Antler point restrictions

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  • Archeryrob

    Undecided on a great many things
    Mar 7, 2013
    3,064
    Washington Co. - Fairplay
    The new regs are out in the 2018-19 Hunters handbook and Many don't care, but on another forum a few are wigging out.

    - No does required to kill another buck, if you're just a buck slayer you're ok.
    - No bonus tag in Early muzzle (meaning you can't kill all three bucks before they could mate)
    - 1 buck doesn't have to meet three points on one side. I think they should only allow this for youth, but that is my opinion.

    Most guys don't seem to care. I actually like bucks have to be 6 or bigger and kill a doe if you want meat.

    Doe bag limits (based on region B)
    Archery 15
    Muzzy 10
    Rifle 10

    3 bucks and 35 does, how are we going to survive until next year. :rolleyes:

    Drop your opinions here.
     

    Derwood

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 2, 2011
    1,075
    DC area
    The other big news is much more Sunday hunting, including public land. I’m pretty excited that Montgomery County Sunday mornings are now allowed. It still seems odd to have to be grateful for being able to hunt on one of the two days off that most people get, but I’ll take it! Major, incremental progress.

    I don’t understand the huge bag limit for does in region b. Why not just leave it as unlimited? Do people really kill 30 deer?

    I don’t really have an opinion on the other questions since I’m not familiar with the current science on deer management and population levels in the state.

    The last thing that I found interesting is the pheasant season. Are there really any wild pheasants in Maryland? Fantastic if so, but I thought they were all gone.
     

    Archeryrob

    Undecided on a great many things
    Mar 7, 2013
    3,064
    Washington Co. - Fairplay
    Derwood, I remember bow hunters in BA Co on the Bowsite competing on how many deer they could kill and donate to FHFH. They were in the 30's in December. They actually got really pissed when FHFH ran out of money and they couldn't donate more deer.

    One guy posted a pic and he shot 4 or 5, 1 after another as they just stood there while he put them all down one by one in an afternoon.

    Heat seaker, its says "Season Bag linit for antlerless" Sound pretty specific.
     

    Speed3

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 19, 2011
    7,816
    MD
    Weird there are doe limits this year, but I be never taken more than the limit this year.

    I typically only shoot doe unless it's a decent 8pt or bigger. In my mind, hunting is still about population control fundamentally. Taking a doe out helps that, while taking a buck really doesn't
     

    outrider58

    Eats Bacon Raw
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 29, 2014
    49,815
    Derwood, I remember bow hunters in BA Co on the Bowsite competing on how many deer they could kill and donate to FHFH. They were in the 30's in December. They actually got really pissed when FHFH ran out of money and they couldn't donate more deer.

    One guy posted a pic and he shot 4 or 5, 1 after another as they just stood there while he put them all down one by one in an afternoon.

    Heat seaker, its says "Season Bag linit for antlerless" Sound pretty specific.

    I haven't had a chance to look at it yet, but usually "season limit" referred to bow season, gun season, or ML season. Now, if it reads "combined season bag limit" or something to that effect, then that would mean yearly limit.

    MoCo used to have an open limit on does during bow season. That's gone now?

    Game management is just that. For it to be effective, I would expect to see bag limits change as management requires.

    Again. Having yet to read this years book, I'm not too worried.

    As a side note; unless I'm mistaken, you could never take a second buck during early ML season.

    One more thought, you could always take two spikes, but any bucks beyond that had to qualify with the at 'least three on one side' rule IIRC.
     

    Archeryrob

    Undecided on a great many things
    Mar 7, 2013
    3,064
    Washington Co. - Fairplay
    Outrider, you are allowed to have one buck that is less three points on one side. The others must have at least three points on one side. I guess they are breaking people in slowly. 4 points last season, 6 points this season with one slip and they just cut the slip out eventually.
     

    outrider58

    Eats Bacon Raw
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 29, 2014
    49,815
    Outrider, you are allowed to have one buck that is less three points on one side. The others must have at least three points on one side. I guess they are breaking people in slowly. 4 points last season, 6 points this season with one slip and they just cut the slip out eventually.

    So in reading the new rules, we lost one buck. We are now only allowed three bucks counting the bonus buck. Oh well. Doing away with spike bucks all together (eventually) would be a huge mistake. I don't see it happening though.
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    If its legal, its legal. If you only like to eat meat with testicles, I won't fault you there. :rolleyes:

    JK :lol2:

    I just plain like to eat meat. Which is why I am glad they allow at least 1 small buck. It used to be 2.

    This past year I missed a 6-point and a big 3 or 4 year old doe because of bad luck and f-ups on my part. I connected with a spike and a button buck (I thought the button was a yearling doe).

    I realize buttons still count as antlerless (IMHO they should, it is often too hard to tell and yes I know what to look for and I still think it is often hard to be sure even with binoculars or a scope at medium or further distances).

    I think I like the changes? I was reluctant to hunt the rut during archery because I connected with a good sized spike on day 2 of Archery season and knew I’d be upset if some big buck wandered by.

    This gives a lot more freedom I think, but keeps Buck slayers in check a little (sorry for those who always seem to connect with mules wearing antlers...Outrider...*cough cough*)

    Since I mostly hunt region B with the occasional A foray, I think this makes me happy. More flexibility as to when I can take bucks and I like no more 2 antlerless before using the bonus stamp. If I am out hunting I am doing it for meat. Now if I’ve gotten a couple of deer in the freezer I’ll absolutely ignore little deer of either gender, but I have enough friends and neighbors who would like the meat or need the meat it is nice to know I don’t HAVE to connect with a couple of antlerless before I can take that bonus buck.
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    So in reading the new rules, we lost one buck. We are now only allowed three bucks counting the bonus buck. Oh well. Doing away with spike bucks all together (eventually) would be a huge mistake. I don't see it happening though.

    Hopefully they continue to allow 1 spike or fork a season. Some hunters don’t get lucky but want or need meat in the freezer and I don’t see a lot of herd size issues with maryland’s deer. I am all about doing some encouragement of getting bucks to grow up big before they are harvested, but not to the exclusion of allowing some opportunities for those who would like to take smaller deer.

    I did notice that change where it basically has to be a 5 or 6 point to count this year as well as the limit of only 1 buck harvested under that point restriction.

    Hopefully the changes do make some difference on the buck/doe balance as well as somewhat larger bucks.

    I have been seeing deer EVERYWHERE the last couple of weeks. More so than the last couple of summers. Also a lot more dead deer on the side of the road this time of year. I wonder if it was a much kinder winter and better fawn recruitment (I am used to seeing a fawn or two this time of year. I’ve counted 8 that I’ve seen in different areas)
     

    engineerbrian

    JMB fan club
    Sep 3, 2010
    10,148
    Fredneck
    Thanks for the update, I'll pass it along to my hunting buddy. He may be one of the few that is affected by the archery bag limit going from unlimited to 15
     

    Archeryrob

    Undecided on a great many things
    Mar 7, 2013
    3,064
    Washington Co. - Fairplay
    Even if they eliminate the one sub 6 point buck I high doubt they will make buttons anything other than antlerless. I have shot them before being in a small bachelor group during rifle and thought it was a pack of does at over 100 yards. They are normally easy to tell as they look like one lone doe and does normally some what group or have a yearling still tagging along. Plus less rounded on top between the ears, but long distance its hard to verify.
     

    J Beard

    Deplorable Member
    Jan 28, 2013
    856
    Calvert County
    My uncle regularly took ~20 a year between MD, VA and WV. That was until his second rotator cuff tear about 3 or 4 years ago.
    He then reluctantly switched from compound to crossbow,,, he turned 76 this spring and only took about a dozen last year.
    Part of his low count last year is because he fell while standing on top of his 4 wheeler trimming branches and broke a couple of ribs.
    Tough old S.O.B. quit hunting with a gun years ago because it "wasn't sporting enough for him". He even hunts turkey with his bow.
     

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