpose- not making a mistake on points.
Dale
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Post by mryoungtrapper on Dec 11, 2009 16:02:48 GMT -5
Same here lota poachers.
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Post by mmaxwell on Dec 11, 2009 16:33:58 GMT -5
Good articles and I agree with his take on why The MDC wants the 4 point rule.
Most agents will give some flexiblity but I have run into a few real a holes over the years.
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Post by darby on Dec 11, 2009 21:16:28 GMT -5
I think the point rules suck, big time. There's way too many deer in Mo now. If they are serious about making the state into a "Big Buck Farm" they should shut down Buck hunting statewide and make it Doe's only for a few years. I basically agree, but could have point restrictions just on bucks in Conservation owned lands. Kill the doe first, have buck season late January  ...  ....get it? |
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Post by mryoungtrapper on Dec 12, 2009 8:15:01 GMT -5
This rule will only hurt the herd, I bet in a few years CWD will start to show up in the northern part of the state and work its way down. With this rule less deer are harvested witch means bigger heard less food closser together CWD is transfered through saliva and if they are alot of deer eating and drinking from same food and water then BANG! Its only a matter of time.
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Post by swanieboyd on Feb 16, 2010 18:26:41 GMT -5
NO less deer have been harvested due to this rule and it only moves the harvist to more does if you look at the MDC website in harvest reports you will see that the areas that have the four point restriction have killed just as many deer as in years past.Just now the percentages are better for the heard As for CWD its inevitable that it shows up in Missouri it has nothing to do with the deer harvist of 4 point rule it has to do with nature !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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people have been busy it sounds like.