Almost none. I believe that 90% of all bucks killed before AR were 1 1/2 yr olds

In 2001 20% of the bucks harvested in SChuylkill Co. were 2.5+ buck and 56% of those had 8 or more pts. Only 20% of the 1.5 bucks were spikes, so if you were hunting in that county your observations are not representative of what was available.

No wild animal is dumb and most are to a degree difficult to kill. However the older the deer and the more hunting seasons it has lived throughthe wiser and harder to kill it becomes. Thinking a year and a half old deer is as smart or wise as a 3 or 4 year old deer would be the same as saying you are no smarter or wiser now at your age than the average 15 year old is today. Just common sense.

If 2.5+ buck are so much smarter than 1.5 buck, why do only 20% survive hunting season?

BTW, before ARs 18% of the 2.5+ buck wouldn't have been AR legal.

Sounds like common sense to me!

It might have something to do with the 900,000++ hunters in this state


Please provide the proof for that statement

Are you telling everyone you haven't bothered to read the 2001 AWR, because if you had you would know that is a fact?

Are you saying that the PA hunters who Alt claimed were so inept, can actually kill 80% of the 2.5+ buck?

here's the link. Nothing supporting your claim.

http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/pgc/cwp/browse.asp?a=490&bc=0&c=69963

As Ronald Reagan used to say "there you go again"....
Alt did not call the states hunters inept. Only someone inept at comprehending game management would question why only 20% of an age class might survive with that large number of hunters out there trying to kill them. Sheer numbers are the force at work here.

Once again you have proven that you have never read the 2001 AWR, because if you had you wouldn't have posted the link for the 2000 AWR. Try again and you might get it right.

I thought my statement might put things into perspective. Guess not.

As far as this stated 20% survivng.... They are the youngest of the legal AR buck to be shot, with the exception of a very few 1 1/2 year olds with good genetics... so yes, the younger the deer the higher likelihood of being able to outsmart them thus a higher percentage will be killed.

Who has the stats on the percentage of 4 year old buck being harvested? The number isn't too high being the deer pop is low and few live to be that old. Most are shot as barely legal AR buck before they get that old.

Unfortunately for meI have only seen 1 AR legal buck this year and that was a small 5 point. I do have pics of 2 nice 120" -maybe 130" buck but I haven't seen them yet. They seem to be coming into the area at night and early morning.(I guess that's b/c they aren't "smarter" than the 2 1/2 yr olds).
Since I know they are around I will be holding out for one of them even if it takes till late archery. I feel if I shoot a smaller AR buck early I miss out on seeing other game such as bears, foxes, coons. Last week a hawk swooped in and snatched a squirrel out of the tree 10 ft from me. It's seeing things like this that makes hunting enjoyable. I would like to see more deer, I have gotten used to not seeing many so when I do get to see some other wildlife it pacifies me to an extent. But it is nice to see what you are hunting for.