When you have a couple hours I'd like to discuss the Book Cliff's experience in detail with you BobCat.
Many, many years ago there was a hand written report that was done by the DWR folks that worked on the unit. The report details the outcome on the Book Cliffs 3 point or better hunt. I had a copy of the report for years but it's disappeared. BobCat do you happen to have a copy of that report.
Your right, the conclusion statement of the report was there were a large number of illegal kills (less than 3 points) left in the field to waste.
As I recall, but might be wrong, I think they said there were more illegal kills than there were legal kills. (Don't quote me on that part because it's been nearly 30 years since I read the report.)
However........................there is, in fact, "the rest of the story" as they say. Without the actual document it would be unproductive and pointless to discuss "the rest of the story".
Here are a few previously unanswered questions that I think are relevant to the "waste" issue on antler restriction management, they are:
"Are there does and illegally killed bucks left in the field to waste by hunters, each year, on the general season unit hunts?"
"If there are, how many are there?"
"If someone knows how many, where is that data set, who collected it and what method did they use to gather it?"
"Why is "a degree of waste" a program stopper for one method of deer harvest management and nobody but nobody ever asks why "a degree of waste" is never remotely considered as an issue on a different management method such as buck only?"
"Has anyone ever provided us "the degree of waste there is on spike elk hunts, or on Limited Entity Management hunts?"
"Are we to believe there isn't any "degree of waste" on these kinds antler restriction hunts or maybe, for some reason I don't understand, there is a valid but as yet unrevealed reason why it acceptable in every other case but never on a mule deer 3 point or better unit. If so, what would that rational be"?
DC