It would be hard to convince the ones used to seeing 30 deer a day or tagging out by 9 oclock on the first day to work a little harder for their deer. That would be like taking the food stamps from a lifelong welfare receipent and telling them to go get a job. They don't want to hear that.:sad0064:

BT do you know how much you sound like the PGC themselves with comments like your last one? I have killed a buck every year since 1936 some years it was right after first light opening day of rifle season, others the very last afternoon of archery season...matter of fact the last 22 were killed with a recurve bow sans the very last one that I used a crossbow .
Not everyone whom is calling for heads to roll in Harrisburg is a 1 day a season wonder and that's what some of you seem to think they are.

Wow,While I disagree with everything you're saying,I gotta give you credit for killing a buck with a recurve for 22 consequtive years up until at least age 85.That's truly something to admire regardless of your stance on deer management.

First of all, congratulations on your success with the recurve. Thats an accomplishment that few can match. Having been a recurve hunter for a lot of years before moving to the compound, I can fully respect the level of accomplishment. :cool2:

If it sounded like I was talking about you with that last post of mine, I was not. Nor was I talking about any single hunter. I was talking about the most prevalent characteristics of the average opponent of the current deer plan based on the sum total of my experiences and observations from interacting with several of those folks. Some guys here fit into that generalization, some dont. You obviously dont. When I talk to a guy like Many Spurs or Germain who are obviously dedicated seasoned hunters, they dont fit that profile either. We've had a guy on here who complains incessantly about not seeing deer but he also claims he doesn't need to rethink his hunting tactics or scout any more.... HE FITS! Of the guys I see and hear in person that are complaining the most at the grocery store the gas station and the taverns in deer country, it really fits!

Generalizing about a ones experience with a group of folks will always include someone or leave someone out that shouldnt be.

It's not unlike your saying that I sound like the PGC. I have lots of issues with them and can suggest lots of things they can do better IMHO.

pats please explain how the state of PA. could manage the herd without the hunters of PA?? This kind of attitude is what P O 's me the most, its like having someone mow your lawn for free every week because they enjoy cutting grass and then smacking them in the face for their efforts. Pike

in Pa? is it mostly private land? or public? cause here in Texas, i hand it to the land owners for keeping our herds going. the land owners need to supplement the land..not the government.

if its public lands...just need to close them for 5 years and wammo..more deer....how many of you guys would accept not hunting for 5 years so your great great great grand kids have somethin to hunt?

DougE yes I'm an old bugger for sure but not 85 only 83 , my father lied my age and got me my first tag @ age 10. An I've killed a buck each year since. To date I have killed 31 bucks with my recurve , 2 bull moose, 8 black bears, 1 bull elk and numerous small game.
Darn pitty I've seen Pa fall from the ranks of superb deer hunting to the mess it is today. I've also watched as the PGC gained respect as a game department thruout the country . A Dept. that many states modeled their own resource offices after,only to see them become the laughing stock of those same states today....question my statement there??? Just look at the crossbow fiasco that took place last year....have you seen any results from the supposed unbias deer count/survey??? Even after the meetings that just ended those figures that were supposed to be released then weren't WONDER WHY?????????? Because the PGC is wrong and they know it!!!

I'll be dead soon enough and until the past decade I had pride in the PGC but now I'll take the shame of being a resident here an seeing what they did to the deer herd to my grave instead.....something for the PGC to be real proud of isn't it???????

I still disagree with your point of view but give you a huge amount of respect for what you've continued to do.

I'm aware of a deer audit but not of a deer count/survey.The results of the audit will be published shortly.

An just what do you think the audit was? Also would you like to make odds that the rank n file hunters have no faith in what will be reported in that audit by a group whom was to have no ties to the PGC...only to be found out they did/do?

What really burns me about these bufoons on the Board is not that they wish to restore habitat where needed by lowering deer numbers but using that as an excuse to glean funds from anterless permits in lieu of an increase in back tags fees...then not admitting it when confronted with hunters whom are able to see the continued HR in areas of good habitat ...and being told they need to scout new areas and/or hunt harder.
I've been a hard hunter all my life but the last 8-10 yrs if I didn't have a family farm that is private to hunt I canassure you there wouldn't be huntable numbers of deer on it