Just curious.

I have shot a couple during my hunting career. Then again I was in my early teens at the time. I really can't see me shooting another one unless I really screw up the ID process, and that's unlikely to happen.

Thanks Rybo,
I know in the past things were done differently and harvesting a BB was just like any other deer. If I understand your position, you try to abstain from shooting BB now and in the future. I think that is a good practice and good for the deer management in PA. What was done in the past is done and over and was based on a whole different way of thinking. Nice to see PA hunters are able to change with the times and adapt to modern principles.

Wishfull thinking.

This sounds like an Alty wish list.

Bottom line is that there is no state that puts an emphasis on doe harvests that do not take plenty of BB with that harvest. Pick another state that harvests 2 AL for every A deer like pa does and look at what their % of buck is in that number.

Too funny, to hear that people think they can prevent the harvest of young bucks, and even more funny is that the PGC experts are not worried about it either.

"About 75 percent of next year's bucks have already been born before Pennsylvania hunting seasons begin -- they are the button bucks we see while afield. The remainder comprises those antlered bucks that elude hunters during the seasons. Hunters typically shoot about 30 percent of the does in annual harvests. After winter losses, about six of every 10 adult females afield before the seasons start will be around next spring to reproduce. And don't worry about hunters shooting too many button bucks -- they typically shoot only about 20 percent of the available button bucks through the deer seasons" <=== from the PGC web site


Bottom line. Anyone who has shot a bunch of does has shot a few buck. The law of averages says so, the PGC says so and it is part of the deer management equation.

Its too funny that Altys cling to the hope of lots of bucks behind every bush, and think that a handfull of BB saved is they key to success or failure in PA's wildlife management.

As a whole the state has not gotten its results on herd reduction. As a state we need to start shooting many many many more antlerless deer to get the required reductions....so getting picky and choosy now is not going to help meet that goal.

If you want reductions, then you need heavy harvests. If you have heavy AL harvests you have BB taken in the mix. It happens in every state with a heavy AL harvest.

Always has, always will.

I appreciate your comments Chick.
The only problem with your reply is that you didn't answer. The thread is about whether you will or will not harvest BB. Will you purposely harvest BB or will you go to long lengths to avoid harvesting BB?

Neither. I will do what the PGC has asked me to do. Harvest more antlerless deer to balance our herd and continue to harvest bucks like always. And while I am harvesting antlerless deer like the PGC asked....a portion of those will be bb and older bucks who lost thier antlers. About 20-24% of my personal AL harvest will statisticly be bucks.

And....if I am in an area that is overloaded with deer? The PGC says if your goal is herd reduction harvest away. Any deer taken is helpfull in overpopluated areas. So I will take any deer fawn, adult doe, buck, BB, goat that gets in the way, albino's you name it.

In areas that are not over populated I use my good judgement first to see if I even will fill any doe tag, and if I choose to I will use the guideline that the PGC has recomended and that is:

"Consider Letting That Button Buck Walk Away" "Of course, we’re not inferring that it’s wrong to shoot a button buck. They are legal game, and all deer are
trophies. " "These decisions are often based on hunting limitations and individual preferences, and vary from hunter to hunter....." <pgc literature


So I would take into consideration the landowners wishes if I am on private land. Our landowner is not a rack hunter and could care less what we shoot. A boy deer eats as much as a girl deer. If I am on public land I will use my own guidelines like the PGC says we should. I am not a wannabe rack hunter and do not care a lick if a buck has a half rack of 2, 3, or 4 points....makes no difference. So I will take the situation as it comes, and if there is no big doe standing around, and the landowner has no wishes then a BB is going to be in zip lock baggies in my freezer.


I always follow the PGC regs, and honor and respect landowner wishes. So this year I will be harvesting any legal deer in pa. So I will neither purposely seek out a BB nor will I go to long lengths to avoid one.

I have about a 20 to 25% chance it will end up a BB.

I shot my first BB last year, and it could have been avoided but I was impatient and shot what I thought was a doe in ML season. I make a solid effort not to shoot BB, but in the gun seasons it's going to happen at one point or another.

I have shot a BB and I may again in the future. If I do again will depend upon the situation. It is early in the archery season now and I have passed on three BB's and two young does - mainly because they are not big enough to justify the cost of processing. I am in WMU 2D and I only have one tag for here. Later in the archery season if I feel desperate I will take a BB if given the chance. I also have a tag for 2B. In 2B herd reduction is needed so any deer will do. I usually save that tag for the later shotgun season.
So, basically I'm saying I hunt to fill my freezer. My brothers & uncle also hunt to fill the freezer. My older brother has 8 tags for 2B. He processes the deer himself and will always take BB's cause they're easier to shoot and process plus the meat is tender.
Since we have the antler restrictions my chances of getting a legal buck are pretty slim so I must take what I can get with my doe tags.....

I am sorry you feel this way. Of course I don't know the specific piece of ground you hunt, but I am familiar with a good portion of the 2D zone. There are so many legal 1st year bucks, besides the bigger ones that get thru as well. Although I started my personal set of size limitations before AR went into place, I never really did understand why so many people got bent out of shape who hunted in areas with sizeable 1st rack bucks. Yea the odds may have dropped some, just becuase you went from everything legal, to a restriction, but it is still far from the 'slim chance' statement.

You know the guy didnt ask for a discertation on the pros and cons of shooting button bucks.... Gheez, you sound alot like a guy I know that goes by the name of neverwas...I mean beenthere on huntingpa.com.

Really? I shoot between 3 and 4 doe a year and its been 7 years since I shot a button buck and the only reason I shot him, is that is was raining and he was bedded down in the mountain laural and at 100 yards he sure as heck looked like he didnt have buttons.
Of all the guys that I know that hunt, and shot doe last year, only one of them shot a button buck, and were talking total harvest of well over 30 doe.

Bottom line is that we do everything possible to avoid shooting them. But then again thats us. We like having buck around.

So to answer the ?, I try like the devil to avoid it, to the point of if I dont know I dont shoot, just to many does out there to have to whack one if he maybe a button buck.