Guys-

You think you've got it tough as residents, think about if you were a NON resident PA bowhunter! Our fees have gotten pretty extravagant, and now by the looks of the preliminary approvals on the PGC website, it looks like it will be even tougher for us to take a deer home!

10 years ago we could take a deer of either sex in PA on one tag for less than $100,(If I remember correctly) Then it changed to a lottery system for doe tags because they wanted to generate more money. Slightly more money for us to spend,yes, but SOMETIMES we even got a tag. Now, you cannot even begin to think you are going to get a tag if you are a non-resident in certain Counties, because they are all "sucked up" before we even get a chance! This is just not right,IMO. PLUS, we now will more than likely have to shoot ONLY a buck with three or more points, and let all does and lesser bucks walk by, (all 100's of them!) and STILL spend more than we did 5-10 years ago. "Stamped and tagged" to death as somebody said doesn't begin to touch it, more like "fleeced and raped"! And you know what, the money doesn't even really matter to me, that's not what I'm angry about. I'm just very upset because I really love hunting your beautiful state,(as I have for close to 20 years) and there are just so many millions of deer running around there compared to everywhere else in the East......(sorry Mr. Alt, but you can't take credit for that one!) I also can't see the seperate Archery doe tag issues in the midst of talking about having a doe-kill rifle season in the beginning of October!(which thankfully may have been avoided THIS year) Allow the archers to take either a doe or 3 point or better buck! It will certainly help with the pulling out of SOME of the unbred does that Alt was looking for, even if it isn't the "be-all, end-all". Seems a shame to have them all get hit by cars out on Interstate 80 and becoming not only a safety issue but also a stinking pile of tractor-trailer schmeg on the side of the road instead of feeding my and others' families for the winter, all because someone feels they need to play God and Mother Nature all rolled into one! Sorry for the rant, so far it looks like I'll be missing this year. Too bad, I and my friends really love the area that we hunt in, and there are alot of nice people we've met there, as well. Good luck and good hunting to all in 2002 wherever you go. Pinwheel 12