New buck rule

[Dustin T Cummings]

I'm just curious to see what people think. I would like to see a new whitetail rule in affect for the near future. The rule would be that any deer shot in bow or rifle season,etc., that was a male deer should have to have a buck tag on it. I think people would start seeing bigger bucks in the woods within a couple years.  If the deer is male ,it is a buck,regaurdless of the points and lenght there for it should be tagged as a buck. Male -buck,female-doe its simple. By shooting a undersized buck now you can use a doe tag to tag it which is total bs. Hunters would have to look at the deer  a little bit better before shooting it,if they decide to. Maybe they would pass it up knowing that it was a small buck,alowing it to age more . Just a thought .

[Candy Grubisic]

That idea wouldn't bother me a bit. Never understood the reasoning behind the way it is done now anyway. I use my binoculars all the time so I don't accidentally end up with a little nubby. I know some don't have the time to scope them out or they will miss out on the shot but hey, that's how it goes some times.

[Candy Grubisic]

You actually can only tell a buck from a doe fawn when they are still in spots or if you use binoculars. The buck fawns spots run in stripes, a does doesn't. You can see a buck fawns buttons with binoculars. Can't fool anyone by cutting off the nuts either. Like I said, you can feel the buttons on his head.

Jason D. Linder said:

I like the idea, however thinking in terms of buck fawns, can you tell one from the other? I sadly shot a buck fawn during the gun season, 9 deer came in they were all walking away from me and I didnt see horns on any of them. I picked a spot in the woods and waited for one to move to that spot, I still saw no horns so I shot. I went up to my kill and damn, it was a buck fawn I would bet this happens all the time. You hear the expression alll the time (if its brown its down) I like the idea that I read that you cant shoot it unless it at least has 4 points but still you shoot a deer like that it is still a whole generation gone with only 1-2 years under its belt, and didnt breed any does. How many hunters in the woods when faced with what I did and probably many like me have done would put a buck tag on when all they would have to do is cut the nuts off and boom its a doe. Hard to enforce but good conversation, we need to think about ironing out the wrinkles before proposing, look at the #wardens to #hunters ratio.

[Jason D. Linder]

I understand u can feel the nubs, but your going to tell me that its going to be enforced? and how do you suppose you will enforce it? I don't think I was talking about when they have strips or spots its the age when they all look that same. I know all to many hunters whom are going to shoot a deer and not take the time to examine each aspect of the animal when say if they need a doe to get that buck tag, again brown its down. I understand how to identify a deer Candy but your hard pressed to get me to believe all hunters are going to take that time. I saw small deer shot on B.O.B. any of those buck fawns?, bet they won't tell you... and even if it were a buck fawn sometimes all you have is that split second decision.

Candy Grubisic said:

You actually can only tell a buck from a doe fawn when they are still in spots or if you use binoculars. The buck fawns spots run in stripes, a does doesn't. You can see a buck fawns buttons with binoculars. Can't fool anyone by cutting off the nuts either. Like I said, you can feel the buttons on his head.

Jason D. Linder said:

I like the idea, however thinking in terms of buck fawns, can you tell one from the other? I sadly shot a buck fawn during the gun season, 9 deer came in they were all walking away from me and I didnt see horns on any of them. I picked a spot in the woods and waited for one to move to that spot, I still saw no horns so I shot. I went up to my kill and damn, it was a buck fawn I would bet this happens all the time. You hear the expression alll the time (if its brown its down) I like the idea that I read that you cant shoot it unless it at least has 4 points but still you shoot a deer like that it is still a whole generation gone with only 1-2 years under its belt, and didnt breed any does. How many hunters in the woods when faced with what I did and probably many like me have done would put a buck tag on when all they would have to do is cut the nuts off and boom its a doe. Hard to enforce but good conversation, we need to think about ironing out the wrinkles before proposing, look at the #wardens to #hunters ratio.