Question about PA deer limits
 

I've only hunted PA 3 times, so I am no expert and don't have the rules handy and couldn't find what I was looking for on the Game Commission's site. So I am hoping you can clear things up for me. My buddy's uncle has a nice patch of land in Bedford that I can hunt. The problem is my buddy never wants to bowhunt there because he says if he gets one with a bow he can't go rifle hunting because PA only let's you shoot one buck per year, not one buck per season, i.e; bow, gun, muzzleloader. So is my buddy right? Can you only take one buck per year regardless of which weapon/season you went? Because that just doesn't make sense to me. I would think you could take an antlered deer with a bow during bow season and then take an antlered deer during rifle season.

Brent, that is correct, one buck tag which can be used in any of the seasons, just not the early muzzleloader/inline season

also, if you do not harvest a buck during those seasons, you can use it for a doe in the late archery/flintlock season after xmas

Wow, so if I went back there this weekend with a bow, took a nice buck, that's it, my season is done? What the heck kind of program is that?

That's the deal.

I don't know what the numbers are now, but the number of PA hunters was 1 million for the longest time. If you let folks take multiple bucks, we'd have none left. :D

Okay, that's good to know, because another buddy of mine said that was BS and that I could shoot a buck in each season. Now I just need to go pay a crazy amount of money for an out of state license.

This brings up a good point. Pa used to manage the herd to provide 1 out of every 7 hunters a small spike or forkhorn. Now we manage it under different parameters.

Don't listen to him unless you want a nice fine.

Can't help you with the out-of-state license fee. It's still cheaper than Kansas or Saskatchewan. :D

One buck a year is fine with me. I can't afford to pay my taxidermist any more than that. :D

I usually get a doe tag or two so I can still hunt even if I tag out. Just be selective. Hold out for a big boy. That will make your one tag last longer. ;)

agreed brent, your buddy must be trying to set you up for some unpleasant visits by the men in green

perhaps like they do with spring gobbler tags, where you can buy an extra one for a substantial fee...you will see one day where 2 bucks could be taken in PA...me personally, i don't see it in the near future (my lifetime :) )

I wish WV would reduce there buck tags to. Then all the guys from PA would stay in PA.

Why would you want to hunt in pa ?? I see dozens of deer everyday in WV. They are standing in peoples yards all over the place. I seen deer walking down the walkway in front of krogers store in the middle of the day in weston. Seen a buck behind krogers at 2:00 pm with a a old loaf of bread in his mouth. I seen 52 last week in a friends yard in WV.