In reading through the hunting guide, they have introduced antler point restrictions for the UP and DMU 487, which is a group of counties in the NE lower.
An Antlerless deer is decribed as any deer with spikes 3" or less in length.
The APR rules for DMU 487 state that you can:
- Take one buck from either area with 3 points on one side, and each point being at least 1" long using a standard firearm license (Option 1, the "One Buck Option) or,
- two bucks from either area with 4 points on one side and each point being at least 1" long with a combination license (Option 2, the "Two Buck Option") and,
- you can use a standard firearm or combination license to take an antlerless deer, no antlerless permit is required.
Confused yet?
As I read it, with a standard firearm license (Option 1):
- I could take any deer with antlers less than 3" in length to qualify as antlerless
- Then there's a 'dead zone' from 3" up to a 6 point (min 3 points on one side, minimum 1" tines)
- Then I could take anything from 6 points or larger with one side broken off.
Does that sound right? Can anyone clarify this for me? The area of concern is the antlerless part. Which rules take precedence?