Unclebuck 300

I don't live in PA but have hunted there with family friends for years. I have always seen deer and enjoyed the atmosphere and comradare that surronds the hunting seasons.

I would like to address several things I have been reading in the various posts though and it is not meant to demean or criticize anyone, just to point out my thoughts on the various subjects.

First, I have always viewed hunting as a sport and a time for relaxation. I enjoy being out in the woods with my children and friends. I love watching the wildlife, be it deer, bears, squirrels, rabbits or turkeys. I enjoy the time catching up with friends that I do not have the opportunity to see often. For me, this all contributes to the success and enjoyment of hunting.

I also enjoy matching wits with the animals I am hunting for, although they prove quite often that I am witless..laughs. I find that each time I am in the woods it turns into a learning experience and gives me a greater understanding of nature.

Taking game is an aspect of hunting. The state has set laws concerning the taking of these animals and it is my choice whether I harvest far less than my limit or harvest my entire limit of any or all animals. I am a firm believer in never letting any of the animals I harvest go to waste though, whether it is one squirrel or six deer.

In that regard, I as well have friends that enjoy venison and don't hunt. I know people that are on limited budgets and utilize the various types of "Hunters for the Hungry" programs through donations of meat from animals harvested legally. I have been on hunting trips that I could not bring the entire animal home and the meat was donated to one of these organizations. I do not see how people harvesting numerous deer legally and donating them or giving meat to friends could ever be viewed as a "slob" hunter. If that is the case, I guess I too qualify for the title.

As far as changing the rules. I would have to agree with the many excellent points brought forth concerning not being part of the problem but being part of the solution and banding together as one. The way to make changes is to be vocal towards your representatives, the PGC and those involved in the management and hiring of the game managers in the state (Alt I believe his name was?).

I hope everyone has an enjoyable and safe remainder to the hunting season and take the time to enjoy the time in the woods and the wonders of mother nature!

ulysses

uncle buck 300: you made a rational post I respect your viewpoint an opinons. I myself hold many of them as I am sure most posters to this site do as well. Though I am certain you too know tag holders that you prefer not to be associated with when refering to hunters.
I have my opinions as well of people whom each year apply for as many tags as they can possibly get, then consider it a poor season unless they fill each of those tags. For no better reason then their warpped sense of enjoyment in the killing of deer. only to waste the venison or give it away. Surely I and any level headed human applaud anyone whom donates venison to programs such as 'Hunters feeding the hungry' there is a huge difference in a sportsman sacrificing some of the fruits of their success and the SLOBS I have posted about earlier, but I believe you know that already. These same SLOBS are the first to cry about not seeing enough deer when an area is over harvested. If Alt continues his statewide rather than localized elevated doe harvests trust me here in Pa there will be many more areas nearly devoid of deer.

ulysses

whitetail and other: what makes you think guys like me don't write the letters, heck I even dropped my membership to the Federation of Sportsman along with my $200 annual donation to them cause they support Alt. which meant I had to let my dues lapse at the local gun club as they are part of the Fed.
Also if you have access to an over abundant deer herd by all means blast away, BUT once those numbers are down to manageable levels if you continue to blast away you are part of the problem.
those guys that give their old kin a few steaks or sausage aren't the slobs I refer to it's the guys that shoot 4 deer a year and their kids each kill 2 or 3 then the wife nails 1 or 2 more and the family consumes a total of 3 deer while the rest get passed around only to wind up freezer burnt then tossed out in the trash next Sept. Those guys are SLOBS. It is usually these SLOBS that flit around looking for areas with high deer numbers then hammer away only to move on to another area in a year or two when the pickins get slim. The result is normally more posted land to keep what few deer remain for the owners kin.EVERYONE looses because of these slobs

Unclebuck 300

ulysses,

You are absolutely right. I have run into people that are like that, wasting the game that they harvest. I am glad that they make up such a small minority of the hunting population and and I don't run into them often.

I would agree that PA has some serious issues with deer numbers and the harvest decisions that are made. There do need to be changes made and the hunters in the state need to do more to make the PGC more proactive than reactive to the issues surrounding game management in the state. The only way this is going to get done however is through sportsman banding together and working with the PGC to see these changes get enacted. Are you going to be able to please everyone, not a chance, but compromise is a way of life and I'm sure that the direction could be changed to create a balance between the sides.

I know that in my state they hold public meetings to allow input from hunters in regards to the laws, limits and upcoming legistlation? Does that occur in PA? If so, do those that are so vocal on the boards take an active part in them and work together toward change? I have no idea, but I do know that there are very few people present at most of the meetings that I have attended here.

The main part of my post was directed at hunting and the pleasure it brings me. I don't have to harvest an animal to have a successful season and it isn't all about the kill for me. I just was hoping as you did, that people would stop for a moment and look at what they enjoy about hunting other than the kill.

Thanks

deaddeer

Here is a slightly different perspective. Many PA hunters live where they hunt. WE can enjoy nature year round and many can observe deer while sitting in their back yard having a beer. Therefore, the appeal of sitting in the woods freezing our butts off may be just a tad less enjoyable for us than for someone that only gets out in the woods a few days a year. In other words our main purpose for hunting is to havest deer and although I enjoy watching the sunrise and nature in general, my only goal while hunting is for someone in the group to harvest a deer.

rybohunter

I despise seeing game go to waste whether its roadkill, or unused deer that's freezer burned. I take pride in using all the deer I shoot and building relations with non-hunting co-workers and friends by giving them some meat and keeping up a good image for hunters. I haven't bought beef at the grocery store in over 5 years. I was very offended being lumped in with guys who buy tags for every family member, just to slaughter deer and much of it gets wasted. Yes I too get a good number of tags, but try as I might I don't always fill them. I hunt heavily populated areas that show no signs of slowing down, and this year I am having a little above average year. These last 2 tags I have to fill, I will be hunting a co-workers farm who just about begged me to come shoot deer as he too farms the land. Seems like an all around win-win situation to me.

Nice point DD.

Unclebuck 300

If I read that right, the only enjoyment you have in the woods is if you get to kill something or someone in your party gets to kill something. Each person derives their own pleasure from hunting and if the kill is the only enjoyment that you have, so be it. I too have that goal, to harvest an animal when I go hunting, however I also enjoy other aspects of the hunt as well.

As far as only getting in the woods a few days a year or not being able to get out. I am in the woods on a year round basis and can do the same thing, sit on my deck and watch deer and many other animals. I bought the property where I live because I enjoy doing just that. I live where I hunt just as you do. I also hunt where I don't live through out New England and other areas and always seem to enjoy it whether I harvest an animal or not.

This is just my opinion, but the main focus of this thread is the "declining" deer numbers and the hope that you all can work with the PGC as a group if that is what needs to be done to enhance the hunting for everyone. Like I said in my previous post, you aren't going to please everyone, but usually a majority can be happy with compromise and working together on the problems.

lonewolf5347

Pa.anteless tag have to be contolled otherwise you are not going to have any deer heards.Yes some guys will bag a buck or doe,but many will end up empty handed.I don't see the need that one hunter can apply for 10 tags and filled them all,1 tag along with the big game lic: will help the deer to rebound from hunting pressure and bad winters,Hey guy it just like fishing back in the late 70's and 80 's guys whould keep flounder the size of a postage stamp,the water on the east cost are fished out ,flounder season now is a joke,summer fluke 18 inches is a keeper here on long island,that another joke ,this fishing season the coast seem the worst in years.I read the papers that the local bait shops and the charters are looking at 45 percent in loss on dollars.I would say when there was no restictions on fluke ,here you got guys taken postage stamps home . The deer are no different then fish shoot them all and you will see no deer in the woods.

deaddeer

The fact is we can't work with the PGC because Alt lied to the hunters of PA and totally misrepresented his plan. The habitat is capable of supporting a lot more deer than the PGC claims because the PGC only considers forested habitat as suitable deer habitat. Acording to the PGC farmland,abandoned farm land reclaimed stip mines and fringe habitat contribute nothing to the carrying capacity of the habitat. That is why the goal for 5 C ,which has excellent habitat is 6 DPSM, but the goal for 2G which has the worst habitat is 15 DPSM.

biggbuks

Personal attack against another member and totally uncalled for!