RE: What I see in my crystal ball, concerning PA.
 

The loss of hunters due to attrition and low numbers of recruits has nothing to do with AR/HR and began before these programs were enacted. It is a trend that was recognized years ago across the entire country and is not exclusive to the state of PA.

RE: What I see in my crystal ball, concerning PA.
 

Very true, but one cannot argue the fact that with less deer to hold a youngster's interest they are more likely than ever to give up on hunting. If it didn't have an affect on recruitment/retainment numbers here in Pa how do you explain the need for a Jr anterless season in October or Jr pheasant or the Jr sub AR rules?

RE: What I see in my crystal ball, concerning PA.
 

Throwing the wholedeclining numbersthing aside, wouldn't you say a young hunter should be able to take a buck without regard to AR? I am bewildered by the number of mature hunters that bemoan the fact that junior hunters can circumvent AR. Talk about sick jealousy. Most AR supporters are in support of junior hunter exemption while AR detractors are outspoken detractors of junior RA exemption. Speaks VOLUMES!

RE: What I see in my crystal ball, concerning PA.
 

You toss out the declining numbers thing and I still think Jr hunters should be covered under the same rules as an adult on AR. Jealousy has nothing to do with it.
If AR were put into affect to protect yearling males than let's protect yearling male. Makes little sense for 10hunters to pass on a spike or Y and have the 11th kill it soley because the 11th was a Jr hunter or an active military person..
Explain to me just how that allows for the protection of yearling males. What that does is try to keep kids interested in the sport 'cause of low deer numbers overall. There are legions of hunters afield today whom endeared themselves to the sport of deer hunting following the same set of standards as their oldermentors.
How do you teach someone about healthy deer herds while allowing them an exception to the very heart of the matter....protecting yearling bucks in hopes of having a larger breeding% of maturebucks...only to tell them a few years later that what they've been allowed to do for a few seasons is not allowed now.

RE: What I see in my crystal ball, concerning PA.
 

The few sub AR bucks killed by junior hunters is statistically insignificant in relation to long term health and quality the whole herd.

The decline in junior hunter recruitment is statistically VERY significant in relation to the long term health of our sport.

I can't say it any plainer. Those who begrudge a kid asub ARfirst buck are either short sighted or worse, they're just plain selfish!

RE: What I see in my crystal ball, concerning PA.
 

selfish..short sighted ??? I have children of my own whom hunt. Just a few short weeks ago two of them killed sub AR bucks on the first day of gun season, the local bowhunting wannabe trophy hunter (whom BTW was roadhunting with a rifle in his Blazer) stopped as we had them lying in a feild awaiting my father who was fetching the tractor and wagon to haul them and a fewother deer (doe & BB) back to the barn. This horn monger had thegall to tell 3 Jr hunters they were not sportsmen because they killed BB and yearling bucks, and how they were STEALING future bucks from those like himself who only hunted trophy deer.

RE: What I see in my crystal ball, concerning PA.
 

Chewing out young kids for shooting legal deer of any kind Sounds pretty selfish and short sighted to me. It also sounds pretty far fetched.

EC why dont you take a deep breath and look at what you post before you hit that OK button? Virtually every post you've made here is blatantly transparent in it's effort to agitate or get a rise out of someone or everyone here. Often contradicting yourself, you simply post to inflameobviously without much thought.

Somewhere between those ears there may be something useful that you can post. Why not stop and think before you post?Maybe something useful will let itself out.

RE: What I see in my crystal ball, concerning PA.
 

Why you are allowed to continue posting at all with your personal attacks wonders many of us.
And if my post are agitating toyou personally mayI suggest you just not read them in the future.
Type about GALL!! Both you and Rob have berated me on this site for killing BB on purpose...claiming I'm being selfish towards other hunters whom would prefer those BB grew into a nice buck for them to harvest. [:'(]

RE: What I see in my crystal ball, concerning PA.
 

I think what BTB is referring to there EC is you constant need to insert the fact that you shoot button bucks into every post you make just to get a flame war started. You stated ... "stopped as we had them lying in a feild awaiting my father who was fetching the tractor and wagon to haul them and a fewother deer (doe & BB) back to the barn". Why does inserting (doe & BB) make your point any more valid. You did it for one reason only and everyone knows it.

RE: What I see in my crystal ball, concerning PA.
 

I wouldn't want anyone to assume we killed more bucks than legal .
I list them like this doe, BB ,fawn. If someone wants to refer to their BB as anterless deerso be it . If another takes issue with harvested BB basically I say TUFF! Get over it. It is they whom let it get to them not me waving it under their snouts as torment. I personally don't see how anyone whom considers themself a sportsman/woman could be offended by anyone that harvests a legal deer of any age,size,gender.Unless it is that they think they have some sort of "right" to have bucks grow into "shooters" they deem worthy at the expense of other legal hunters.
I feel if you don't like the law fight forthat law to be ammended. But don't fight with the hunters following the law.
Another item is that I choose toharvest BB over adult does myself. What makes that any worse than someone whom opts for adult doe harvest or only 2.5 yr old or bettert bucks...it is all a matter of personal preference.