RE: PA deer Quizz
 

The term,"per capita" includes the entire population of the state, not just hunters.

In 2000 we had 1,038,546 licensed hunters with a buck harvest of 203K for a success rate of 19.5%. In 2005 we had 964,158 hunters and harvested 120K buck for a success rate of 12.5%. So, not only did the success rate drop significantly, the unsuccessful hunters also saw a lot fewer bucks or didn't see any bucks . Also, due to HR and the concurrent season they also saw a lot fewer antlerless deer.

RE: PA deer Quizz
 

La dee friggin da....WHO CARES!
Ol Jimbob didn't get to shoot his forky this year....WAAAAHHHH the world is going to end.

Maybe having tougher hunting will cause people to actually have to HUNT for deer. Not just stand in the woods and wait for one to walk by.

RE: PA deer Quizz
 

It is more likely to get many more hunters to quit hunting ,which has been the trend under the current deer management plan.
Isn't that exactly what the vast majority of bow hunters do every year? Do you have something against bow hunting.BTW, I realize most bow hunters have an added advantage because they don't stand next to a tree , they are in a stand in the tree above the deers normal line of sight.

RE: PA deer Quizz
 

Can you give us the success rate for bow hunters?

RE: PA deer Quizz
 

Well, no.
The term per capita is a Latin phrase meaning "per head" or for the more simple minded..."per hunter". When relating to per capita, the term would be applied only to parties of interest to the subject. You would not include golfers in the equation, as an example.

Actually, your figures are skewed. The harvest in 2000 was before concurrent seasons. So anyone out hunting would not stop unless they hunted their allotment of usual days, or they shot a buck.

In 2005 we had concurrent seasons where a certain percentage of hunters shot the first DEER that came along, and then were not permitted to harvest another that day. A high percentage of hunters do not return after the first day. There would then be a disproportionate number of hunters on subsequent days of the season, because there is more participation on day one than all that follow.
You are comparing the proverbial apples and Oranges in your figures.

RE: PA deer Quizz
 

The archer is hunting unpressured whitetails. Deer that move very little during daylight hours. The act of sitting in a tree is not the same as what Ryan referred to in gun season. An archer must pattern the deer and actually BE THERE if and when they come thru. Then he must draw and hold all the energy that will propel the small cutting instrument that must be placed with precision into a vital area. This must be accomplished in close proximity to the animal and the wind must be consiidered when placing stands. There are many disadvantages to archery hunting and the success rates bear this out. The main advantage to archery hunting is not having to deal with JimBob the gun hunter. The deer can be hunted in a natural wild state and not pressured and running stampede through the woods. Usually, in archery season, you are the only hunter to shoot your deer.
I hope this clears up many of your misconceptions about archery hunting Bird..

RE: PA deer Quizz
 

Bluebird please don't misconstrue Dr. Demarais' teachings. There comes a point in time when antler restrictions do result in highgrading, but that is under relatively perfect conditions. Pennsylvania and New York are nowhere near those perfect conditions. The buck to doe ratio would have to be 3 to 1 or better, habitat & nutrition conditions pristine and several years of antler restrictions would have to have been in place to be at a highgrading level. Then and only then do you change the methodology of the management plan taking into account actual deer aging, antler mass andwidth and include culling as part of the harvesting plan (as they do in places like Texas).

RE: PA deer Quizz
 

I for one would be more than happy to pay double, triple, whatever for license fees to compensate for every hunter we lose that has your mentality.

RE: PA deer Quizz
 

Let's take up a collection.

RE: PA deer Quizz
 

Your post is quite interesting since I have never seen the criteria you posted associated with high grading. Can you provide a link to the sorce of that info?

High grading occurred after just 4 years of ARs in Miss and it occurred across all soil types . When high grading occurred in Miss. the habitat was not pristine. Our B/D ratio in PA before ARs was 1:2 and the herd was at or below the MSY carrying capacity, so I suppose PA met your criteria for high grading.