Pondering PA

[longbowman2]

After reading uncountable numbers of complaints concerning PA's deer hunting policies I've come to a couple of conclusions.

#1 - The Game Commission has painted themselves into a corner that is nearly impossible to get out of. For those who say we need more deer the only way to get more is to shoot less. So if the PGC said we're going back to the old 3 day doe season that means these same people would now have to hunt two weeks and not be allowed to kill a doe when they finally see one. I know of a dozen hunters that would quit if you did that to them and there's probably thousands more. Even more would quit if they shut down doe season for a year or two.

#2 - The PGC thinking that adding new Jr. hunting times to the mix is going to add new hunters is too much for me to compute! If you are a non-hunting father you won't even know about these hunts because you don't buy a license. If you're a hunting father and want to take your kids hunting you'll take them regardless if they have their own season or not!

#3 - Allowing the new "mentor" program only applies to such a small percentage of kids that the PGC needs to figure out they have only created another way for adults to take deer and take the picture with it and their kid. Our papers are full of pictures with little 8 yr. olds who could't shoot any legal gun because of their physical size.

Just Pondering!

[Potterco]

Originally Posted by longbowman2

After reading uncountable numbers of complaints concerning PA's deer hunting policies I've come to a couple of conclusions.

#1 - The Game Commission has painted themselves into a corner that is nearly impossible to get out of. For those who say we need more deer the only way to get more is to shoot less. So if the PGC said we're going back to the old 3 day doe season that means these same people would now have to hunt two weeks and not be allowed to kill a doe when they finally see one. I know of a dozen hunters that would quit if you did that to them and there's probably thousands more. Even more would quit if they shut down doe season for a year or two.

#2 - The PGC thinking that adding new Jr. hunting times to the mix is going to add new hunters is too much for me to compute! If you are a non-hunting father you won't even know about these hunts because you don't buy a license. If you're a hunting father and want to take your kids hunting you'll take them regardless if they have their own season or not!

#3 - Allowing the new "mentor" program only applies to such a small percentage of kids that the PGC needs to figure out they have only created another way for adults to take deer and take the picture with it and their kid. Our papers are full of pictures with little 8 yr. olds who could't shoot any legal gun because of their physical size.

Just Pondering!

Paint themselves into a corner indeed! The PGC is going bankrupt in lieu of a tag fee increase an no increase until deer numbers rebound.
Your "pondering" over hunters whom would quit hunting if they couldn't have 2 weeks of concurrent season to kill a doe is moot 'cause for each that would quit for that reasonten fold are quitting 'cause they aren't see enough deer.
I for one think it's time for the BOC to "ponder" a new approach to deer mamagement that includes letting deer numbers rebound to 12-15 PSM in every WMU.

[Potterco]

Ponder this: The BOC has decided to add more WMUs to the split rifle season as proposed recently. Why not do this statewide or at the very least in all the northcentral WMUs..surely deer numbers there (NC wmus) are just as or more depressed than their ajoining wmus. As an example little wmu3a is still 2 full weeks of concurrent doe/buck an numbers there are WAY down with habitat rebounding. Most of this WMU is private or leased lands so I see no reason to continue the concurrent season.

[WillPA]

The PGC has ruined hunting in PA as we knew it forever.

The hunter #'s will be way down, the festive spirit of opening day and hunting is over. Most new hunters can't take the idea that if they hunt for 2 weeks they might get a glimpse of a deer.

Sad part is, is this is how it works. In business or where ever. A very small group gets power, they mess things up beyond repair and then it is over for good.

Main point is. We had a fantastic state to hunt in because the herd was here. Hunter #'s were near a 1,000,000 every year and that created tons of money for the PGC. Now it is down 20-30% and dropping like a rock. No deer to hunt, no hunters will buy tags. Duuuhhh. Amazingly for the 2nd year in a row I scheduled a trip to the West from Nov 5-12, 2010. Couldn't imagine leaving here during the rut 10 years ago, but now I really know I wont miss a darn thing.

Time for action is now. We still have a chance in my lifetime.

[Potterco]

WillPa the herd could rebound in as little as 3 years if the anterless kill wasn't so high. Sadly hunters are the ones to blame, it is they that are killing the deer not the PGC. Nothing wrong with killing a doe for some meat if there are decent numbers of deer. It is the guys whom must kill as many doe as they can get tags for added into the mix that is ruining the herd...ie., in 3A most years recently you could get 2 doe tags easy enough an with the concurrent buck/doe rifle season,early mz,youth,sr seasons late archery and flintlock seasons almonst everyone that wanted 2 does could kill them...that reduced numbers to what the habitat could support BUT the PGC keeps issuing too many doe tags and the meat hunters have killed so many doe that now most can't find even 1 to kill.
The time has come to let the PGC choke on the doe tags to save the herd and let it rebound...how many of the meat mongers are willing to do that??????
**this will be the first year since I was 10 that I'm not buying a lisence at all, an if more hunters did that the BOC would be forced to amend this inane deer program.

[Frank in the Laurel]

One things fer' sure.. the old cliche' of "YOU MADE YOUR BED NOW LIE IN IT" works in this case..they are the only public agency that I know of that has ZERO and I mean ZERO credibilty...they could come out and say that tomorrow is Sat.,it is but no one would believe it..it's that bad!! THEy will never rebound under any circumstances..at least 40% of the hunters that I knew have hung it up over the last 5 years.. no matter what their numbers show...it's bad and their not helping matters at all.....

[Cornelius08]

Yep Frank, the pgc credibility is pretty darn low. The Audit just dropped it a bit more, and the budget & finances committee report showing Roe to have lied to ridiculous extent about the Marcesllus shale projections havent helped either.

In any other less liberal state in the nation, heads wouldve rolled due to all this, sacrificial lambs would have been taken, and the biggest problems in our nations deer management history would have been solved.

But unfortunately....This is Pa.

[Potterco]

In any other liberal state in the nation...they still have a decent deer herd

[Cornelius08]

Thats because corruption, dishonesty, disloyalty & greed arent rewarded in other states, its punished.