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Message
re: Should some parishes in Louisiana adopt Antler restrictions?
Posted on 10/23/25 at 8:38 am to TheDrunkenTigah
Posted on 10/23/25 at 8:38 am to TheDrunkenTigah
quote:
Y’all can argue about the philosophical merits of antler restrictions all you want, it has been demonstrated over and over that they simply don’t work in any practical sense.
Huh? It's worked in Arkansas for sure.
A lot of people in the northern part of the state have quit hunting in Louisiana due to people who shoot anything that moves. One good friend of mine quit Louisiana completely because he could get a cheaper lease and shoot bigger deer a short distance away in Arkansas.
I'm all for allowances for youth getting some leeway. I've got a 15 year old that will probably shoot the first set of horns he sees but then will hunker down the rest of the season to kill a big one. He did that last year and saw the value in waiting for a larger deer. He killed a deer bigger than I did last year because he waited out the spikes. However, a 40 year old dude doesn't need to shoot every young buck that walks by them.
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Posted on 10/23/25 at 8:39 am to turnpiketiger
My family has land in Pennsylvania, and I’ve hunted there every year for 25 years. When I was a kid, you hardly ever saw bucks, much less a mature one. PA has around 1 million deer hunters every year, so all the small bucks got shot. Killing a mature buck was like winning the lottery.
About 10 years ago, the state put in an antler restriction, 3 points on one side (except for youth hunters). Now we see mature bucks like never before. 10-pointers and better all over the place.
This radical change in the number and quality of bucks has made me a believer in antler restrictions. If you want meat, shoot doe. If you want antlers to hang, there are many more bucks to choose from now. If you don’t care about the antlers, you can still shoot a 5-point and be legal.
The antler restrictions incentivize the meat hunters to shoot doe, which improves the overall herd health, while also leaving more bucks to get big. It’s a win-win for everyone.
Another factor I have not seen mentioned yet is the potential for the state to make more money off out-of-state hunters. Big bucks bring in more hunters, which means more money for the state to use to improve public land and purchase more land to be used for public hunting. Out-of-state hunters also bring in more money for the local economy. Hotels, restaurants, bars, grocery stores, sporting goods stores, etc. all get more money from guys who come in for the week to hunt big bucks. Those guys also shoot doe, improving the herd health.
Although, I do understand the “don’t tread on me, keep the state out of my business and let me shoot what I want” perspective too. But I like what I see in PA and support it.
About 10 years ago, the state put in an antler restriction, 3 points on one side (except for youth hunters). Now we see mature bucks like never before. 10-pointers and better all over the place.
This radical change in the number and quality of bucks has made me a believer in antler restrictions. If you want meat, shoot doe. If you want antlers to hang, there are many more bucks to choose from now. If you don’t care about the antlers, you can still shoot a 5-point and be legal.
The antler restrictions incentivize the meat hunters to shoot doe, which improves the overall herd health, while also leaving more bucks to get big. It’s a win-win for everyone.
Another factor I have not seen mentioned yet is the potential for the state to make more money off out-of-state hunters. Big bucks bring in more hunters, which means more money for the state to use to improve public land and purchase more land to be used for public hunting. Out-of-state hunters also bring in more money for the local economy. Hotels, restaurants, bars, grocery stores, sporting goods stores, etc. all get more money from guys who come in for the week to hunt big bucks. Those guys also shoot doe, improving the herd health.
Although, I do understand the “don’t tread on me, keep the state out of my business and let me shoot what I want” perspective too. But I like what I see in PA and support it.
Posted on 10/23/25 at 9:47 am to WarCamEagle88
So what’s the effect of antler restrictions if like in PA the limit is one antlered deer per season, but you can acquire 6 antlerless permits? And up to 15 antlerless (9 additional) permits in certain areas bordering Ohio?
Posted on 10/23/25 at 10:03 am to White Bear
With regulations like that they have to closely monitor the buck to doe ratio to make sure things don’t get too far out of whack.
Pennsylvania does have about 3x the amount of deer Louisiana does though.
Pennsylvania does have about 3x the amount of deer Louisiana does though.
Posted on 10/23/25 at 10:10 am to turkish
Well it's post peak is still better than LA currently.
Posted on 10/23/25 at 10:28 am to Bayou_Tiger_225
Seems the one buck per year and the increased doe kill would have a much larger effect. The antler restrictions still allow whackage of basket racks. 
This post was edited on 10/23/25 at 10:29 am
Posted on 10/23/25 at 10:52 am to TheDrunkenTigah
quote:except it has, which is why Louisiana deer hunting is shite compared to Arkansas and Mississippi who do have restrictions.
Shame this post will get buried in the bickering. Y’all can argue about the philosophical merits of antler restrictions all you want, it has been demonstrated over and over that they simply don’t work in any practical sense.
Posted on 10/23/25 at 11:02 am to White Bear
quote:
The antler restrictions still allow whackage of basket racks.
My position in this conversation has never been about the size of the rack, but the maturity of the deer. There are large portions of Louisiana where bucks never grown more than a basket rack. It’s just my opinion that as a whole hunters in those areas should try and shoot the 3.5 year old basket rack, not the 1.5 year old basket rack. And in the areas that do grow good deer, that 1.5 year old basket rack would turn into a nice deer.
Eta- Like I said on page one, I shot a basket rack 6 point last year. It weighed 177lbs though. I passed on the 8 point that came out before it because it maybe weighed 125lbs. To me it’s about the maturity of the deer.
Same goes for the does. There is no need to shoot the 75lb doe. They should try for the 115lb doe.
This post was edited on 10/23/25 at 11:11 am
Posted on 10/23/25 at 11:03 am to TheDrunkenTigah
quote:What does this mean?
it has been demonstrated over and over that they simply don’t work in any practical sense.
Posted on 10/23/25 at 11:12 am to turnpiketiger
Just purely on a meat basis, killing two 1.5yo bucks yields much more than one 3yo.
I've come full circle with bucks and antler restrictions. Used to get mad at anyone who shot anything less than 140" . Now I dgaf and shoot whatever is legal doe or buck. More enjoyable imo.
I've come full circle with bucks and antler restrictions. Used to get mad at anyone who shot anything less than 140" . Now I dgaf and shoot whatever is legal doe or buck. More enjoyable imo.
Posted on 10/23/25 at 11:41 am to turnpiketiger
Kentucky zone1
1 buck 4 does
If you’re want big bucks, this is the blueprint. Email LDWF.
1 buck 4 does
If you’re want big bucks, this is the blueprint. Email LDWF.
Posted on 10/23/25 at 12:13 pm to Bayou_Tiger_225
The WMA in MS that I hunt the most changed the antler restrictions from 10"/13" to 12"/15" around 10yrs ago. Anything you kill, you are supposed to check the deer in and leave a jaw bone for aging and tag the jawbone so that it matches the number on the check-in.
During the last yr of the 10"/13" rule (2016), the data showed 59% of the bucks killed were 2.5yrs or younger. Now in 2024-2025 season, 2.5yr old bucks or younger accounted for only 15% of the total bucks killed and 60% of the bucks killed where 4.5yrs old or older! And the 15% that are 2.5 or younger is probably due to youth being able to kill any antlered buck, which I'm fine with.
The data is posted on the MDWFP website on each WMA's web page.
During the last yr of the 10"/13" rule (2016), the data showed 59% of the bucks killed were 2.5yrs or younger. Now in 2024-2025 season, 2.5yr old bucks or younger accounted for only 15% of the total bucks killed and 60% of the bucks killed where 4.5yrs old or older! And the 15% that are 2.5 or younger is probably due to youth being able to kill any antlered buck, which I'm fine with.
The data is posted on the MDWFP website on each WMA's web page.
Posted on 10/23/25 at 12:31 pm to Bayou_Tiger_225
I agree with you, I do my best to base kill decisions on body size.
To the PA rules, seems the limit of one buck per season would do more towards growing older bucks than an antler restriction would.
To the PA rules, seems the limit of one buck per season would do more towards growing older bucks than an antler restriction would.
This post was edited on 10/23/25 at 12:33 pm
Posted on 10/23/25 at 12:53 pm to White Bear
I’d agree. With limited buck tags nobody wants to burn that buck tag on a young buck unless it’s the end of the season.
The antler restrictions isn’t a perfect method, but it does push people to harvest older bucks due to the correlation between antler size and age. Obviously you will have outliers on either side, but as a whole it’s follows a standard pattern.
I’d like to see something like what the posted above mentioned about that Mississippi WMA implemented on specific WMAs and add deer age as a tracked data point. With more info we could make better decisions on the overall deer population.
I do agree with Downshift that forcing that on private land is a more complex and I’m not in that camp, but on certain public land areas I think it could do some real good.
The biggest impact that could be made would come from changing the culture around deer hunting from and “if it’s brown it’s down” mindset to one of shooting more mature deer. They don’t need to be 130-140 class deer, but bucks that are in the 140-150 weight range. In Louisiana, regardless of the area we seem to grow some big bodied deer. The racks are a different story.
The antler restrictions isn’t a perfect method, but it does push people to harvest older bucks due to the correlation between antler size and age. Obviously you will have outliers on either side, but as a whole it’s follows a standard pattern.
I’d like to see something like what the posted above mentioned about that Mississippi WMA implemented on specific WMAs and add deer age as a tracked data point. With more info we could make better decisions on the overall deer population.
I do agree with Downshift that forcing that on private land is a more complex and I’m not in that camp, but on certain public land areas I think it could do some real good.
The biggest impact that could be made would come from changing the culture around deer hunting from and “if it’s brown it’s down” mindset to one of shooting more mature deer. They don’t need to be 130-140 class deer, but bucks that are in the 140-150 weight range. In Louisiana, regardless of the area we seem to grow some big bodied deer. The racks are a different story.
Posted on 10/23/25 at 1:30 pm to Turnblad85
Shooting for inches is pointless, age should be the determining factor. Letting a buck get to 5-6 years old, it is amazing to watch the growth at their peak.
Posted on 10/23/25 at 1:33 pm to Bayou_Tiger_225
quote:
There are large portions of Louisiana where bucks never grown more than a basket rack.
Just a question: Where would you say are those "large portions" are located?
I have a feeling you will say where I hunt and I used to believe the same as you. However, I've seen a change in hunters over the years and we are seeing much bigger deer than we used to mainly because they get more opportunity to survive the first year and a half of life.
Posted on 10/23/25 at 2:13 pm to TigerDeacon
I bet some of the Florida parishes don't have much potential. I've killed and seen many P&Y bucks come from the marshes along the Atchafalaya. If you hunt for a certain age class and know when to target them it can be done. But you got to let them 1,2,3 yr olds walk.
Posted on 10/23/25 at 2:20 pm to SETH6180
quote:
Shooting for inches is pointless, age should be the determining factor. Letting a buck get to 5-6 years old, it is amazing to watch the growth at their peak.
This.....
Our lease isn't huge. about 800 acres so our effect size isn't that big. But we have instituted age class restrictions above and beyond what the state harvest has (Arkansas). Last year we had an off year and several members shot deer that didn't meet our criteria. Basically over age 4 or an agreed upon cull deer
exception being a youth hunter and they get 1 deer that doesn't meet the criteria.
Well our 3 of our members had "uh'ohs" last year. bucks that weren't old enough and as will happen on a lease our size, a couple of our up and comers wandered off and got themselves killed.
This year as of right now there are 3 shooters on the lease.
We had to have hard conversations and agree to voluntarily tap out if we broke the agreement this year. One member already has. Shot a really nice 3 year old 8 with a ton of potential. He voluntarily is done for the year and we will vote on whether or not to let him stay if he wants to stay in after the season (he says right now he's done).
That all may sound harsh to some, but we've killed 4 deer in South Arkansas in the 140 range and have tagged 3 bucks that have tipped the scales at over 200 lbs which seldom happens in our area. Every one of those deer we aged at 6.5 years old. Age and Food.
Ask David Morris from Tecomate
2 biggest factors in trophy production.
I could show you pics right now of a young 8 point that most folks on this board would want to shoot.... but he won't meet our criteria for 2 years. If he gets old enough he could be a stud.
He may wander off and not come back. But he may blow up into a Giant also. We are willing to hedge our bets that he stays around with our year round food and habitat.
To each his own and I know some guys prefer to throw out corn and shoot the first legal thing that shows.... heck that's my dad
But I'm good not killing a buck this year if it means waiting out a stud next year.
Posted on 10/23/25 at 2:34 pm to ElDawgHawg
The one place I get to hunt abandoned the age plus score thing, which was pretty complicated, and went to straight 5 year or older rule for bucks. Sounds tough, but a 1 year mistake does not involve money, just loss of a buck. So, as a guest, I feel better about the possibility of a mistake. As it turns out, I have only ever shot at two bucks there over the years and one was 5.5 and the other 8.5. Probably why I haven't yet been cut from the invite list yet 
Posted on 10/23/25 at 3:22 pm to TigerDeacon
quote:for a long time that included pretty much all of SW LA and a good portion of the Florida parishes. I will say now those Florida parishes (Area 4) has started to see much better deer.
Just a question: Where would you say are those "large portions" are located?
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