Confusion about ARs
In reading post after post discussing ARs, it seems to me that some people are confused about what ARs actually are and how they work.
It been my observation that posts that start as discussions concerning whether or not ARs work, end up as posts about how the PGC is mismanaging the deer herd. And the implementation of ARs somehow ends up becoming part of this mismanagement.
‘Some’ people seem to associate the decline in deer numbers directly with the antler restrictions. When in reality, ARs alone would do nothing but increase the number of deer in the woods. I feel this misconception is due mainly to the fact that the same time the PGC implemented the antler restrictions they also changed the Doe season from lasting only 3 days, to being open for 2 weeks. It is my thoughts that ‘some’ people have not realized that ARs and the over harvesting of Doe are 2 separate entities (or at least should be). And should be discussed and implemented as such.
I feel there has been a multitude of reasons that the deer population in PA has seen a major decrease in the last few years. But heavy harvesting of the Does has defiantly played large role. And I agree with most that something needs to be changed.
I personally would like to see the Antler Restrictions stay as they are. And I would like to see the PGC close doe season for 2 years (with small areas of high deer densities offering doe tags with very tight regulations). However, I realize that this would create too much uproar to ever happen. And in the end it would not work because, some people would not follow those regulations. But in reality I would like to see the PGC cut the number of Doe tags in half and offer no bonus tags, while also changing the length back to 3 days. If this was done for a couple years, the deer herd should recover, at that point I would suggest raising the Doe permits back to a sustainable rate, while continuing the 3 day season.
In my opinion the PGC need to change the harvest of Doe. Otherwise hunting will continue to loose popularity, at the same time reducing the PGC funding. And this will continue until change is forced.
I know that many of you will not agree with my thoughts, and that’s fine. I’d like to hear yours, because the better educated we are as a group on how we feel, the stronger and more likely we are to cause change that we can all benefit from.