Peet, I agree ya'll do need some control... But I would have to really knuckle down and research the huntable/non huntable land to populace ratio. I bet if I was to do this I would find several issues in play. I think in all fairness the issue is not an antler only restriction... it should read like this... No deer under 3 years old with 4 or more points, Deer over 3 must have more than 4 or 6 or more... See where I am going? Young deer tend to have less but show "promise" of having a nice rack older. Old bucks tend to have more unless they are genetically or dieteticly (I know I spelled that wrong) challenged. The antler restriction also removes the best breeder bucks too soon. Old deer with big racks are elusive and rarely found by simple guys like me. And I feel it revolves around the deer's age. I bet a dollar to a doughnut ya'lls decent bucks surpass ours in body size and rack quality. I also bet the same that most deer are shot within a mile or so of the hunter's truck. I have seen some nasty 12-14 point 270+ pounders from "upstate NY" but were a day hike into the woods before the guys were even on the tracks.
I think it is hard to argue that most hunters whether a meat or sport hunter are typically lazy, time restrained or both.
I am a brown is down meat only hunter. I don't want an antler restriction until I get a good antler recipe... My dogs like antlers less than bloody bones BTW!
Brent