ORIGINAL: Rob/PA Bowyer
I cannot disagree that the deer numbers are down in PA. That's HR and it needs to be more micromanaged, like say state land. More tags for doe on private land, less on public land where deer numbers are down. AR's have increased the number of bucks though the doe numbers are down. I'm betting they are anequating (sp) numbers with the herd, not just buck sightings. I would also agree that the bottom end of bucks being killed is higher, 6's vs spikes and forks but doesn't that say that more bucks are being killed, ie the buck numbers are up. And to think if it were going to a 4 point per side rule, then the lower end bucks 8 points would be the bucks being killed...well that and "Rob" bucks..LOL
That is pretty much what they said............what are we disagreeing about again?? They said the numbers are WAY down and the big mature bucks are not anymore common then they were before AR's. They are simply seeing the spikes and forksreplaced by6's and basket 8's.........only less of them because they said the button bucks are getting creamed due to the numbers being so low the itchy triggers are as active as ever.........maybe more so.
Well, you could have easily explained that, that's not what your hearing from a based number of hunters hunting public land in PA and perhaps not, "Go to PA and find the real truth". Your not lying but perhaps you don't know what the real truth is right? Your know what was pertained to you...perhaps neither of us nor your 50plus people know the real truth...and even more perhaps is that the real truth differents per area....I'd find that to be the real truth.
All I can say is my version of the truth came from a large group of guys that have hunted PA state land their whole life............that's a credible source in my book. Sure beats "WOW, a bunch of good PA bucks went down on HNI this year........AR's must be working"...........which is what I have seen some people basing their opinions on (not you).
I wonder what those 50 base their opinion on and how it could differ so greatly?
Me too............I'm sure the truth is somewhere in the middle as usual...........I would never discount that many of the same opinions as irrelevant though............Do you think that the average PA hunter would agree with your assessment?