Heys guys I just read that post on ATTN. Pa hunters and wanted to comment. I grew up in NE Pa and hunted many years in Susq. County. My Grandfather and Dad have hunted their for there whole lives. When I first hunted at the age 12 which was about 16 years ago it was nothing to guy in the woods and see 30-50 deer. They would start shooting around daylight and shoot all day long, that was during the period when it was buck only for 2 weeks and then 3 days of doe. I had so many great experiences in the woods as a kid. We killed alot of deer and saw a ton all the time. THis was on private land but we also hunted on the state gamelands which at the time was full of deer. In my opinion they have ruined the hunting in our old area. My parents now live across the border in Ny and for the first time in 52 years my dad did not buy a licence in Pa. He has seen 7 deer in the last 2 deer seasons. He is retired and hunted almost every day of the 05 06 season. Many others are joining him. Its not worth the drive and money to see nothing. THey need to go back to the old seasons 3 days of doe. Im sure alot of you know that when doe day came around, it was not always a given to get a doe if there was any kind of pressure where you hunted. Where we hunted the deer where spooked by doe day and it was during mon. tue. wed. THe bottom line is it that saved alot of deer. Not every hunter wants a huge buck, some people just like to go in the woods and see deer. THe average guy who hunts a couple of days a year is long gone. Who would buy a licence, gas, food, hotel, stop after the hunt to have a beer, to go out in the woods and maybe , maybe see a deer. Its a huge economic loss for a majority PA. I know there are spots that are full of deer that this is not an issue. But with the cost of land, taxes, etc some people's only option is public land and as far as Im concerned its a waste of time. I remember the days when the public land was crawling with deer and hunters, we used to hope there would be a ton of people hunting because it would get the deer moving. Those days are long gone. THey need to do somthing about it, because kids are not going to get in the woods for nothing.
scott