I listen to Alt wishing to produce bigger bucks for the average guy to kill. Saying we must get the buck/doe ratio in proper numbers. but like every big buck state in ther mid west we do not have a shotgun only season. Wouldn't this alone help more bucks to grow older? Oh but that's right, Alt wants numbers down statewide. and how's he going to do this with a program geared to help bucks get older ( shotgun).....hmmmmmmmm! guess we see what he's really after in the long run.

Other states have shotgun seasons because of terrain and population. We don't have the same problems in alot of PA. You can only use shotgun or bow in parts of Allegheny Co.

Why does everything that PA has NEVER done have to be Alt's fault?

Edited by - Jason N on 02/01/2002 15:28:36

I think in the future you will see more and more areas going to shotgun only.
Some of the townships around here already have it.There is more construction every year around hunting areas.It will never be a law passed in one year to
Eliminate rifles all together.Too many tax dollars lost on guns and ammunition.
It will not have anything to do with the deer herd, but how much land is available to hunt with a rifle.

I am a rifle hunter too, but I would love to see PA go shotgun only for deer. I think we could produce bucks just as big as Ohio if we did that. I would gladly give up my rifle if I had the chance to bowhunt or shotgun hunt a herd that contained nice bucks in it.

Gar

I would hate to have Pa be a shotgun only state. I live in NJ only for a little while though and we are a shotgun only state and I hate using a bird gun for deer it is boring to me. I love my rifles and I would have to go somewhere else to use them. This is one of the reasons I love hunting Pa. I get to use my rifles which I love to do.

Brian

Trust me...you don't want to go to shotgun only for deer.

Shotguns have nothing to do with bigger deer in Ohio, or anywhere else. How could they? You can still shoot 125 yards, and I'm willing to bet ya that 95% of the deer taken in PA are in that range.


Also, until you have 60% of your land in corn, soy beans or alfalfa...you won't have deer as big as the midwestern states.

I am forced to use shotgun only in Delaware,rifle hunting is the primary reason we spend several hundred dollars at our deer camp in Pa.

Proline,

My home county of York is heavily cultivated with your above mentioned crops. The ground is rolly just like Ohio. There is a heavy population of people and deer. A favorite pastime of the local hunters is "field shooting" which consists of shooting at running deer out to about 300 yards. They can actually kill deer this way with a rifle, but they sure as heck could not do it with a shotgun. A shotgun is a much more limited weapon than a centerfire. I would compare it to a muzzle loader for balistics.

If you see them pass shotgun only regulations in the people populated counties, I would bet my rifle that they would get deer just as big as Ohio with the same kill figures.

Gar

A shotgun only gun season banning rifles would be fine with me. It still won't get me to hunt during gun season though. Bow only for me.

Edited by - tribalscream on 02/01/2002 18:21:15

Terry,

I suggest that you direct any concerns regarding moderator behavior to the moderator via email or to administration via email (the link at the upper left hand corner of any message board screen).

Tribalscream's name is Ami and she uses a compound bow.