Cableguy,

I understand your reasoning but tend to disagree with it slightly for two reasons. One, from most of the studies I have seen that were done on PA deer most of the actual breeding occurs within the very last few days of October into and including most of the first 2/3rds of the month of November. Having the early season in the third week or October, not to mention the fourth, should still, theoretically, be early enough for bucks not to waste too much energy.

Second, the early you put it in the month of October the more it has an impact on the effectiveness of the archery season for the reasons I mentioned early. I tend to look at it as " Taking some tylenol because you have a headache but then banging your head off the wall a few time afterwards." In other words, it might prove beneficial but then it will hurt other game management methods unless those methods are given an alternative time frame.

PAhunter86,

You might want to revise that statement to read something along the lines of " only for archers on unpressured public or private land." as I cannot use any form of rut hunting specific techniques in the area that I hunt because of all the pressure created from the small game hunters. Gun hunters might as well be allowed to hunt during the rut in my area as the impact that small game hunters have is just as detrimental in the sense of having an undisturbed environment.

Not trying to be argumentative at all but rather pointing out another facet of how the overlapping of seasons affects the areas that I hunt.