Did anyone in PA have a good season?
#21
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,262
Yeah. We know doug. And according to you previously, so was last year and the year before that and the year before....
Keep repeating every day on every board for the next 10 seasons and maybe sooner or later more than the tiny handful of the same usual suspects will agree with you that the pgc plan isnt a complete and utter failure.
Keep repeating every day on every board for the next 10 seasons and maybe sooner or later more than the tiny handful of the same usual suspects will agree with you that the pgc plan isnt a complete and utter failure.
#22
It's simple. The PGC has accomplished what it set out to do. They wanted the deer killed. They got the deer killed. Areas with high hunter densities in the past put a big hurt on the deer populations in those areas once the new regulations came in. Now, those very same hunters aren't hunting anymore or hunting a lot less because they simply aren't seeing anything. Kids aren't interested in spending a cold day in the woods watching squirrels.
The PGC sold this plan to us by telling us we'd all see much bigger, more mature bucks. I like the AR, and continue to support it. However, I believe they pulled the wool over most of our eyes. PA will never be an Illinois, Kansas, Texas or any other mid western state where big bucks are the norm. We still have many more hunters than most of those states. And, we're packed into smaller areas to boot. PA is most mountainous, the feed is not there to support wide spread big bucks. Sure, we always hear or see about a few big bucks taken each year. But again, its no Illinois, don't kid yourself.
IMO, the bottom line is that the PGC went way overboard. They removed way too many deer in areas that didn't need it to begin with. Now, people are losing interest or only go out a day or two. They're now grabbing at straws trying to figure out how they're going to pay their light bill by legalizing crossbows, allowing people to use guns during traditional archery seasons, letting you blast a doe all season long, etc.
Just what the heck did the PGC think was going to happen?
#23
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 3,879
You are obviously benefiting from the huge decrease in the number of hunters in the area you hunt. You are hunting less pressured deer and have a lot less competition. That's good for you ,but it is not good for the future of the PGC , their future ability to manage the herd and the future of hunting in PA.
#24
Banned
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location:
Posts: 2,978
PGC counter this season? Just like they did the year before last...The weather...
What they need to do is something to counter the decline and low deer numbers, But that aint gonna happen.
Ive seen herd density estimates on the annual reports drop steadily in many wmus since 4-5 years back wehn stabilization supposedly became the goal (pgcs own data!) for most wmus with NO attempt made to quell the decline... and Ive also seen ehd wipe out a helluva lotta deer in one wmu with no consideration given...
Pgc aint gonna counter anything, except for them to remain 100% counter to the interests of the hunters of this state.
What they need to do is something to counter the decline and low deer numbers, But that aint gonna happen.
Ive seen herd density estimates on the annual reports drop steadily in many wmus since 4-5 years back wehn stabilization supposedly became the goal (pgcs own data!) for most wmus with NO attempt made to quell the decline... and Ive also seen ehd wipe out a helluva lotta deer in one wmu with no consideration given...
Pgc aint gonna counter anything, except for them to remain 100% counter to the interests of the hunters of this state.
#25
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,262
You are obviously benefiting from the huge decrease in the number of hunters in the area you hunt. You are hunting less pressured deer and have a lot less competition. That's good for you ,but it is not good for the future of the PGC , their future ability to manage the herd and the future of hunting in PA.
#26
Spike
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: state college, pa
Posts: 32
I live Near state college(2g/4d line)and it seems to have a good population with a good mix of buck all ages. I try to get out either on the mtn bike or with a spot light everyday in the fall to keep track i hunt on state land in this area. Then on my grandfathers farm we easy see about 30-40 doe spotting a night and i saw about 12 in archery by 10am without a single buck on about 230 acres of land. We harvested 5 doe and one nice buck, also go a doe in the lower area of 2g. The corn in many farming areas seems to be harvested later and later.
#27
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: PA.
Posts: 5,195
I really think what you are seeing is slowly enlarging areas where deer numbers have been incrementally declining over the last 5-7 years.
As some of the more traditional hunting areas where deer numbers were really hammered are not seeing the camps members hunting for more than a few days and instead these guys are hunting closer to home where with the added pressure and and an abundance of doe tags deer numbers are been reduced in ever enlarging percentage of the states hunt able ground.
It saddens me to think that deer hunting between bird feeders, swing sets and teeter totters is being promoted and the bigs woods is for tourist and bird watchers.
As some of the more traditional hunting areas where deer numbers were really hammered are not seeing the camps members hunting for more than a few days and instead these guys are hunting closer to home where with the added pressure and and an abundance of doe tags deer numbers are been reduced in ever enlarging percentage of the states hunt able ground.
It saddens me to think that deer hunting between bird feeders, swing sets and teeter totters is being promoted and the bigs woods is for tourist and bird watchers.
#28
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: PA.
Posts: 5,195
Last year was actually a better year as far as big buck sightings.Last year I didn't see many bucks early in archery season and settled for a decent 7 point the fourth week of archery season.I ended up having to let three wallhangers pass after that ,that offered me easy chip shots.The worst year I ever had in 2G was 2005.Every year since then has gotten progressively better.This year,I spent more time on public land during archery season than last year because I filled all of my private land dmap tags early in the season.I killed a doe during the latter part of archery season on public land and have been hunting several different public spots exclusively.I've had some slow days and had to readjust but the deer aren't hard to find.They're just hard to see during daylight hours.
#29
I hunt private ground in 4D, which usually doesn't have a deer scarcity problem in most areas. However, from my stand, I can hear a good ways onto a big tract of public ground and didn't hear much shooting. Talking with some guys that hunt over there, they're not seeing much, a couple deer and lots of turkeys.
It's simple. The PGC has accomplished what it set out to do. They wanted the deer killed. They got the deer killed. Areas with high hunter densities in the past put a big hurt on the deer populations in those areas once the new regulations came in. Now, those very same hunters aren't hunting anymore or hunting a lot less because they simply aren't seeing anything. Kids aren't interested in spending a cold day in the woods watching squirrels.
The PGC sold this plan to us by telling us we'd all see much bigger, more mature bucks. I like the AR, and continue to support it. However, I believe they pulled the wool over most of our eyes. PA will never be an Illinois, Kansas, Texas or any other mid western state where big bucks are the norm. We still have many more hunters than most of those states. And, we're packed into smaller areas to boot. PA is most mountainous, the feed is not there to support wide spread big bucks. Sure, we always hear or see about a few big bucks taken each year. But again, its no Illinois, don't kid yourself.
IMO, the bottom line is that the PGC went way overboard. They removed way too many deer in areas that didn't need it to begin with. Now, people are losing interest or only go out a day or two. They're now grabbing at straws trying to figure out how they're going to pay their light bill by legalizing crossbows, allowing people to use guns during traditional archery seasons, letting you blast a doe all season long, etc.
Just what the heck did the PGC think was going to happen?
It's simple. The PGC has accomplished what it set out to do. They wanted the deer killed. They got the deer killed. Areas with high hunter densities in the past put a big hurt on the deer populations in those areas once the new regulations came in. Now, those very same hunters aren't hunting anymore or hunting a lot less because they simply aren't seeing anything. Kids aren't interested in spending a cold day in the woods watching squirrels.
The PGC sold this plan to us by telling us we'd all see much bigger, more mature bucks. I like the AR, and continue to support it. However, I believe they pulled the wool over most of our eyes. PA will never be an Illinois, Kansas, Texas or any other mid western state where big bucks are the norm. We still have many more hunters than most of those states. And, we're packed into smaller areas to boot. PA is most mountainous, the feed is not there to support wide spread big bucks. Sure, we always hear or see about a few big bucks taken each year. But again, its no Illinois, don't kid yourself.
IMO, the bottom line is that the PGC went way overboard. They removed way too many deer in areas that didn't need it to begin with. Now, people are losing interest or only go out a day or two. They're now grabbing at straws trying to figure out how they're going to pay their light bill by legalizing crossbows, allowing people to use guns during traditional archery seasons, letting you blast a doe all season long, etc.
Just what the heck did the PGC think was going to happen?
#30
my season was quick...7 sits in the woods and i drug my best bowkill out of the woods...
hunting around home was/is tough...never seen a deer in 6 sits...but had someone ruin my favorite spot as well...
rifle season, weve been doing our drives since day 1....
we were averaging about 6 deer sightings a day...got a 16" 8pt killed and a 4pt half rack killed...had 2 bigguns get away...buddy also got a 2.5yo 8pt in archery here..(mine was at camp so not a local deer)
most days we have 3-4 of us...saturday we had 7...
yesterday, we had 3..2 drivers and 1 stander...was our best numbers day as we seen 20+ deer...and yes, all but 1 group went past the shooter...that group got lost on us..hopefully things recover for next season...this year was just very odd..numbers been down since anyone started looking for deer this year...
i'll doe hunt come flinter season...but not on the home turf...we have permission to hunt the late season in an area that holds a TON of deer..the land owners are all buck hunters and dont shoot does...they wont let us hunt till the late season but dont care what we shoot...i try to take a doe or 2 down there each season...
all in all, we got the important 3 of us of the crew tagged out on bucks...and if we can keep the ones we got alive for next year, we aughta be alright....we need a break from the doe hunters...its tough because we are in 2B and tags are pretty much unlimited..but we are in farmland that is pretty much open to hunting and rifles are legal through Jan for doe....it took its toll for sure over the past few years...hopefully the meat hunters find somewhere else to hunt this year...archery had verrrrry few hunters in the area and rifle was quiet till saturday we seen 1 big crew but no shots from them so i think they'll move on too...land is starting to get posted by non-hunting farmers just because they miss seeing a couple deer in their fields...
hunting around home was/is tough...never seen a deer in 6 sits...but had someone ruin my favorite spot as well...
rifle season, weve been doing our drives since day 1....
we were averaging about 6 deer sightings a day...got a 16" 8pt killed and a 4pt half rack killed...had 2 bigguns get away...buddy also got a 2.5yo 8pt in archery here..(mine was at camp so not a local deer)
most days we have 3-4 of us...saturday we had 7...
yesterday, we had 3..2 drivers and 1 stander...was our best numbers day as we seen 20+ deer...and yes, all but 1 group went past the shooter...that group got lost on us..hopefully things recover for next season...this year was just very odd..numbers been down since anyone started looking for deer this year...
i'll doe hunt come flinter season...but not on the home turf...we have permission to hunt the late season in an area that holds a TON of deer..the land owners are all buck hunters and dont shoot does...they wont let us hunt till the late season but dont care what we shoot...i try to take a doe or 2 down there each season...
all in all, we got the important 3 of us of the crew tagged out on bucks...and if we can keep the ones we got alive for next year, we aughta be alright....we need a break from the doe hunters...its tough because we are in 2B and tags are pretty much unlimited..but we are in farmland that is pretty much open to hunting and rifles are legal through Jan for doe....it took its toll for sure over the past few years...hopefully the meat hunters find somewhere else to hunt this year...archery had verrrrry few hunters in the area and rifle was quiet till saturday we seen 1 big crew but no shots from them so i think they'll move on too...land is starting to get posted by non-hunting farmers just because they miss seeing a couple deer in their fields...