deer population decline 2a+2b
 

I have hunted in the 2a,2b areas of pa my whole life. this year had to be the worst year yet. i saw mayb a dozen deer in a week worth of hunting. usually i see atleast 20-30 a day. i hunt on private land and still no deer. they need to make the 3day doe season again and get rid of the 2 week season.. anyone else agree

RE: deer population decline 2a+2b
 

I agree. Certainly a decline in 2b where I hunt. I did take my biggest buck ever in 2005. Less deer, but seems to be better quality deer, at least in my area. this will be my sons first year hunting. I'm a little worried about showing him deer. When I started, I would usually see some deer, I even remember my first day, I saw 52 doe. I just hope our young hunters don't become uninterested because of lack of deer. I hunt 2A as well as 2B, and believe me, if you wanted 20 doe tags for 2A you can buy 20 tags for 2A. It seems like they want the deer gone. Less deer for more quality deer, I guess that will forever be the debate. We hunt mostly private and do a good many drives, but turned up empty on most of them this year. I know I liked taking 1st day of buck off of work and also the 1st day of doe too!!

RE: deer population decline 2a+2b
 

I don't think you are going to get much sympathy complaining about no deer in probably the 2 units with the best deer populations.

RE: deer population decline 2a+2b
 

i just think there are alot of yuppie hunters screwing things up for people that put time in scouting for the deer. I hunt private land and in the past few years i have had to remove many people but never have turned them in because i dont want to cause trouble. this year was my brothers first deer season and we saw mayb a dozen deer none which could offer a shot. I guess it looks like might have to archery hunt seems like that is best chance for deer.

RE: deer population decline 2a+2b
 

I wouldn't call them yuppies, I'd call them slobs. But it seems if you keep letting people mess things up by trespssing, you are hurting yourself for trying to be "nice". You should bust them if they are trespassing.

RE: deer population decline 2a+2b
 

I hunt exclusively 2a.I spend alot of time in the off season shed antler hunting.I personally believe this is the best form of scouting a person can do.I also hunt exclusively on public land (GAMELANDS).If a person puts the time and effert into it like I do they can get there deer every year.In the 3 years I have hunted Pa I have killed two 12 points and an 8 point.I think if you buy your doe tags you should be able to fill them at any time during the season or dont fill them at all.By the way Pa is the only state I have hunted where you have to buy a doe tag seperately.While Iagree I see less does now than I did when I first hunted here.They do seem to come out of hiding when I'm shed hunting Feb thru Apl.I believe there is so much pressure on them they simply stay hidden and go nocturnal.I also think that with the buck to doe ratio in check tactics like rattling and using scents are more effective.I did'nt live here when yall had the old draconian hunting doe season and I dont really want to experience it so I hope it stays like it is.

RE: deer population decline 2a+2b
 

what state are you coming from finding bone? its nice to have an outsider say it ain;t so abd here when so many home grown fellas complain about it.

RE: deer population decline 2a+2b
 

the game lands in the western part of the state is basically dead. I went pheasant hunting this past season the first day and didnt see or even hear anythin,no deer no squirrels, nothing what so ever.i walked miles and nothing and its not the first time its just about everytime.i think they need to start making a certain number of permits for each game land, so the wildlife can rebound.

RE: deer population decline 2a+2b
 

findinbone: I would love to see these public land 12 points. Got any pictures? 3 for 3 on public land very impressive. Show me some pictures, I'd love to see them!

RE: deer population decline 2a+2b
 

rybohunter I am origionally from Va.In Va you can legally harvest 1 bear 3 turkeys and atleast 4 deer all on the same license with no extra cost.More importantly the state has enough animals to support such a harvest.Oh and no AR's.

Chuckclear I will have my wife take some photos and then she can figure out how to post them so please be patient.My wife dos'nt allow my to operate her digital camera.The first 12 point and my most recent 8 point came from game lands in Fayette county.The other 12 point from last year came from Washington county off an old abandoned strip mine that anyone can hunt.

RE: deer population decline 2a+2b
 

I hunt public land 4c. Over the past 5 years I am 5 for 5 for bucks. With 2 of those being the biggest I have ever shot/seen in PA with one being a nice 130 class 9 point. This past season was the best of all with 3 sightings of big bucks (120+). You just have to hunt for them and spend less time complaining about the PGC. I also missed a 140 class buck this year during the rut.

Note: I have hunted this same general area for the past 15 years. The previous 10 the biggest deer I shot was a 6 point that had the smallest rack you could imagine. All spikes and basket racks. Now it is great.

Also, I park in a lot that holds about 100+ cars on the 1st day of rifle season. A lot full of complainers. I always tell them how bad it is and how I see nothing. hehehehehehehe

RE: deer population decline 2a+2b
 

How could the Population in 2b have declined when the kill went up this year?

RE: deer population decline 2a+2b
 

Not trying to defend anyone, but each situation is particular to it's own set of circumstances. My areas in 2b have been pretty bad. However, 2b could be thriving elswhere. I think things were managed much better by county than WMU's anyway. I'm not trying to get into a pissing battle by all means. I hunt hard, scout, and even find sheds every year. All of the sudden, one guy has a good year or doesn't hunt the same woods as I do and then I'm full of sh#t and there are deer everywhere? As for the comment: "how could populations decline if the kill went up this year?" Take a look at that sentence! Contradicting? Usually, if you kill more, there aren't as many. But maybe I misunderstood that?

RE: deer population decline 2a+2b
 

C'mon, really!
You are referring todeer pops in the '06 season. The kill in '06 was up. Am I missing something?

RE: deer population decline 2a+2b
 

all im saying is that they need to mayb cut back on certain game lands and only allow a certain number of deer to be taken each year permits issued. i hunt a 4000+acre game land in beaver county and i have seen mayb a dozen deer in the past year. the small game population has declined u can walk all day and not see a track or any form of life. i hunt on public land also and i could get a deer if i wanted but its just the fact of these people going out and getting a dozen doe tags and killing off the herd in an area which they consider 2b but might not be as populated as other areas. they need to go back to the county by county system.

RE: deer population decline 2a+2b
 

Duck you say you can walk all day where you hunt and dont see anything.Why would you keep hunting there.I'm not trying to disrespect you but why not look for greener pastures ?

RE: deer population decline 2a+2b
 

i have alot of places to hunt. im just pointing out that were spending all this money on licenses to fund the pgc and it doesnt seem like they are doing anything to manage their lands that are open to the public.its just the fact that they are supposed to be places where u can go and see wildlife and this seems to be non existant here thats all..

RE: deer population decline 2a+2b
 

I know a lot of guys who hunt gamelands(sometimes myself included) who would really disagree. SOME places may not be that great, but to lump in and say all, is silly.
NO offense, but are you a good hunter/woodsman? You sound young, many people don't see a lot of game when they are young just because they are still learning quite a bit.
Most every gamelands I've been to has had great habitat. Lots of thickets and nice places, all full of small game. I think small game on gamelands is probably better than the deer hunting.

RE: deer population decline 2a+2b
 

ive hunted for about 10 years on my own and have been in the woods since i was prob 5. i have gotten my fair share of game to prove it. i know how to hunt thats not the fact. its all these people that go out and buy a new gun the week before the season starts and then goes out and shoots at anything that walks. i just think that the game commission could do a better job of managing the wildlife on the game lands

RE: deer population decline 2a+2b
 

Duck to some degree I would have to agree with you about people shooting at targets with reckless abandon.In my younger years I was'nt very zealous about wearing orange.Then I moved to Pa.Each year I've had close calls with careless shooters.The kind that dont consider whats beyond,around or near there target.So now I wear blaze orange religiously and I make my son wear it head to toe.I have spots picked out before opening day and we set there all day.Our 1st year here my oldest boy had such a close call he wont hunt gamelands anymore.This spot is located off Croushour Rd in 2A.

RE: deer population decline 2a+2b
 

i have been peppered numerous times during pheasant hunting. i know that can be expected for the number of people hunting in an area in the first few days of the season. i now raise my own pheasants for the private land i hunt and provide food plots and cover for them, i bringmy younger brother who has just started hunting this year to hunt only, this seems to be alot safer then the game lands.for example i was hunting on private property last yearwhen a doe came underneath my stand and some guy from a wooded driveway decides to shoot at it from his car, i was in a clear cut power line and the guy was totally oblivious to my safety.its people lik that who give hunters a bad rep.

RE: deer population decline 2a+2b
 

This weekend I was shed hunting on gamelands in Fayette county (2A).I found a nice 3 point that someone either shot and could not find or shot and realized was not legal.Either way I found it and its kind of cute.Later that day I was searching in a different part of the same place and lucked upon a real nice left side with 5 points and a small kicker.I never even knew that deer was there.Now I do and I sure hope he comes thru my funnel next season.

RE: deer population decline 2a+2b
 

i hunt a portion of 2B that allows rifle hunting and is mainly farmland and wood lots. our group used to see 20+ deer a day EASILY. this year was depressing to say the least..definently not what it used to be. seeing more bucks...but most are illegal. heck i think our group only killed 1 legal buck this year. you can rifle hunt for 5 weeks. use a crossbow in bow season. what used to be good hunting has definently took its toll. sad thing is rybo is right. 2b will never see sympathy...i just wish my part of 2b was 1A. we drive across the pike and hunt 1A and its a totally different ball game...same habitat...just alot more deer. and still see alot of buck. they should have drew the line around my potion of 2B..it fits with 1A a heck of alot better and wouldnt have gotten pounded

RE: deer population decline 2a+2b
 

I hunt 2A and there has been a serious decline in the deer population.

I hunt a lot in western Greene Co. There are many, many sub legal bucks but not near as many does as there use to be.

I hunt private land and public land.

The best hunting is on private ground.

There are still a good bit of deer there but not as many as before.

1st day of rifle it was easy to see 30+ deer. Last few years might see a dozen.

RE: deer population decline 2a+2b
 

What kind of small game are we talking about? Rabbits?

RE: deer population decline 2a+2b
 

Hey im not from Pa but just curious whats ur coyote population like?

RE: deer population decline 2a+2b
 

A dozen opening day.Windwalker I hunt down there also Ive seen the decline down there Im on private property to boot.Opening day 3 deer 2nd day 0 deer first Saturday 0 deer where did they go.

RE: deer population decline 2a+2b
 

Yes, it has really slowed down.

I see as many sub legal bucks as does.

Lots of small bucks.

It is kinda funny. when you drive to hunt another area, I've seen them standing in fields with No Hunting signs plastered on every tree.:D

They really move to posted grond once the pressure is on.

RE: deer population decline 2a+2b
 

When I first started hunting in Pa all I heard about was Greene county.At first it looked like a great place.We would spot light in the Gerrards Fort,Kirby area.Man did we see a truck bed load of shooter bucks.So we made plans to hunt Kirby opening day I hunted all day and only saw 2 does.Never again.I'm staying in Fayette county off Croushour Rd and Dembo in Wash County.Dembo however does'nt seem to have as many does as the first two years I hunted there.We still kill a few there every year though.

RE: deer population decline 2a+2b
 

You gotta go farther west.Stay on 21 and go through Waynesburg and almost to the WV line.

Take a ride around in this area on some Sunday in October. You will see deer without a light. Problem is, most are on posted ground. Try and get permission on private land. There is Ryerson state park but it has been over hunted the last few years. I use to get a deer or two there every year but the population is way down. Hunt it all day and don'tsee anything. Private ground is your best bet but it is hard to get permission.

RE: deer population decline 2a+2b
 

good numbers of rabbits &squirrels, equal to what I see on private land
grouse are spotty, someplaces a lot, some none. But again private land is like that too.

RE: deer population decline 2a+2b
 

You may not believe me when I tell you I've lived in Pa for 5 years and never been to Waynesburg.I've heard alot about Ryerson Station and especially the fishing there.I will have to go and scout it out.Thanks Wind

RE: deer population decline 2a+2b
 

As an out of stater, these threads are interesting. When guys complain about only seeing 12-20 deer in a week, we have no sympathy. Up here in New England, on publiclands,that would be one incredible season, forget about a week. I guessguys who grew up with the over populatiuons still think they should be seeing 20-30 deer a day despite what it does to the habitat.Its hard for an outsider to understand the complaints. AndI have hunted PA before the changes.

I have a friend thatis from Warren County. He took a buck almost every year for some 25+ years on gamelands before the changes. His best was a scrub 7 point, almost all the rest where spikes/forks. Then the new regs came in. Now he shoots big 8's and 10's, and while hes not seeing carloads of doe anymore, he still seesplenty and is very happy with PA now. He said he never dreamed he would be able to shoot bucks like that in PA when he was a kid.

He also said it best "I don't need to see allot of deer, just one, the right one"

RE: deer population decline 2a+2b
 

Just wanted to let you know that the dam/lake is no longer there. They had to drain it to rebuild the dam or something. There is a nice creek that is full of carp:D

I'm not sure if they stocked trout in it now or not.

My father and I use to camp there in October, during archery,and hunt both PA and WV. We usually came home with a few deer back in the good ole days. We'd only stay 3 or 4 days.

After filling a tag, I use to go down to the creek flowing into the lake and catch a couple of the trout they'd stock for fall fishermen. It is a nice peacful place. I'd be the only one fishing and there'd be a big school of trout swimming around. Get my limit of three in a half hour then go back to camp. I would fry them up for dinner that evening.