WillCz:
Things are deffinately bad when it comes to the PGC and deer management in Pa. I dont know if it's poor research,,bad info,,or other motives that has caused the PGC to demolish the deer herd, but i do know one thing,,it is only gonna get worse before it gets better,,and i'll explain my opinions on why i feel this way:
a) I moved back to Pa. last summer because i thought that was what i wanted to do,,i got a job driving truck for a co. in state college that allowed me alot of time on I80 at night driving eastand west from lewisburg to dubois,,from the beginning of april thru the end of july and there were just no deer to be seen along that friggin road!Why is this? well i feel like i got to know people in this area on a general basis,,,the general idea in this area by hunters (and notice that i use the word GENERAL,,meaning not all but most)isif it's brown im killing the SOB before someone else does. Pure greed nothing more nothing less! To summarize,,hunter greed and a fist full of tags in pa. can lead to nothing but disaster,,you shoot the sh!t out of the does and fawns where is your reproduction going to come from?
B) I feel like there are wayyyyy to many opinions surrounding the management of deer in Pa. like the old saying goes "opinions are like a$$**les everyones got one". deer management is done by good solid information about,and in a given area.In Pa.deer management is done statewide instead of it managing by county.
C)I feel like hunters in Pa. are waiting for the PGC to straighten things out concerning the deer herd when really we as hunters should take the initiative to fix it ourselves! I for one try to buy as many tags as i possibly can and as soon as they arrive in the mail i burn them! Wasted money you might say,,,on the other hand i feel it's money well spent and for a good cause. cause being the future of hunting in Pa. because if we as hunters dont take the upper hand soon,,there is no future for hunting in Pa. I have not hunted in Pa. the past 2 years because i can not justify shooting a deer on our property,,i can kill deer here in va. all day everyday until i cant stand the thought of having to butcher another one but i will be buying my liscense for Pa. again this year and sucking up every tag i can in hopes of saving a few does/fawns from the greed of others oh and my sons tags too,,it gets a little expensive but if we can save at least 6 deer per year between the 2 of us it will help in the longrun! These are just my OPINIONS but im gonna stick with them until someone can prove me wrong.