What if deer had no antlers?

[Bayou Buck]

For curiosity's sake,

If deer never had antlers, what would you do differently in regards to hunting? What kind of effect do you think it would have on hunting?


I know I probably wouldn't hunt as much as I do now and I would probably kill a whole lot more deer. It would be like rabbit hunting. I will just walk through the woods and try to shoot whatever the limit is until the freezer is full.

 

[lpo1981]

Agreed!! Id do the same, could probably fill a freezer in a week.

 

[ImThere]

Wouldn't change a thing

 

[Hunter 257W]

I think it would be a lot better. People wouldn't behave so badly towards each other to try to get the biggest buck. I don't care for the way all the Food Plot ads talk about "Pullng the deer from the neighbors land". If it weren;t for antlers, nobody would think that way. It's like you said, Bayou Buck, it would be like hunting rabbits or squirrels. Wooded property would be cheaper too because you wouldn't have so many people buying land just so they can chase big antlers. Don't get me wrong, I like the current state of the deer herd with plentiful deer and everybody having a reasonable chance of getting a big buck, but I think we've given up something to get here too.

 

[bowriter]

It would change a tremendous amount. Think about it.

Now we remove the money from deer hunting. What are almost all of the products out there, designed to do? Help you kill a bigger buck. Remove that financial input. Take away guiding and outfitting for deer. Who would pay to go shoot a doe? Give that a lot of thought. How many hunters would still buy a license?

What happens to deer management? Not only would there be far less emphasis on deer management, if you could not tell does from bucks, think of the management problem.

What would happen is simply this. Deer would be about like rabbits except far more of a nuisance. Opening day of deer season would hold the same aniticipation as opening day of squirrel season. It is even possible, there would not be a season. As they proliferated, it might just be open season all year.

When Ma Nature put antlers on male deer, depending on your point of view, she either did them a huge diservice or a great favor. But either way, if deer did not have anlters, they would be nothing more than an alternative food source.

 

[bigtex]

I don't think that I would change a bit.

 

[catman529]

I'd keep shooting em and wouldn't spend any time in the woods chasing that "big buck" - it would be more like squirrel hunting but harder and with better meat

 

[Football Hunter]

It would change for me for sure,just being honest.And I believe if most people are honest,they would say they would lose interest too.I like all parts of deer hunting,time with friends ,hanging stands etc.But if deer suddenly stopped growing antlers,I sure would fish more.

 

[StalkingWolf]

Trophy bucks would then be measured by the size of their cods and their johnson. Can you imagine the products sold then. :grin:

 

[plinker22]

I would probably just go back to Squirrels.

 

[Hillbilly Hunter]

I would squirrel hunt alot more! The real question is what if Squirrels had antlers? :D I would be in hog heaven!

 

[WRbowhunter]

Trophy bucks would then be measured by the size of their cods and their johnson. Can you imagine the products sold then. :grin:

I thought that was funny then started thinking. We measure Turkeys by the length of the beard and spurs. We would have to measure "something" or what's the point. :)

 

[mike243]

im just a deer hunter,wouldnt make a bit of difference to me,i go for the limit & try to kill 2.5 old or older bucks.i dont think i would drop on age for bucks but thats just a personel goal & nothing to do with any body elses standards,horns no horns they all make great jerky lmao .

 

[bowriter]

im just a deer hunter,wouldnt make a bit of difference to me,i go for the limit & try to kill 2.5 old or older bucks.i dont think i would drop on age for bucks but thats just a personel goal & nothing to do with any body elses standards,horns no horns they all make great jerky lmao .

And just how would you know it is a buck if it is walking in thick stuff. Instead of a treestand, you hunt from an air matress so you could see the danglies?

 

[Crosshairy]

During rut, you'd still see a big swollen...neck...and be able to tell that it was a buck.

I think there would still be some competition, but it would have to get a bit more scientific. The obvious factor is body weight - but I think people would start practicing at aging deer on the hoof more and target older, bigger deer as a competition.

Me personally...antlers are a bonus. I'm out to shoot meat. if a big buck and a doe walk out, I'll for sure shoot the buck. But if a big doe and a little buck walk out, I'm dropping the doe (although I wasn't always that way).

That said - it would be unfortunate, because I think antlers are fun, but I don't hunt specific bucks hardly ever. I would still hunt about the same amount I do now (~ 10-14 trips a year).

 

[W.Seay]

I wouldn't enjoy deer hunting!

 

[Beekeeper]

It wouldn't change the way I hunt.

 

[WestTn Huntin man]

The challenge to shoot mature Deer would still be there.A old mature doe can be just as hard if not harder to hunt as a mature Buck.

 

[fourwheeler431]

Wouldn't change a thing for me. I'm a "DEER" hunter not a "HORN" hunter. I will shoot a buck if I see one,but it really makes no difference to me when they are in the freezer or on a plate.

 

[PapPaw]

I would still just shoot what walks out.

 

[timberjack86]

Wouldn't change a thing

Yep Its all about the meat!

 

[rukiddin]

The bobwhite would still be king................

 

[LIL JOKER]

I wouldn't hunt

 

[huvrman]

Well, if it were does only, I imagine I would hold out for the biggest, oldest, most wary one I could find. As we know, an old doe is just as smart as a big buck.

 

[Bone Collector]

nothing would change. you can't eat antlers.

 

[Coach]

There would be no change. If in the beginning deer had no antlers then there would be no past precedence...Hunters would not put emphasis on them if they were never there. It's not a question that can be answered as easy as some would suggest, but..posters like Bowriter are right in their opinion considering we previously had experience with antlers. How could anything change if it never was?

My guess is we would have less deer, more bear and more bear teeth hanging around our necks similar to deer racks on our wall. Hunters are going to hunt and regardless of what anyone says many hunters need braggin' rights...Just my opinion

 

[AllOutdoors]

It would change for me for sure,just being honest.And I believe if most people are honest,they would say they would lose interest too.I like all parts of deer hunting,time with friends ,hanging stands etc.But if deer suddenly stopped growing antlers,I sure would fish more.

Yep. More fishing for sure.

 

[RKenney]

I think antlers add a huge intrigue to the animal. Not just the size of the antlers, but also the uniqueness of them. You could have a billion deer racks, and they are all different in some way. For example, you could have a billion 5 lb. largemouth bass and they would all look pretty much the same.

 

[Hillbilly Hunter]

I call BS on the "nothing would change" crowd.

 

[BSK]

Don't get me wrong, I like the current state of the deer herd with plentiful deer and everybody having a reasonable chance of getting a big buck, but I think we've given up something to get here too.

Well said.

Without antlers, deer hunting would not be the obsession it is today. As others said, it would be more like hunting giant rabbits, although the limits would be much lower than for rabbits. You could take a couple per year.