Coyotes eat quail, turkey's, rabbits and whatever else also. When they get thick they also harass deer herds, sometimes to the point the deer move from places previously inhabited. As the article states and I agree improved habitat is the key.

One can understand the feelings of some of "if it feels good, do it", because it's a "legal buck".

But what needs to be understood is, it's state game deer biologists who are asking us, the priviledged hunters, to change the legal definition of a "legal buck" to help better manage the herds.

Don't forget, it's really hunters who are the field deer managers. We're who actually kills the deer and our actions whether we shoot or pass have long term implications once you multiply each action by 100,000's of individual acts during the season.

One must also keep in mind that, in pretty much every state but maybe 1 or 2, a hunting license is a priviledge, not a right.

Modern deer seasons in the early 20th century weren't for recreational opportunity. Deer seasons were created to manage deer.

It's the same with a drivers license, which is also a priviledge.

Laws change with the times. And if you don't comply, you can lose your priviledge.

Years ago, drunk driving enforcement was lax and the term "one for the road" meant taking a drink with you after you've already been drinking and sticking between your legs (since cup holders weren't around yet).

But that's all changed. So has legal alcohol limits. Most states were .1 and now most are .08.

As times change with deer management and people and biologists learn more, rules change.

In the 1970's and 1980's, the feeling was that more deer are better for all. But now that deer have heavily moved into suburbs, northern forests have had long tern habitat damage, diseases like TB and CWD popped up, crop damage went up and deer/auto colliions soared, the unintended consequences of managing for lots of deer everywhere, so there was so many deer even poor deer habitat had deer, proved to be a mistake.

Now it's time to make changes to adapt to the current reality and future realities.

In states that offer 2 buck tags or more, the options are going to one buck a year or antler regs for multiple buck tags. It seems like more hunters in the multiple buck tag states prefer antler regs over one buck per year. And state game agencies budgeted to sell multiple buck tags will still need to do so or double or triple the license fee if they went to one buck per year. And that's even more unpopular than antler regs.

I never was a fan of antler restriction. The lease I'm in over in Georgia is a 4 point on one side which by the way is state law in that county now  and  it seems like it's helping because we're seeing more bucks and some bigger bucks are being killed. So I'm slowly changing my mind......stabow

I was in an area with a 3 point restriction. Could of had my 1st bow kill one night but I thought the deer was a fork. Turned out to be a  5 point.  a 3 point antler restriction isnt all bad.  It will take a year or 3 to see the results.  

The problem being if you are  only a meat hunter, you may be affected when there are only buck tags available.

QuoteOriginally posted by James on laptop:
I am all for any kind of restrictions someone wants to put on themselves or private land.

I am against any restrictions the State wants to put on everyone however.I just don't think they should be in the antler growing bussiness.Controling deer numbers through tags should be the limit of there authority. jmho

QuoteOriginally posted by Doc Nock:
Each year since the 3pt rule, I have had as many as 3 BIG Bodied spikes under me at one time, see more than 6-8 each season and MAYBE...maybe ONE antlered legal buck.

I've concluded I just suck as a good hunter since "let em walk" grows big bucks & all I see are the runts.

It's funny you wrote this Doc Nock.Before the two point rule here in VT I rarely saw a spike horn during rifle season...much less anything bigger.Now I see spikehorns and nothing bigger.

I guess I suck as a hunter too.

QuoteOriginally posted by Mojostick:
Myths among hunters often die hard. Even in the light of research.

Read this article from Deer and Deer Hunting on the coyote "problem".

EVERYTHING in nature is connected, I definatly do not think that yotes are killing a abundance of deer, but I can say from experience that they sure do put a heck of a hurtin on the darn rabbits!  So do foxes.  I have a pair of foxes I think, that are living on my rabbit hunting grounds.  The reason I say I think is because I have not actually seen any foxes but I have seen ALOT of sign, and the one set of tracks look very different.  I tried for the better half of the trapping season to catch them, not only because I trap and wanted to catch a fox, but because they totally destroyed my rabbit pop.  I didnt see many rabbits at all, last year it wouldnt be nothing to see at least a rabbit a day, but this year I saw mabye a rabbit a month!  I know there populations are on 4 year cycles but not like that!  

Anyway, biodiversity is key in a good ecosystem, if there are alot of coyotes there will be less little critters.  Less little critters means less big critters, or more?  I dont really know, I was hunting that day of Environmental resource managment class  

Here in Western PA we have a 4 on one side law.

Can be a half rack with 4 on one side and that is legal, but a symetric 6 point is not legal.

Been like that for 4 years, and this has made a huge difference. Every year the bucks and QTY of bucks are getting larger and larger.

Sometimes it takes a lot to pass on a buck, but the results are real and well worth it.  Being proactive in managing the deer herd where you hunt will pay dividends in a quality deer herd, including quality bucks.  I had a hard time convincing the friends I hunt with, but they are now true believers and outspoken in their support of antler restrictions.

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Located in the central portion, 50 miles NW of
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I really hope that NYS will continue on without it as a statewide mandatory program. There is no way an arbitrary point restriction can be the best, or even not harmful in some cases, to such a large varied habitat with huge differences in hunting pressures. Read any true QDM program and they will state that programs need to be tailored to the specific conditions. Points based AR is often simply a feel good measure with little biological reason for the area effected.