by John Jefferson

In mid-November, I wrote a column about the anomaly known as “Bullwinkle Deer” — deer with enlarged snouts that resemble the old cartoon character, “Bullwinkle”. I had received information about them from the Quality Deer Management Assn. (QDMA).

Shortly, QDMA merged with the National Deer Alliance to form the National Deer Assn. (NDA). The two organizations pledge continued excellence in scientific deer research for hunters and game managers.

This week, I received NDA’s 2021 Deer Report covering whitetails, Coues and Key deer, mule and black-tailed deer. The first sentence caught my attention: “Deer hunters in the United States took more adult and mature bucks in the 2019-20 hunting season than ever before.”

The significance of that statement followed from Kip Adams, NDA’s chief conservation officer: “Hunters now shoot far more bucks that are at least 3-1/2 years old than 1-1/2 years. This is very different from hunting seasons a decade or two ago.” And he’s right.

My first buck had five points and was one of the larger antlered bucks taken on our deer lease. When it trotted into view, I still remember what went through my head: “It’s a BUCK!” Even seeing one was exciting. And hunters often shot the first one they saw.

On a small ranch where I resided in the 1970s, the owner allowed the foreman of his southeast Texas ranch to come hunt. I was just learning a little deer-ology from TPWD wildlife biologists and had encouraged all hunters and adjoining landowners to only shoot mature deer. Some were dubious, but interested and agreeable.

The foreman from the landowner’s other Texas ranch shot a three-pointer about 2-1/2 years old. When I politely asked him why he had done so after I had explained the relationship between a buck’s age and its antler growth, his answer was, “If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have got nothing.”

Times have changed. Education has helped. I wouldn’t have shot that five-pointer, today. Deer regulations for a number of counties now require a buck’s antlers to be at least as wide as the distance between its outstretched ears. That’s about 13-inches. I’m sure the “antler restrictions”, as they are called, have affected the harvest, resulting in older age classes of mature bucks being shot. Many saw the expected benefits, but some strongly objected.

One was a respected Brenham veterinarian, Dr. Bill Eickenhorst.

Over his and other’s objections, the restrictions were enacted on an experimental basis in six Oak Prairie Region counties for the 2002 deer season. After several years of data, Dr. Eickenhorst told me the results he feared had not materialized, and he no longer opposed the restrictions. Soon the regs were expanded to other counties.

There are currently over 100 former one-buck counties with antler restrictions now permitting harvesting two bucks, only one of which may be mature. Check the TPW Outdoor Annual for restrictions and counties.

The NDA report shows that Texas ranks fourth highest with 70% of harvested bucks aging 3-1/2 or more.

The restrictions are working.

JJ