Pa. deer hunting BAD????
11-10-2004, 04:59 PM
#61
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Eastern PA
Posts: 12,747
RE: Pa. deer hunting BAD????
In hunting over 40 years now in PA, I have to say I have mixed emotions about the deer herd. The public land herd numbers seem to be down considerably. I guess this is due to the PGC want to lower the buck to doe ratio. On the flip side, the quality of bucks is getting better thanks to the 3 pt law.
I have been seeing quite a few less deer than in the "glory" days when groups of 10 or 20 deer would walk by you. Now I only see groups of two or three and several singles and that isn't every day. There are days when I don't see anything. The only legal buck I've seen so far this year have been laying on the shoulder of the road. I hunt public land exclusively and my 'hot' areas aren't all that hot any more.
I have been seeing quite a few less deer than in the "glory" days when groups of 10 or 20 deer would walk by you. Now I only see groups of two or three and several singles and that isn't every day. There are days when I don't see anything. The only legal buck I've seen so far this year have been laying on the shoulder of the road. I hunt public land exclusively and my 'hot' areas aren't all that hot any more.
11-10-2004, 05:02 PM
#62
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Eastern PA
Posts: 12,747
RE: Pa. deer hunting BAD????
In hunting over 40 years now in PA, I have to say I have mixed emotions about the deer herd. The public land herd numbers seem to be down considerably. I guess this is due to the PGC want to lower the buck to doe ratio. On the flip side, the quality of bucks is getting better thanks to the 3 pt law.
I have been seeing quite a few less deer than in the "glory" days when groups of 10 or 20 deer would walk by you. Now I only see groups of two or three and several singles and that isn't every day. There are days when I don't see anything. The only legal buck I've seen so far this year have been laying on the shoulder of the road. I hunt public land exclusively and my 'hot' areas aren't all that hot any more.
I have been seeing quite a few less deer than in the "glory" days when groups of 10 or 20 deer would walk by you. Now I only see groups of two or three and several singles and that isn't every day. There are days when I don't see anything. The only legal buck I've seen so far this year have been laying on the shoulder of the road. I hunt public land exclusively and my 'hot' areas aren't all that hot any more.
11-10-2004, 05:10 PM
#63
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Eastern PA
Posts: 12,747
RE: Pa. deer hunting BAD????
Well gentlemen, I realize the PGC need the monies collected from licenses. If the harvest number are down this year, as I suspect they will be, why don't we spend our $6.00 X 2 next year and when our anterless tage come in the mail, take them all down to Harrisburg and burn them in a mild protest.
How many of you are willing to do this?
How many of you are willing to do this?
11-10-2004, 05:21 PM
#64
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 491
RE: Pa. deer hunting BAD????
How many deer do you think an individual hunter will be able to harvest if we reach the goal of 13 DPSM? the last time we were at that goal in 1980, hunters were allowed to harvest one deer /year? Can you think of any reason why hunters will be allowed to harvest multiple deer if and when we reach that goal?
BTW, in 1986 the PGC only isssued 565K anterless tags for a 3 day anterless season!
BTW, in 1986 the PGC only isssued 565K anterless tags for a 3 day anterless season!
11-10-2004, 06:41 PM
#65
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location:
Posts: 79
RE: Pa. deer hunting BAD????
Look, I'm not pretending to have all the answers, I'm simply stating an opinion, and you and everybody else has a right to disagree. But if you think that the deer densities aren't affected by an increase in predators (ie-coyotes) than you are really mislead. Maybe you don't see as many where you live, but where I live, bordering our great Allegheny forest, I've seen an increase by a measureable count. Now, having said that, I still don't think they've had a big enough impact to have reduced this huge herd every speaks of. I will be the 1st to tell you I don't know how the PGC determines the doe tag alotment, but if they do it by driving down some moonshining, back road at night, they'll never get an accurate count, not they that ever will.
Of course I was being facetious about my statement ".......size of rack".
Being a rifle/bowhunter for almost as many years as I've been alive, of course I'm disappointed about the drastic drop in herd size, but that doesn't mean the herd is at a dangerous level, just less deer, and isn't that one of the reasons we hunt them, to maintain a safe,healthy level?
Now what is a healthy level? Not sure, but when does the PGC determine how many doe tags are to be handed out? I would assume one factor would be how many doe tags were filled the previous year. But do they take into account a crash year for acorns? An unsuspected rise in common deer diseases? I know these incidents have always been factors, but what happens when all of things happen in a span of 2 or 3 years? You know, the aliens have gotten a real taste for venison- maybe they're in cahoots with the PGC--
As far as my statement about the extra revenue generated by non-resident hunters, you believe that void would be filled by non-sportsman groups, on a yearly basis? What would they have to gain by that?
I don't believe the PGC has always done the right things, and I certainly am not happy about not seeing the 10-15 deer a day I used to, but you're making it sound like the PGC has become some sort of masked anti-hunting foundation, secretly and slowly driving away hunters, so they can eventually close down deer hunting to the average-joe-hunter. What would be gained by that? I don't believe the PGC is my enemy, maybe just a little out of touch, and it's these type of forums and pro-hunting websites that can help make a difference. Have you contacted the PGC and voiced your opinion? Or maybe suggest they pay a little more attention to these websites to see how unhappy we hunters are? If so, GREAT, if not, maybe we all should. This isn't an argument on who's right or wrong, just opinions, yours-mine-everybody's, and we should be letting these( PGC,state reps, etc) people know that.
I agree that we have to be careful where certain monies come from, but should we let only pro-hunting clubs participate in donations?
Obviously, this a good forum topic, judging by the reponses, and I thank you for you opinions, even if mine are "flawed"
That's an excellent point deaddeer!!
Tell you what bronko, the PGC would probably get a major makeover, maybe that's what we need.
Of course I was being facetious about my statement ".......size of rack".
Being a rifle/bowhunter for almost as many years as I've been alive, of course I'm disappointed about the drastic drop in herd size, but that doesn't mean the herd is at a dangerous level, just less deer, and isn't that one of the reasons we hunt them, to maintain a safe,healthy level?
Now what is a healthy level? Not sure, but when does the PGC determine how many doe tags are to be handed out? I would assume one factor would be how many doe tags were filled the previous year. But do they take into account a crash year for acorns? An unsuspected rise in common deer diseases? I know these incidents have always been factors, but what happens when all of things happen in a span of 2 or 3 years? You know, the aliens have gotten a real taste for venison- maybe they're in cahoots with the PGC--
As far as my statement about the extra revenue generated by non-resident hunters, you believe that void would be filled by non-sportsman groups, on a yearly basis? What would they have to gain by that?
I don't believe the PGC has always done the right things, and I certainly am not happy about not seeing the 10-15 deer a day I used to, but you're making it sound like the PGC has become some sort of masked anti-hunting foundation, secretly and slowly driving away hunters, so they can eventually close down deer hunting to the average-joe-hunter. What would be gained by that? I don't believe the PGC is my enemy, maybe just a little out of touch, and it's these type of forums and pro-hunting websites that can help make a difference. Have you contacted the PGC and voiced your opinion? Or maybe suggest they pay a little more attention to these websites to see how unhappy we hunters are? If so, GREAT, if not, maybe we all should. This isn't an argument on who's right or wrong, just opinions, yours-mine-everybody's, and we should be letting these( PGC,state reps, etc) people know that.
I agree that we have to be careful where certain monies come from, but should we let only pro-hunting clubs participate in donations?
Obviously, this a good forum topic, judging by the reponses, and I thank you for you opinions, even if mine are "flawed"
That's an excellent point deaddeer!!
Tell you what bronko, the PGC would probably get a major makeover, maybe that's what we need.
]
11-11-2004, 06:29 AM
#68
Join Date: May 2004
Location:
Posts: 255
RE: Pa. deer hunting BAD????
"I don't believe the PGC has always done the right things, and I certainly am not happy about not seeing the 10-15 deer a day I used to, but you're making it sound like the PGC has become some sort of masked anti-hunting foundation, secretly and slowly driving away hunters, so they can eventually close down deer hunting to the average-joe-hunter. What would be gained by that? I don't believe the PGC is my enemy, maybe just a little out of touch, and it's these type of forums and pro-hunting websites that can help make a difference." <= arrowchucker
Boy you really swing from one extreme statement to another. Just because I addressed your question about how the PGC will address the loss of a few hunters $$, you leap to new heights of silly statements like above. What a goof.
You started out by lying about someone shooting a mountain lion in Harrisburg and now have moved onto a new level of goofiness.
Yea, you should worry when non-sportsman spending increases to the point that it is greater that what sportsman are willing to spend.
"what would they have to gain by that?" <arrowchucker
answer: have you fallen down and bunped your head?
I really am beginning to think your just trolling. Since no one really considers the herd to have been reduced drastically, like your said. It has only begun and according to the PGC it has not been reduced at all. It is still at 1.6 million. which is 20% larger than 5 years ago.
There may be some sight drawdowns in a few wmu's but no drastic reduction yet. Of course some are concerned about where those reductions will happen in the futute, but you seem to have gone off the deep end thinking it has been drastically reduced. And whats even funnier is that you appear to be putting more weight on predators than hunting???!!! Too funny.
I'm beginning to think your not much interested in discussion as you are in trolling and throwing out bogus Mt lion lies.
Boy you really swing from one extreme statement to another. Just because I addressed your question about how the PGC will address the loss of a few hunters $$, you leap to new heights of silly statements like above. What a goof.
You started out by lying about someone shooting a mountain lion in Harrisburg and now have moved onto a new level of goofiness.
Yea, you should worry when non-sportsman spending increases to the point that it is greater that what sportsman are willing to spend.
"what would they have to gain by that?" <arrowchucker
answer: have you fallen down and bunped your head?
I really am beginning to think your just trolling. Since no one really considers the herd to have been reduced drastically, like your said. It has only begun and according to the PGC it has not been reduced at all. It is still at 1.6 million. which is 20% larger than 5 years ago.
There may be some sight drawdowns in a few wmu's but no drastic reduction yet. Of course some are concerned about where those reductions will happen in the futute, but you seem to have gone off the deep end thinking it has been drastically reduced. And whats even funnier is that you appear to be putting more weight on predators than hunting???!!! Too funny.
I'm beginning to think your not much interested in discussion as you are in trolling and throwing out bogus Mt lion lies.
11-11-2004, 06:45 AM
#69
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: LEVITTOWN N.Y. USA
Posts: 506
RE: Pa. deer hunting BAD????
PGC is not the problem it those guy who bought the doe tags a and shot the deer ,and with two bad winters, it going to take some time for the deer heards to recover.The PGC will have to reduce the no# of tags otherwise you guy will end up like NYS were deer are few and far between(certain area).This year was the first year the doe tags were reduce in the southern part,last year i hunter deposit with 14 other guys and did not see a buck,took 3 day to see a skinny doe that I passed on .
I think also (don't want to start any wars ) but a guy or hunter needs not to shoot more then a doe or two for the meat.My 2 cents
I think also (don't want to start any wars ) but a guy or hunter needs not to shoot more then a doe or two for the meat.My 2 cents