There is a lot more about QDM than just shooting doe and letting young bucks walk. Increasing the carrying capacity through food plots, creating browse and supplemental feeding is a large part of it.

I refer you to their book of "Quality Food Plots", on page 235, last paragraph. Kent Krammermeyer states,"I do not a highdeer population on my property (25 to 30/square mile)".

PA's QDM is a joke, all they want to do is kill off doe, then wait and see what happens in the future. Pretty sick QDM plan in my books.

#1 will pa have a crossbowseason this year? for 2009 and what would of the Lic: fees be about?
I yet to hunt PA now for the last 5 years I love the end of the season smokepoles

Not surprised to hear that. 2F is spotty in places as well. The deer are still sparse where they were once far too plentiful and the regen hasn't caught up yet. We have had to adapt and change our favorite stomping grounds but the old favorites had already gone downhill before HR

In 2F, I'm primarily there to be with the gang and maybe take a doe. I live in the best deer habitat around but we still go to camp for the gun season. I haven't shot a buck there in a while. Not for lack of chances, but because I tend to target mature bucks close to home in archery season and I havebeen blessed with enough success in the lateseasonsto have no problem passing nice bucks up till well after the holidays. Now if something as big as what I'm chasing at home comes by, game over

I happen to believe that any deer is a trophy in it's own rite but the biggest positive impact I've seen as a result of AR's is that I hear less of the old school mentality that somehow placed more value on a harvesting a young spike buck than on even a very big olddoe. Happily, that mindset seems to be slowly eroding.

I happen to believe that any deer is a trophy in it's own rite but the biggest positive impact I've seen as a result of AR's is that I hear less of the old school mentality that somehow placed more value on a harvesting a young spike buck than on even a very big olddoe. Happily, that mindset seems to be slowly eroding.

I disagree with this, and it is a matter of opinion or what used to be choice. I was no less happy when I harvested a 3 pointer than whenI harvested a 10 pointer. every one had a moment and a story that I'll never forget.

Lets see I started my daughter now 19 my son now 15,a nephew 15 another nephew 12. two different local kids and any youth that wants to go can go with me anytime they want. I havent done much deer hunting without a youth inseven years. Days I cant hunt my Dad or wife (that doesnt hunt) will take the kids, usually my son with my Dad and wife with one of the nephews. Figured its insurance for when I am too old to drag them out they can repay me...lol

That's why I don't want my son or nephews to lose interest. I hunt too far back in steep terrainto drag a deer by myself!

LOL! The reason you dont recall is that you either cant or dont read or you have a memory problem. I'll give you the readers digest version anyway.

9 years as a JOAD (Junior Archery) coach

volunteered various years at youth field days and JAKES events

Fishing, fish and wildlife, wilderness survival, canoeingand camping merit badge counselor with the Boy Scouts of America as well as scoutmaster for 14 years and counting

Before my boys were of hunting age, my buddy and I took his two fatherless nephews hunting for several years

Both my sons hunt and fish with me and my daughter outfishes her husband every single time out.

My oldest son took his first archery deer on his very first morning in the woods and went on to harvest deer with both rifle and flintlock that very first year. Bt 16 he had taken a buck better than most adults will evertake with his bow. He spent two summers asanarchery instructor and then archery director at our Scout camp.

The younger one is the fisherman of the two.

You might also be interested to know thatmy sons, my daughter and the others that I introduced or accompanied to the outdoorsweren't allowed to break any game or fish laws when I took them out unlike the introduction you gave to your grandson.

I started my ex-wife, my son, my daughter, my present wife, a 12 year old kid that came from a non-hunting family, and another neighborhood kid that wanted to hunt. They all currently think hunting in 2G sucks, the PGC is full of chit, and no longer purchase licenses. My grandson turns of age this month to hunt in Pa, but I guess he's just going to have to wait until he turns of age to hunt New York. The hunting that I have to offer him in Pa can't compete with other activities that he enjoys.

As for me, I'll continue to purchase a basic license to hunt turkeys, focus my attention on deer hunting out of state for meat in the freezer and horns on the wall, and piddle around in Pa when I get bored filling tags in New York. No more Pa doe tags, no more DMAP tags, no more bear tags, no more archery stamp, no more extra spring gobbler tags, no more furtakers license, no more bobcat drawing. The crossbow issue was the final straw for me. Not so much that I'm against crossbows, but more of an issue of hunters concerns not being heard.

You certainly have done your share, I hesitate to take someone elses child hunting because of safety concerns and liability.

Of my three sons, two moved out of state and stopped hunting here and the other one only goes with the bow. Two of my three nephews quit hunting because their fathers only wanted them along to tag their deer. Therefore I net out to one son still hunting, a nephew that still hunts with his father and a grandson that is still interested, at least until he starts noticing girls.

IMHO, based on being a father of three and a scoutmaster to dozens, the problem is more complex than simply a matter of fathers not taking kids out. There has been a slow but steady drift away from the outdoors as well as world with instant results expected in every facet of life.

Not to mention the curse of those ****ing video games[:@]