West Virginia Deer Hunting Hurting!
#22
RE: West Virginia Deer Hunting Hurting!
Sure the limit is 10 deer a year (I think its 10, not 9), but how many guys actually go out and shoot 10? I really dont think antler restrictions are the answer to the problem. There are so many guys that go out here and poach deer in the summer and just leave them they..and I garuntee they'd do the same thing to any buck that has spikes, 4 or 6 points. Its pathetic, and sick, but its true.
#24
RE: West Virginia Deer Hunting Hurting!
Josh, I hate to break the bad news to you but I've talked to hunters in Marshall County, Roane, Hampshire, Preston, Raleigh, Monongalia, Logan and Randolph counties and no one saw much of anything, only a few does and little "scrub" racks.
#25
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Berkley County WV
Posts: 49
RE: West Virginia Deer Hunting Hurting!
Hey JoshKeller i see you are in martinsburg, where do you hunt? I hunt primarily in MD wright now but i own land just south of Martinsburg off of Paynes Ford Rd. and have a buddy who has a place over near sheppardstown. We have both seen some great bucks this year especially on Paynes Ford Rd. Needless to say everytime i hunted over there i saw nothing but i know they are there. I have a couple Pvc feeders over there and one was destroyed during the rut by a nice mature 8 point. I was walking in around 9:30 am on a sunday and watched him for almost 10 minutes just rubbing and thrashing the feeder iwas going to fill, I dont know maybe he was pissed it was empty?
#27
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Berkley County WV
Posts: 49
RE: West Virginia Deer Hunting Hurting!
Jim i agree with you , there is no doubt that the doe population is huge in the jefferson and berkley counties. My freinds farm near sheppardstown thats almost all you ever see. this past summer while scouting we saw more than 44 doe in 20 minutes cross a creek onto his land. He told me on christmas eve that the entire season he has only seen 2 bucks one was a 4 point and one was or used to be a 4 or 3 point ( one side was missing ) he also said that the majority of the doe he has been seeing are alot bigger than those 2 lonley young bucks. All he has harvested this year has been does hoping to manage his 2 buck heard and let them grow up a little. Genetics is another thought that alot of meat hunters do not take into mind, good bucks need to pass on there genes atleast 3 years to continue a good DNA factor in the heards. If the only thing out there breeding are imature scrub bucks its hard to tell yet what there genes will pass. I my self and most of my hunting freinds are meat hunters but we have enough sense to let those baby bucks walk.
Antlers dont make good bologna. I would like one day to take a wall hanger from my own land but until then i will always pass on the spikes ,the 3 and 4 pointers and probaly even the 6 pointers , unless it is an exceptional 6. Ethics and management are the keys.
Antlers dont make good bologna. I would like one day to take a wall hanger from my own land but until then i will always pass on the spikes ,the 3 and 4 pointers and probaly even the 6 pointers , unless it is an exceptional 6. Ethics and management are the keys.
#28
RE: West Virginia Deer Hunting Hurting!
Hey bologna, I hunt across I-81 from the martinsburg mall, sleepy creek wma, and a private tract bordering sleepy creek. Feel free to give me a shout next time your down this way!
#29
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 91
RE: West Virginia Deer Hunting Hurting!
the pa ant restriction is working i live and hunt in bradford co
ive seen beter buck this year than ever.
But this year i seen very few doe. pa wants to get rid of doe to
if you have a buck tag left you can kill a doe in muzzle. i just dont understand.
how much are car ins ppl paying theese states.
as far as poching you hear it go oon all the time to help with that
they should ban spotlighting. i like to do it but i hate to know ppl jack them that way
all i can say is our game commisson is going to kill off their job
wish that all hunters could all wait for aleast a nice 8 point to come along
once and they would proably wait on killing does and little bucks
ive seen beter buck this year than ever.
But this year i seen very few doe. pa wants to get rid of doe to
if you have a buck tag left you can kill a doe in muzzle. i just dont understand.
how much are car ins ppl paying theese states.
as far as poching you hear it go oon all the time to help with that
they should ban spotlighting. i like to do it but i hate to know ppl jack them that way
all i can say is our game commisson is going to kill off their job
wish that all hunters could all wait for aleast a nice 8 point to come along
once and they would proably wait on killing does and little bucks
#30
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location:
Posts: 74
RE: West Virginia Deer Hunting Hurting!
I am a resident of West Virginia (Morgantown) and I bought my first out-of-state hunting lic. this year for Pennsylvania. I only have to drive 7 minutes (I-79 North) and I am in Pennsylvania (Mt. Morris).
Pennsylvania is DOING IT RIGHT, unlike West Virginia when it comes to managind the deer herd.
The county inwhich I hunt (Greene) in PA has an antler restriction, there has to be ATLEAST 4 points to (1) side in order to harvest a BUCK. On my first bowhunting hunt, I saw more deer (does and bucks) in 1 day than I have seen in the last 3-4 years in West Virginia.
I myself DON'T SHOOT DOES, I leave it for the other hunter who needs the meat. I like to go for the trophies, and with PA's antler restriction it makes it alot more exciting as well as profitable, being that out-of-state lic.'s cost me $127.
Pennsylvania is DOING IT RIGHT, unlike West Virginia when it comes to managind the deer herd.
The county inwhich I hunt (Greene) in PA has an antler restriction, there has to be ATLEAST 4 points to (1) side in order to harvest a BUCK. On my first bowhunting hunt, I saw more deer (does and bucks) in 1 day than I have seen in the last 3-4 years in West Virginia.
I myself DON'T SHOOT DOES, I leave it for the other hunter who needs the meat. I like to go for the trophies, and with PA's antler restriction it makes it alot more exciting as well as profitable, being that out-of-state lic.'s cost me $127.