livbucks

Because everyoneI know has taken the best bucks of their lives so far since AR's.
Licensed hunter rates were declining before Ar's, and has little to do with it. That is a country wide trend.
If the one day a year hunter quits over AR's, he wasn't much of a hunter to begin with.
Less deer means less deer. You must hunt more, or actually hunt to begin with.
And finally, who cares about your rabble Deaddeer, Blah, blah, blah..
Go shoot a button buck or three.

Skeeder1964

I have to agree with you bluebird2, I really do not like the restrictions, and all my hunting party either. We have hunted PA for many years before them, and liked the idea of not having to look so hard for 3 pts. on one side where we hunt. It is very hard when they are running by you to count to see if it is legal. Even standing still I lost a chance at one last year. I have hunted my cousins farm for over 20 years. I am from central NY. When I go there I hunt for the meat, yes I know, just shoot the does. Many times I have had easier shots at the young bucks instead of a doe. The meat tastes so good I don't care I just want to take meat home.

Steve863

I don't live or hunt in PA, but I don't like antler restrictions and wouldn't want it to be implemented statewide in my state. Biologically AR's don't do anything other than possibly give hunters a buck that is a little older to shoot. Other than bragging material for hunters this does very little to help the herd. A bucks genetics are the same if he breeds at 1 1/2 or any other age, so letting them grow a little older does absolutely nothing to better the herd. These antler restrictions rules are set up solely to pacify those hunters who complain that there are not enough trophy sized deer around, and everything else the state might tell you is really a lot of BS. I will agree that the decline in hunter numbers is probably due more to other factors besides antler restriction rules, but I think states are mistaken in thinking that most people who buy hunting licenses are interested in trophy animals ONLY. I would say the majority who buy licenses are MORE interested in just enjoying the outdoors or want a chance to get a little meat for the freezer and getting a trophy is probably just icing if they are lucky enough to get one. The real trophy hunters who push for such antler restriction rules to try to better their chances of success are the ones in the minority, yet seem to be vocal enough to get states to give in to what they want.

CCPaHunter

A R's are great.!!!I live in a special regulation area inS.E. Pa. When I started hunting down here in 2000 instead of upstate I saw tons of spikes and forks,some six points and a fewnice eights. I was disappointed when A R's started because they didn't apply to special regs areas. Now that they do andhave been in placeherefor a few years allI can say is WOW.In all of my years of hunting I've never been able to seefour orfive-- eight or ten points in a single day until recently.The biggest problem now is I knowafter I take a nicebuck and go back out for doeI'll probably see a bigger buck. It's happened a few times already.Life is good. Ken

bluebird2

Implementing ARs in SRA counties was one of the biggest mistakes the BOC ever made. Instead of ARs they should have implemented an earn a buck program. It makes no sense to protect bucks in an area where the goal was to reduce the herd to less than 5 DPSM.

CCPaHunter

The herd has been reduced and in a big way. The doe population is a mere fraction of what it was because of the changes in doe hunting regulations,at least in my area. I use to bust does like a covey of quail when leaving the woods in the evening [ hadn't learned the new area yet ] or when going for walks with the family. Not any more. I see more bucks than does on any given day while hunting. I use to wish them to go away when in my stand. Now it's"how about that, a doe". No sir , I think the South EastRegion is just about right. Ken

bluebird2

You are certainly entitled to your opinion ,but the PGC disagrees. The goal is to continue to reduce the herd in 5D, 5C and 2B.
Can you explain how it is possible to have more buck than doe? What do you think the adult breeding B/D ratio is in your area?

CCPaHunter

bb2- your BIOS a little vague.Where do you live / hunt ?

I hunt two farms and one public area. Observations are based on oneheck of a lot oftime in field and time on stand from the last week of October to the end January.
[ol][*]I said I see more bucks than does. Not necessarilythat there are.[*]I'm sure that if I hunted earlier in the season I'd see more does before the early muzzle loader seasonslaughterthat occursaround here.[*]I'm not sure what the breeding ratio is but by the time the rut rolls around it's a lot closer to even than it use to be.[/ol]

Pawildman

............Seems to me that since AR started, a couple of years later the butcher shops and newspapers were full of larger racked bucks than ever before. That is not just conjecture on my part....That is the way it is. Don't tell me it's not working.
Oh... and by the way, bluebird2, if you personally are in your 70's, have failing health, cataracts, etc.,etc., you are entitled to voice your complaint. If, however, you ate not, please don't speak for those who are as all feeling the way you do. That's pure supposition on your part.

Steve863

Naturally you will get bigger bucks shot if you don't allow the small ones to get shot. My point is how does this benefit the herd anymore than having hunters shoot ANY buck like before and also allow the shooting of does where needed? It absolutely makes NO difference. The BS from the game departments that AR's benefit the deer herd is simply nothing but BS! It was only implemented to make trophy hunters happier, everything else is nonsense made to look like there was some biological reasons behind it NOT to make the non-hunting public think that the states were managing deer only for trophy hunters. I am not condemning those who enjoy hunting for trophies here, but only seperating the truth from fiction.