Determining whether a buck may be legally taken by a hunter requires careful
observation. When counting the number of points, the end of the main beam constitutes one point. Additional points must be at least one inch long to count.
Antler restrictions, such as the three-point rule, are designed to increase the buck age structure by reducing the harvest pressure on the yearling bucks.

On some WMAs and NWRs, antler restrictions are not the same as the statewide three-point rule. These unique restrictions allow biologist to try different management techniques and collect additional data from deer harvested.

Three-point rule:
To be legal, a buck must have both antlers shorter than two inches OR have three or more points on one side of his rack before being taken. The three-point rule applies statewide unless mentioned below. Button bucks may be taken.

Four-point rule:
Lafayette County, Rick Evans Grandview Prairie and St. Francis National Forest Wildlife Management Areas require that a buck must have both antlers shorter than two inches OR have four or more points on one side of his rack before being taken. Button bucks may be taken.

4X4 Slot:
Cut-off -Creek, Bayou Meto, Dagmar, Henry Gray Hurricane Lake, Little Bayou, Rex Hancock Black Swamp, Trusten Holder, Seven Devils, UA Pine Tree Experimental Station WDA and Wattensaw WMAs and all National Wildlife Refuges require that a legal buck must have:

• four or more points on one side of his rack, OR
• four or fewer total points on both sides of his rack (button bucks included)

On Choctaw Island WMA, a legal buck is either

• a Type A buck with five or more points on one side of his rack OR with an inside spread equal to or greater than 15 inches (measured at widest point at a right angle to the centerline of the skull); button bucks included.
• a Type B buck with five or fewer total points on both sides.

On Ed Gordon Point Remove and Galla Creek WMAs, the three-point rule does not apply to firearms deer hunts and any buck may be taken. The three-point rule applies to archery deer hunts.

On Greers Ferry Lake WMA any buck deer may be legally harvested during the deer muzzleloader mobility impaired hunt.

Youth hunters: Youths under 16 may take any buck without regard for antler restrictions as their first buck harvested during the 2005-06 deer season, except on Choctaw Island WMA and Pond Creek NWR where they must comply with area restrictions. Their second buck must comply with legal buck criteria.

Legal buck...but avoid this. Button bucks and male deer with spikes up to two inches long are counted as bucks in the bag limit.	Don't shoot any buck that does not have at least three points on one side of its antlers or any buck with spikes longer than two inches.	Legal buck. This buck has five points on one side. Any buck having three or more points may be taken under the three-point rule.