buckmine

Even though you are an experiment we all would like to see what the results are in about three years. I wish Minnesota would adopt something similiar. I myself have passed on many deer I could have taken bowhunting. Gun season rolled by and we got three bucks. I again passed on younger bucks because we got our max of three deer and all that was left was to shoot a big one. I am still bowhunting and will only take a doe or a buck that would surpass my largest buck which is an 8 point of midsize.......
How do all of you other states think of PA?

eastwood

for the new hunter that hasnt harvested a deer yet, it would suck provided the new doe laws were not in effect. since doe are legal game, with a doe tag, i think its a great idea. but there is the question of the trigger happy jack ass who will shoot anything with horns without varifying its legal.

762mm

Yes, it had to come to this, antler restriction, or close buck season for a few years, really, something had to be done. Over many years the PGC had done things backwards. Have a two week buck season and a measly 3 day doe season. Guess which gender got hammered into nonexistence in some areas across PA? I could take you into large tracts of land where only one buck will be found and yet you will see two dozen doe. With 50 guys trying to hunt that one little spike buck. What a pity. Now more buck will survive into the next year because by the time you try counting the tines, they make it to safety, or hunters will shoot the first doe they see and pass up waiting for a buck, like I said, in some areas you will be waiting a long long time to ever see a buck.

We have to break tradition of PA hunters too anxious to just shoot at a flash of anything moving. I know some of you out there been naughty and shot some illegal buck this season in PA, and the kids can still legally shoot little spikeys, but if everyone tried to do their part, you will see larger buck statewide in a few years like you wrote about.

John3200

I don't understand the PA problem. If there are too many Does, then issue anterless only permits.

762mm

Actually the problem may be lack of buck in overhunted more public areas. The PGC really can't control what is done on privately owned lands, but it can better regulate what goes on in it's publicly hunted grounds. So it needs to come up with a better system for use there so deer are in a more balanced ratio.

This year PA has issued over 1 million total antlerless licenses. Not every hunter is successful and a small fraction of these tags ever gets filled. It's just a macho thing to always shoot buck, any buck, while little attention goes to the does. Who wants to brag about shooting a 185lb doe when you can get your picture taken proudly showing off a 95lb spikey? (and that's after it was dragged through water).

It's the whole mindset of PA hunters in need of being changed that any buck will do, and it may take a generation to do it.

mauser06

i sure hope they work...i did my share i took a legal buck...(even though im a junior and the ARs dont apply to me....) and i took a doe to even things out in that spot lol...we shall see if the ywork in about 3 years or so...i cant wait!