anybody know how the SOA hunts are going this year. thanks

I was on the primitive weapons hunt in November at Cedar Creek. I saw some borderline shooters, one stud that didn't get in bow range, and saw several does. I ended up killing a doe with my bow the last afternoon. Only 3 deer were killed there that week: an 8 point that didn't quite meet the antler restrictions, a spike, and a doe.

How'd they punish the rule-breaking buck shooters???

thanks for info ,i didn't get drawn so i was curious

I am curious to know this as well

When I was at Portland last year, there were a couple of bucks hauled in that I thought were way below the antler criteria- one was a basket rack 2 year old that was a pretty egregious violation. It wasn't even close.....but I never heard anything said to them by the biologist....which was weird, because he rough talked us pretty good about shooting deer that did not meet the spread criteria the morning before the first hunt of the weekend.

I saw a guy on FB a couple years ago that claimed he got ticketed for shooting an undersized buck on an SOA and also got blackballed from registering. Not sure if it was true or not.

i've heard people say how suspicious they are about how drawings are done also.

They fined a guy 500$ and then not allowing for 5 years or so I think. I was on one where a guy shot a small buck breaking the rules.

I would have had to ask the biologist about that.

When I hunted Cedar creek a couple years ago a guy killed a button buck and a small 6 point.
They took the deer, ticketed him, and he cannot register for SOA hunts.

I went to uchee creek for the archery opener. Saw several small bucks and does but we didn't kill anything. One border line legal buck was killed. Talked to guys that muzz hunted the same unit. The didn't kill . Said one big buck was killed and one guy got fined for killing a 13" wide 9 pt.

The rules I’ve seen say you will no longer be allowed to register for future hunts.

The spike that was shot had probably 2 inch spikes and it was an older guy that thought it was a doe and the 8 point was really close to meeting criteria and it was a 15-16 yo kid's first buck, so in that case I don't think a big deal was made about it. But I have heard that your name goes on a list if you violate the restrictions and it affects your ability to go back.

That sounds about right.

For the record, the demographic of the fella that shot the most obvious of illegal bucks was a fella about mid 30's, it was obviously not his first time in the deer woods. I have to think they are a little harsher on folks like that than first timers.

I had the first Oak Mtn hunt, didn't see a deer. And I covered that place

I don't think I'd go back to another Oak Mountain hunt. I had a lucky first time there with an 8pt I shot, but after that I struggled to see any deer. Seems to be the case for most people. What unit did you hunt?

I’m hunting Oak Mountain for the first time this year. Zone 3 starting Jan 22nd.

I hunted Portland Landing last year at took a 5 1/2 year old 8 point that just barley meet the atler requirements. I saw a 2 1/2 year old seven point killed on the same hunt that didn't come close to the requirements and there wasn't a word said about it.

Deer don't move into that area until all the leafs have fallen.

They are in there. I've killed deer on every hunt I've been on since before SOAs. Of course there are fewer deer but their in their, like stated the weather plays a big role in it