DougE

I would say if one expects to see 20+ deer a day,that's a load of deer.

During archery season,when I'm sitting in a tree for hours at a time,a good afternoon or morning for me is anywhere from 1 to 6 deer.Most years,I get skunked about half the time when archery hunting and when I am seeing deer,I probably average between 2 and 4 deer per sit.During rifle season I'm more mobile and therefore see more deer,it's just a matter of getting a good shot at one.This year,the worst day I had in rifle season hunting a full day was 4.The best day was 12 but I spent the majority of my time trying to get deer moving by my one buddy.The two days we hunted together he saw well over 20 both days.If he would have been by himself just stting,he wouldn't have seen a fraction of that.This was a tough year if you were solo.The weather was lousy on the first day and the snow was way too crunchy to walk on the last day,plus it was pretty cold to sit for hours at a time.The first saturday wasn't too bad and that's when we saw the most deer.I saw 12 that day and my buddy saw close to 30 but we hunted a few different spots.

DougE

I read these message boards enough to see that the majority of people complaining expect to see lot's of deerI've also been to a bunch of save the deer meeting when most speakers complained that they weren't seeing 60-100 deer a day anymore or seeing fields with 200+ deer.

I don't think it's unreasonable for a guy to expect a decent chance for success.I also don't think it's all that hard to have a reasonable amount of success,even on the public land in 2G.Every year I consistantly find and kill multiple deer on public land in 2G and pass up way more than I shoot.I don't have any special places to hunt and I have way less time than most people.In fact,I rarely ever shoot deer in the same places from year to year.I just don't think it's hard to have a decent season hunting public land.

bluebird2

Your myoptic view of deer management is precisely why you can't relate to the average PA hunter. You think that just because you can kill multiple deer in an area with low deer densities you assume thousands of other hunters could do the same if they just hunted like you do and that is simply ridiculous. You apparently live in a fantasy world where there are unlimited deer to be harvested with no adverse effect on future harvests. That level of ignorance is really hard to deal with.

BTBowhunter

LOL! If I didn't know better, that kinda sounds like some sour grapes to me. Thats OK, I understand. I think we may have discovered some answers that could help you. Actually there's 5 deer in that photo not 6. The other critter is a b-e-a-r. If you look close, I think you will be able to tell the difference.

3 of those deer are from right here in good old PA taken on private land but two of those three were taken less than 40 yards from land that is unposted and open to anyone who cares to hunt it.

The steroid reference means you noticed that they're big. I take that as a compliment because it was age not supplements that made em that big. Dont feel bad though, you're not the first fella who hasnt seen enough big deer to tell the difference.

Since you seem interested, I could make myself available to give you a few pointers if you're willing to learn. It does give me some gratification to help an inexperienced hunter find a good buck!

DougE

That's not true at all.I killed 5 deer in an area that has a ridiculous deer density and some of the worst habitat around.I killed another one on state forest where there were no other hunters that day and between two of us,we saw over 32 deer by lunch time.Incidentally,I hunted the same spot on the first day and ran into a few guys.Everyone complained about the lack of deer.I knew the deer were there because the sign doesn't lie but nobody was moving them the first day.I killed another one WITH MY BOW on public property where there's no shortage of deer.It's a tough place to hunt and see alot of deer because there's several huge clearcuts and loads of mountain laurel.The mast crop was huge and the deer didn't have to leave the security of the laurel.

I didn't effect any hunter's future chance of killing a deer by the one's I shot.I rarely ever see another hunter in the places where I hunt so I doubt I've ever had an effect on anyone's future harvest.

BTBowhunter

Just curious Larry, are you of the opinion that you could personally experience the kind of success Doug has had? If so what would it take? A better spot? Hunting harder? Hunting smarter? Scouting more? A new strategy perhaps?

bluebird2

You just confirmed that you have a very myoptic view of deer management. The deer you kill have no effect on future harvest so if a 100,000 hunters did what you do ,their harvest would also have no effect on future harvests and that reasoning is simply insane. The simple fact is because you reside in the general area where you hunt , you are benefiting from the reduced hunting pressure that resulted from the effects of HR. hunting deer that aren't subjected to heavy hunting pressure is like shooting fish in barrel.

bluebird2

For your information, for you I am Bluebird 2. For my friends I am Larry.

Without a doubt i could experience the same success Doug experiences if I hunted under the same conditions that he enjoys. but unlike Doug i wouldn't be as greedy and arrogant as to kill multiple deer in a WMU with very low deer densities. I don't even do that in 5C where the PGC wants to reduce our herd by 40%.

pats102862

This remark is just insane.

bluebird2

That may be your opinion, but heavily pressured deer that I couldn't come close to during hunting season , now let me get within 25-30 yds. on an ATV and don't leave the area even with a radio playing and a chainsaw running. If I simply wanted deer to fill the freezer it would be no problem to kill as many deer as i wanted , but that is not why iI hunt deer.