Did anyone in PA have a good season?
12-09-2009, 08:35 AM
#51
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: PA.
Posts: 5,195
So Sproul, am I reading this wrong or are you saying it's okay if you sit on a stump and shoot a doe that is just wandering through but it's not okay to kill them if on a drive? I'm probably taking this the wrong way. I just can't blame driving deer as a reason for declining numbers. Stop selling the tags is my answer. I know many guys who just want to shoot 1 deer and they buy their doe tag simply because the odds of shooting a doe are much greater than shooting a buck for them. I can't look down on this type of hunter one bit. Shoot one deer and they are done. The hunter who mows them down with as many tags as they can get I have a problem with but they are still within the law. D map tags? Aren't we just hurting our situation by buying these and getting rid of the deer in a so called overpopulated area? Like I said, I'll never have a problem with the guy who shoots one deer a year on public land or for that matter even if he shoots a doe and a buck. All these extra tags, even the left over bonus doe tags are what is hurting us. not the only thing but a major, major part.
if the out of state hunters were able to get doe tag here in wmu2g,it would be even worst.most only hunt bucks.
crossbows and in-lines early season is really hurting the deer numbers too.1 whole week in oct to kill a doe.its having affect.
everyone knows i like the 1 DEER AND YOUR DONE.no carrying your firearm to help your buddies get one.but being the deer are so low now,even this would not help us get a deer or buck .
season has to be closed for doe in wmu2g,then stop all tags and go by the 1 DEER AND YOUR DONE.if not its going to get a LOT worst.
i have no problem with crews driving but they are really just making someone else happy pushing a deer to them.i know MANY that wait for drive to happen each year.
we stopped because of this and i miss driving deer but i would like to see the BIG SMILE on one of our crews faces than a hunter that gets in middle of drive because he knows a crew will be pushing.
guess what, i am one of those people now.i sit in same spot for 46 years and they drive it.but for some reason all my bucks were from hunters trying to get in middle of drives not ones doing driving.if i see crew driving i usually let buck go or try to wait until they are done.most know me in my area and know i wont shoot buck off their drive but i have on hunters sneaking into middle of crews drive.
12-09-2009, 09:13 AM
#52
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 3,236
Rifle season is getting way too troublesome. No more relaxation in it if we have to think that hard about it. The thing that keeps me doing it is that there are almost no hunters in the woods anymore. Otherwise I might give it up and just do the archery and late flinter seasons.
12-09-2009, 09:55 AM
#53
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Central PA
Posts: 2,299
Camosteel, no biggie buddy...I catch myself thinking once in a while too. 
livbucks, I know how you feel. I do enjoy taking the gun out, but I would much rather be out with the bow. If it wasn't for my family and close family friends getting together each deer season, I probably wouldn't bother too much. The traditions, that our PGC is trying to kill, is what keeps me from staying in bed.
livbucks, I know how you feel. I do enjoy taking the gun out, but I would much rather be out with the bow. If it wasn't for my family and close family friends getting together each deer season, I probably wouldn't bother too much. The traditions, that our PGC is trying to kill, is what keeps me from staying in bed.
12-09-2009, 10:03 AM
#54
Fork Horn
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 343
I have no issues with Deer Drives, but we don't do any deer drives until the deer aren't moving on their own. We never drive deer the first day, that's for sure. Of course I hunt private land so there is no rush to beat out all the hunters
12-09-2009, 10:22 AM
#55
Typical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Carbon County Pa.
Posts: 601
I do , I think they are dangerous when high powered rifles are involved. years ago I hunted with some friends on thier property. They wanted to push deer to me, so they made a big loop and came it to me. I heard a deer comming through, when I spotted her she was jumping over some brush 15 yards away. when she cleared the brush I seen orange, about 25 yards behind her. If I would have pulled up in fired he would have been in the line of fire. I never wanted to be part of a deer drive after that. If I can't get a deer in a ambush, I will spot and stalk.
12-09-2009, 11:04 AM
#56
Fork Horn
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: SE, Pennsylvania
Posts: 174
I'm having my best year ever. No shortage of deer where I hunt. I shot a nice 5 point buck and doe in archery and was only out 3 times. Then I got a doe the first day of rifle and one the second day of rifle. Both rifle deer shot on a drive but I was pushing not posting. Deer just don't move in rifle unless pushed. It seems like every year anymore we have to put on drives to put the meat in the freezer. I didn't see a one deer sitting, and wouldn't have shot any either if I had just stayed sitting. There aren't as many hunters around where I hunt so noone pushes them. Not much shooting either this year. I had a buck that I kicked out of his bed about 80 yards from my stand when I left the first day and he would have stayed put hadn't I stopped and gone back a couple steps to get him up. Same thing with my brother he had a buck and 3 doe bedded about the same distance from him all morning until we drove it out at lunch time. So it seems to be the same every year sit and see nothing, then put on drives and shoot deer.
12-09-2009, 11:33 AM
#57
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: manassas va USA
Posts: 614
Camosteel, I think you may have misunderstood my post. I'm not saying or blaming driving on low deer numbers. It may have come off that way. I was just referencing the incidents we have seen right down the road from us on how they basically drive the entire mountainside and wood lots and shoot everything that they can. A few years back, this group started doing this and now, most everyone I know in that area said there aren't many left. This group continues to do this. The first year this group came in there, they killed 27 deer in one day and I would imagine they kept doing it until there wasn't anything left.
I agree with you in the fact that its the sheer number of tags at fault. Not the hunters. But the kind of act I referenced above doesn't help.
I agree with you in the fact that its the sheer number of tags at fault. Not the hunters. But the kind of act I referenced above doesn't help.
i agrre with you on the relentless pursuit some of those guys in southern 4d take to kill does,,,and whats more,,,those same guys are going to be the ones pi$$in and moaning about lack of deer all summer long,,,that said,,,i have to disagree with you on who is at fault,,be it PGC or the hunters,,,,the PGC is going to continue dishing out tags as long as the hunters will buy them as they need the funding,,,and after 6 long years of this bickering and blaming the PGC,,,guess what,,,the hunters are still slamming the Bejesus out of the does. I place fault firmly on the hunters and im sure i'll get a bashing for stating so,,,but it wont be the 1st time! I feel that if this "bad situation" is ever going to change,,,the hunters have to do the changing,,after all,,,it is OUR sport
12-09-2009, 12:26 PM
#58
Banned
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location:
Posts: 2,978
"the PGC is going to continue dishing out tags as long as the hunters will buy them as they need the funding,,"
They wouldnt need the funding in the first place if they DIDNT issue so many doe tags, the fee increase would have been approved by legislators. Pgc refused to comply. Thats the reason it has not been thusfar.
" Legislators have,and after 6 long years of this bickering and blaming the PGC,,,guess what,,,the hunters are still slamming the Bejesus out of the does. I place fault firmly on the hunters and im sure i'll get a bashing for stating so,,,but it wont be the 1st time! I feel that if this "bad situation" is ever going to change,,,the hunters have to do the changing,,after all,,,it is OUR sport"
No bashing deserved. You are half right. Many hunters are to blame in part. Pgc blameless though? I think you know better. They are paid to manage the deer herd and that includes setting allocation. If its too high they are to blame right off the bat. I'll put the blame COMPLETELY on hunters the second pgc steps aside and we become the official managers of the herd and we can all legally hunt without paying pgc to set forth all bag limits rules & regulations. When someone is paid to do a job, they are held accountable to do it right. IF pgc doesnt have to do that in your mind, then why do they get over $70million dollars every year???LOL
I know what youre saying. But to leave pgc completely blameless? Doesnt make sense. They are not only permitting but encouraging something that shouldnt be permitted period. Raping of the resource. Thats like the state saying rape is legal then when your wife is victimized, the state is in no part to blame because they werent the ones to do it. Utterly Ridiculous.
They wouldnt need the funding in the first place if they DIDNT issue so many doe tags, the fee increase would have been approved by legislators. Pgc refused to comply. Thats the reason it has not been thusfar.
" Legislators have,and after 6 long years of this bickering and blaming the PGC,,,guess what,,,the hunters are still slamming the Bejesus out of the does. I place fault firmly on the hunters and im sure i'll get a bashing for stating so,,,but it wont be the 1st time! I feel that if this "bad situation" is ever going to change,,,the hunters have to do the changing,,after all,,,it is OUR sport"
No bashing deserved. You are half right. Many hunters are to blame in part. Pgc blameless though? I think you know better. They are paid to manage the deer herd and that includes setting allocation. If its too high they are to blame right off the bat. I'll put the blame COMPLETELY on hunters the second pgc steps aside and we become the official managers of the herd and we can all legally hunt without paying pgc to set forth all bag limits rules & regulations. When someone is paid to do a job, they are held accountable to do it right. IF pgc doesnt have to do that in your mind, then why do they get over $70million dollars every year???LOL
I know what youre saying. But to leave pgc completely blameless? Doesnt make sense. They are not only permitting but encouraging something that shouldnt be permitted period. Raping of the resource. Thats like the state saying rape is legal then when your wife is victimized, the state is in no part to blame because they werent the ones to do it. Utterly Ridiculous.
Last edited by Cornelius08; 12-09-2009 at 12:34 PM.
12-09-2009, 02:31 PM
#59
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location:
Posts: 2,621
I'd rate my season as just "OK"!
I did fill several tags, but hunted way too hard to do so. I hunted several days without seeing a deer.
I hunt in 2A. The population is way down from several years ago. Saw a few nice bucks. Saw a couple others this size and one bigger. I hunt private ground with limited hunting pressure.
I did fill several tags, but hunted way too hard to do so. I hunted several days without seeing a deer.
I hunt in 2A. The population is way down from several years ago. Saw a few nice bucks. Saw a couple others this size and one bigger. I hunt private ground with limited hunting pressure.
Last edited by Windwalker7; 12-09-2009 at 04:19 PM.