Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting PA HUNTERS HOW GOES IT SO FAR???

himmelrr,

I could really care less about the deer situation in Pa. as I have pretty much written off the state for deer hunting.

It wasn't until I left Pa. that I realized how pre-historic their game management policy was.....until Dr. Alt came along that is.

The SGL is in really bad need of sound LAND mangement. The deer hunting will take care of itself.

Tony

That was kind of my point in a more direct way. My military duties have taken me to many different states, including VA, GA, LA and ME so I've had the pleasure of seeing different managment styles. Each has strong and weak points. I still can't believe that some highly populated PA counties still allow rifles for deer. That is one thing that needs to change - fast. In any case good luck where ever you hunt.

RH

himmelrr,

10-4 on the populated counties.....amazing it hasn't happened sooner.

Good luck to you too.

Tony

Again, I am not saying there are no deer in PA they are just in places where they cannot be hunted either due to developments or its private property.

That guy that shot that girl was a real ahole. He made every hunter look bad and he wasn't even remorseful after the court hearings.

hicountry,

Thanks for the tip. I'll try to get it right next time. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I was gonna stick up fer ya on that Alt thing, but someone beat me to it. Talked to "Larry's" successor this afternoon at a local building supply store. The kid still has all of his hair and it ain't even started to turn white yet. Imagine!

Give him about another year or two putting up with us PA crybabies and he'll have yanked it all out.

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

Actually saw more deer this past "rifle" season, than I did last year. Nothing like 8-10 years ago, but still enough to keep me excited about the deal.

Racked bucks are becoming more numerous and larger where I hunt (northern Tioga/Potter). If I live long enough, might just kill a dandy some year. Quit shooting 110lb bucks with 8" spreads years ago, don't miss it at all.

Now hunt in South Carolina--2 deer per day. Why is pa seeing no deer? Wait till next year, that is what i have been told. PGC has problems and they are not all about the deer.

Last day 4:20pm nice 9 point..elk county..pretty nice deer. Cutting it kinda close!

Lefty

Have you what these problems are? If so what are they and where is this info coming from?

PGC is experiencing major financial problems and has been for the past several years. Our last license increase to $20 took place in 1999. The legislature was told then, that the increase would only sustain them for about 5 or 6 years before they'd have to dip into their reserve funds. They have made substantial cutbacks in services over the past two years and are currently understaffed, especially in the "game warden" department (I believe there are about 20 vacant WCO positions at the moment, with more expected next year via retirements) .

No increase this year because it was an election year and no legislator wanted to get hammered for approving a hunting license increase in an election year (plus they were already smartin' from their pay raise fiasco which they wound up repealing under pressure from an irate electorate).

There are other issues, but I'd like to "see" what secret info is being forecast by this latest rumor and from whence it came.

One group is currently suing the PGC over the deer herd reductions of the past few years (they want a return to the days of more deer, apparently). Oral presentations were just conducted yesterday, since the original lawsuit was kicked back to the group that filed it and the court granted them what basically amounted to a "do over" to reword the suit and present it again. This has been dragging on for most of the past year or longer, with no end in sight.

Thanks dube! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

What's his name? Is he proceeding along with Larry's recommendations? I hope he doesn't cave-in!

Dr. Chris Rosenberry. He and the rest of his staff have tweaked some of the (former) data interpretations, but otherwise appears to be committed to managing our deer with all aspects considered.

He's a very bright lad, in my opinion. If his staff's quidelines are followed by the commissioners, I believe all will be fine in years to come.

Good to hear!

That, sir, is ALWAYS the rub, regardless of state...

That was the rub for many years here. Biologists made their recommendations for controlling deer numbers and the sitting board of commissioners often yielded to pressure from hunters who wanted the herd to grow. We eventually wound up with far too many deer in many places. Many hunters will always want more deer, without regard for any other viewpoints on the subject, or regard for any adverse effects that too many deer create.

Deer do not exist in static conditions. Depending on a variety of factors like habitat (primarily food availability), weather, hunting pressure, hunter access to deer, etc., deer numbers can increase or decrease beyond the ability of anyone to accurately estimate which way the "herd" is heading within a short period of time. All it takes is one harsh winter in poor habitat and deer numbers are drastically reduced. Give them several mild winters and enough chow, they've suddenly doubled or tripled in numbers, despite the best efforts to stabilize them by increasing doe tag allocations.

PA has undergone many changes since I started hunting in the late 1950s. Back then many traditionally headed to the rural north central parts of the state to hunt deer, because that's where most of the deer were and access was not a problem, with several hundred thousand acres of public land. [There are 1.4 million acres of state game lands and over 2 million acres of state forest land in PA, primarily in the sparsely-populated north central areas...fer them not familiar with PA.]

Over the years many things have changed. Many NC forest habitats became overstressed from too many deer for the available food; deer numbers increased in the southern parts of the state, primarily in areas where civilization had encroached on formerly undeveloped lands...often areas where hunter access is a problem. Deer also increased in many agricultural areas, causing problems for crop farmers.

Whole different ballgame now. We have great numbers of deer where we didn't used to and have fewer where they once prospered. No easy solutions and a smaller herd in the north central is a hard pill to swallow for people who became accustomed to large numbers of deer there and want them back.

Even though the board of game commissioners essentially serve as appointed volunteers, ya couldn't pay me to "take the job". Farmers, suburbanites and foresters are still riled that there are "too many" deer to suit them and many hunters are riled 'cause there "ain't enough" deer.

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Bob Frye has written an excellent book on the history and current challenges of deer management in PA: Deer Wars. It is available from the Penn State Press, or at many bookstores. It's a good read.

Dube - great post; concur with all you've said. Would add that the posted land problem is the biggest variable in the whole equation along the western coast of PA. A fellow was killed this past deer season in SWPA when a deer jumped off the bank, landing on the windsheild of his pickup. Both killed instantly.

I went to Cabelas this AM in Wheeling, WV. I'll bet we saw 15-20 deer splattered on the highway between Zelienople and Wheeling. I couild go on a very large rant about posted property and those who post it for no reason other than they don't want anyone back there. Two of my neighbors told me "no" this past year. Neither hunt, not have any hunters in the family and are not antihunting. They just don't want anyone shooting their dog ('splained I've not confused a dog for a deer in 30+ years....) or want bullets whizzing by the house. I calmly explained that it ain't the guys knocking on their door for permission that are causing them problems.

Also saw a buck feeding along a high bank at noon......................

I agree with most of what everybody else said here. Over all the deer numbers are down. But the quality of the bucks I have seen this year have been much better then in the passed. I turned down a few nice shooter bucks this year and then I took this guy Nov 6 in the peak of the rut, good 9pt. I was 22 feet up in the tree lounge and called him right to me. I spined him with a carbon fiber gold tip and 100 gr Nap thunderhead. He only went about 30 yards and pilled up.

[img][image]http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/remmy999/06bow10pt043.jpg[/img][/image] [img][image]http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/remmy999/06bow10pt050.jpg[/img][/image] [img][image]http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/remmy999/06bow10pt042.jpg[/img][/image]

Good looking Buck..
Good job anchoring him!!!!!
GREAT rack too.

Thanks for the post.

Don

Mighty nice buck. Look like the rascal had a few "miles" on him to have gotten that much mass.

Spit - nice buck!