Originally Posted by
Mr. Slim
here in Pa. we have antler restriction. some like it some don't. I myself don't like it. since it was started I have seen a lot of property leased and posted. we also have lost a lot of hunters too. finding a place to hunt is getting hard. we have state game lands but they fill up quickly. as I don't hunt for horns it doesn't interest me to have antler restriction. this is just my opinion.
Thanks for the input. I don't know if antler restrictions are causing these issues. Hunter numbers have gone down in Wisconsin over the last twenty years, although not a lot (694712 in 2000 and 613165 in 2015) and I know a lot more land is posted now compared to when I was starting out 20, 25 years ago. Maybe the antler restrictions are contributing to these issues in pa, though, its certainly not my place to say. I'm not just out there to get something to hang on the wall, either. I just enjoy going, and it sure doesn't bother me to have a nice rack of horns hanging off my venison. I don't know if APR are the way to go or not. I would think it would help the deer herd. I guess the selfish side of me wishes that all the neighbors had the same standards I do. I don't get mad about anyone shooting a legal deer, but it is a little annoying when you now the same groups of guys that are wackin' multiple little bucks every year. I just think to myself "If you'd quit doing that for one year, by next year they'd be decent eight or ten pointers" just my opinion. On the other hand I would not want to deny any of the old farmers around my area (or any young kid) a chance at a buck, especially when he's been feeding them all year.