PA Antler restrictios--working?

[Pawildman]

Well, it's been somewhere around four years since the antler restrictions went into effect here in PA. I wasn't real sure until this tear if they were actually working or not, but with the really nice bucks I've seen at the processer I go to, and those that I've seen on vehicles passing, plus what my friends have shot this year, (I'm still looking), I've gotta believe that it's working. I can't remember any years past when I've seen so many nice racks.
How do the rest of you feel?

[Legacy357]

There are def nicer bucks in Pa....it has been this way for the past few years now. Problem is that we are letting these little bucks grow and then slaughtering them the following year, along with the does. I hunt all over PA including chester county, bucks county, centre county, wayne county and westmoreland county. I have seen a drop in herd size but a nice increase in the bigger bucks.....if you put your time in, you should get a nice deer.....but I wish they would stop the doe slaughter asap!!

[bearklr]

I agree 100 %. I have never seen such huge racks at the butchers. I saw a 10 point in there that would have scored 150's easy and came to find out that he just got two in this past week that dwarfed him. He also had more 8 and ten pointers than I could shake a stick at. I also agree with the doe kill as well. I think it's about time they start cutting back. I think they are just killing too many of them.

[ron3775]

I agree with the doe kill being to high also. The problem is that in areas where the AR is 4 points on one side, people are holding out for a buck and letting the doe pass, leaving to many deer in these areas. I was hunting in 2A and was speaking to the game warden who said that just a little over a month ago, they were still seeing fawn with spots. That to me is way to many doe for the buck to be breeding.

[doughboysigep]

it is amazing, where are all the nay sayers and Alt bashers now????? You don't seem to hear much about that anymore. Kind of curious. Now we are having similar debates in NY.

[germain]

I think bigger racks are being produced for two reasons.AR/less deer more food.On public lands there's very few buck being killed and there are a few nice ones but it's hard where overharvests occur.
I started practing my own AR before it became law{personal choice}
Having said that in the long run it won't be good for hunting as the license sales will reflect the lack of deer on public lands.
Where there is some control of the harvests I think AR is working well.

[PA GOBBLER]

i like ar's but i think they should start teaching people on letting the legal 1.5 bucks go. i think that would make it even better.
also i agree on most public land they need to cut way back on the doe kill.

ORIGINAL: doughboysigep

it is amazing, where are all the nay sayers and Alt bashers now????? You don't seem to hear much about that anymore.

thats cause they get kicked off of here if they speak against it

No - No - It's because they - Never - Ever have anything constructive to relay to fellow hunters.

ALL Negative

[dayna0306]

Ihad 24 deer on my food plot 5 years ago,now I have 8. to many doe tags.The button bucks where the first to go ,they are to easy.

[absolut40]

I have definitely seen an increase in antler size.Ive seen some very nice bucks killed this year and last year.You guys are right about the doe slaughter,way to many does being killed.We stopped doe shooting 2 years ago except in the late flintlock season.

[doman]

AR is probably making a little difference in seeing more average size bucks. and a few more nice bucks but not everywhere in the state.
Out west where they have 4pt rule and other conditions to produce nicer bucks well sure, but other parts of the state need a little more help.
The numbers for 3D are pretty close every year. they could sell unlimited
doe tags the harvest report doesn't change. the reports I have been hearing for this area this year are poor. unless someone can tell me
some news I haven't heard,