The Antler Restriction Debate
The Pros and Cons of This Often Talked About Management Tool
For some antler restrictions not
shooting
deer
with
are all too familiar, yet oth- smaller antlers and passing
ers are not as familiar with on them this season is althem.
Antler restrictions
can be an effective
management tool.
But will they work on
your property and is
there a better option?
Fish and Game right. Others argue that by
agencies
use
antler
re- not
shooting
deer
with
strictions to promote the smaller antlers you cannot
harvesting
class deer.
“Antler restrictions
can hurt junior
hunters.”
of
older
age effectively cull out inferior
This is sup- bucks or that in some areas
posed to help the overall finding deer big enough to
population as well as allow- shoot becomes a problem.
ing younger bucks to grow
older, which in turn means
larger antlers. Hunters fall
on both sides of the fence
when it comes to these restrictions. Some agree that
Both sides are right in one
way or another. However,
antler restrictions have several major drawbacks and
there is another method of
selecting which bucks to
6