ORIGINAL: Germ
The biggest stat is this IMO
PA uese to Shoot 20% 2.5 year old bucks or older.
Now it's over 50%. As Nodog pointed out the total harvest numbers has dropped.
The goal was to balance theage of bucks and reduce the herd.
[align=left]2001 – antlerless harvest – 301,379
antlered harvest – 203,221
20% of antlered bucks were 2.5 years or older[/align]
[align=left]2002 – antlerless harvest – 352,113
antlered harvest – 165,416[/align]
[align=left]2003 – antlerless harvest – 322,620
antlered harvest – 142,270[/align]
[align=left]2004 – antlerless harvest – 284,910
antlered harvest – 124,410[/align]
[align=left]2005 – antlerless harvest – 233,890
antlered harvest – 120,500
50% of antlered bucks were 2.5 years or older[/align][align=left][/align][align=left]I would like to see 2006 and 2007 numbers. I bet the antlered harvest is going to be higher[/align]
Maybe. Should be. Maybe not.
Just look at the total for 2001 (rounded) 504,000 and the 2005, 354,000. 83,000 less bucks. 67,000 less antlerless. Just mind blowing to me. Any way you slice it that is one heck of a big reduction in just 4 years. The whole state of Ohio is generally around 210,000. Been getting higher every year and I expect this year to be a new record around 250,000, but still... Pa should be the poster state for anti hunters if it wasn't for the fact that the most hated, trophy hunters, weren't so happy.
I can see my origanal posted calculations were off for total harvested animals. Just go with Germs. Look them over. Antlerless numbers rose the first year but look at the decline. After 2002 down 30,000, down 38,000 more,down 50,000 more. That's 10's of thousands. Not my idea of a deer hunters paradise.
Maybe I am wrong and you guys are reducing your herd by that much. If you have, your not going to see an increase in bucks at all. They wont be born. I have hunted and seen no deer. It aint pleasant.
I think your just loosing hunters. Only state I've ever heard where residents don't want to hunt their own. That just aint right. Any idea on those numbers Germ?
For the record I am very happy for you guys that have taken nice deer. Congrats! Hope you get a bigger one next time.