Pa. deer hunting BAD????
#41
Spike
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location:
Posts: 53
RE: Pa. deer hunting BAD????
Guy's. The tough 2 winters is what reduced the herd size. Before the 02 winter I was tripping over deer (so many). All I have to say is wait 2 or 3 years so the numbers where use to will return. I am not making a blanket statement. There are other parts of the state that the harsh winter did not affect the deer as much. Mostly the higher elevations. Including many parts of NY as well.
#42
Join Date: May 2004
Location:
Posts: 255
RE: Pa. deer hunting BAD????
mast has been plentifull the last two year here too.
....and Dr. Alt has not asked anyone to show discression in using tags. he put 1.04 million tags out there for one reason....to harvest the oversized pa deer herd which is twice as large as the habitat can support.
Incase you did not know, you are on a mission to save the environment...and yuppies suburban SUV's from being dented.
Dr. alt encourages you to fill those tags, or we will never get to the deer goals he has set.
Unlike some who fail to scout, most hunters are scouting and not finding very much to get excited about. Early returns on Archery tags show that
numbers are down. the harvests since AR/HR was implemented are down. Hunters enthusiasm is down. And after this deer season, our license sales will probably be down.
But hey, thats modern deer management.
....and Dr. Alt has not asked anyone to show discression in using tags. he put 1.04 million tags out there for one reason....to harvest the oversized pa deer herd which is twice as large as the habitat can support.
Incase you did not know, you are on a mission to save the environment...and yuppies suburban SUV's from being dented.
Dr. alt encourages you to fill those tags, or we will never get to the deer goals he has set.
Unlike some who fail to scout, most hunters are scouting and not finding very much to get excited about. Early returns on Archery tags show that
numbers are down. the harvests since AR/HR was implemented are down. Hunters enthusiasm is down. And after this deer season, our license sales will probably be down.
But hey, thats modern deer management.
#43
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 491
RE: Pa. deer hunting BAD????
ORIGINAL: 951hunter
Guy's. The tough 2 winters is what reduced the herd size. Before the 02 winter I was tripping over deer (so many). All I have to say is wait 2 or 3 years so the numbers where use to will return. I am not making a blanket statement. There are other parts of the state that the harsh winter did not affect the deer as much. Mostly the higher elevations. Including many parts of NY as well.
Guy's. The tough 2 winters is what reduced the herd size. Before the 02 winter I was tripping over deer (so many). All I have to say is wait 2 or 3 years so the numbers where use to will return. I am not making a blanket statement. There are other parts of the state that the harsh winter did not affect the deer as much. Mostly the higher elevations. Including many parts of NY as well.
The number of deer will not increase anytime soon ,since the goal is to reduce the herd from the current 25 DPSM to 13 DPSM and the areas that have the most deer now will experence the biggest reduction, since only 2 G and 2 F have a goals of 15 DPSM or more.
#44
Join Date: May 2004
Location:
Posts: 255
RE: Pa. deer hunting BAD????
Thats too funny!
Dr. Alts plan is to increase doe harvests to reduce the herd. Now that the reduction is getting started we still have some fellas who are grasping at straws and still looking for other excuses....
Of course Deaddeer is correct, there will be no rebound, no increase, not as long as the plan is on track.
In case you did not clearly understand Dr. Alt and are still out in the weeds looking for excuses.... Dr. Alt said it best at the 2004 January meeting of the PGC. He said "Get used to seeing less deer".
That pretty much sums it up. Ain't winter that is causing anyone to see less. ITS THE PLAN. Herd reductions are the order of the day.
Get used to it. It has only just started.
Wait till you get to 12dpm.
Dr. Alts plan is to increase doe harvests to reduce the herd. Now that the reduction is getting started we still have some fellas who are grasping at straws and still looking for other excuses....
Of course Deaddeer is correct, there will be no rebound, no increase, not as long as the plan is on track.
In case you did not clearly understand Dr. Alt and are still out in the weeds looking for excuses.... Dr. Alt said it best at the 2004 January meeting of the PGC. He said "Get used to seeing less deer".
That pretty much sums it up. Ain't winter that is causing anyone to see less. ITS THE PLAN. Herd reductions are the order of the day.
Get used to it. It has only just started.
Wait till you get to 12dpm.
#45
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location:
Posts: 79
RE: Pa. deer hunting BAD????
Ya know, nobody has even brought up the fact the predator levels are up all over NW Pa as well as the SW NY. I hunt coyotes and I'm seeing a lot more of them than in previous years. And the PGC is projecting another record year of black bear harvests.
Now, I have had many arguments over the "coyotes drastically reducing" the deer herd population by killing many spring fwans. But I don't think that's the case at all. Not that they don't have an impact, but the black bear is the #1 spring fawn killer.
It can only get worse with the rise of coyote levels, and I think we're not that far off, maybe another 3 or 4 years if not less.Remember also that, when we do get a severe enough winter to increase deer kills, the coyotes are the ones who really capitalize.
Again, has anyone heard the rumor of opening up Sunday to hunting?
Now, I have had many arguments over the "coyotes drastically reducing" the deer herd population by killing many spring fwans. But I don't think that's the case at all. Not that they don't have an impact, but the black bear is the #1 spring fawn killer.
It can only get worse with the rise of coyote levels, and I think we're not that far off, maybe another 3 or 4 years if not less.Remember also that, when we do get a severe enough winter to increase deer kills, the coyotes are the ones who really capitalize.
Again, has anyone heard the rumor of opening up Sunday to hunting?
#48
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location:
Posts: 79
RE: Pa. deer hunting BAD????
Hey Whitetail, I wouldn't laugh too hard, they shot one about 2 years ago down near Harrisburg.
I don't know how legally, they're not considered a big game animal in our handy, dandy PGC guide.
I hope nobody's offended, but from what I understand, the reason we can't hunt on Sunday is for religous reasons. Is it true? I don't know, but wouldn't it be nice to join the rest of the country and not have to miss a day of work for it?
I, like most of the people I know, work 6 days a week,and I've got a 6 year old who can't get enough of the woods, but the only way I can get him out hunting is to take a day off, or hope someone can switch Saturdays with me.
Hey HACIMSALLK, where 'bouts in NW Pa do ya live?
I don't know how legally, they're not considered a big game animal in our handy, dandy PGC guide.
I hope nobody's offended, but from what I understand, the reason we can't hunt on Sunday is for religous reasons. Is it true? I don't know, but wouldn't it be nice to join the rest of the country and not have to miss a day of work for it?
I, like most of the people I know, work 6 days a week,and I've got a 6 year old who can't get enough of the woods, but the only way I can get him out hunting is to take a day off, or hope someone can switch Saturdays with me.
Hey HACIMSALLK, where 'bouts in NW Pa do ya live?
#49
RE: Pa. deer hunting BAD????
Aarowchucker, I think that the Harrisburg Mountain Lion was proven to be hoax. I'm certainly not the authority on predators I just think it is funny how the PGC keeps running all their propaganda out there.
#50
RE: Pa. deer hunting BAD????
Sunday hunting has been on and off the table for the last few years. They might try some limited Sunday hunting first and see how it goes. I don't know when as there are still many opposed to it. It was originally a blue law but now I think it has more to do with land owner relations. Plus a lot of people are set in their ways about it. You can hunt crows, coyotes and maybe some other varmints on Sundays but nobody really gets too pumped about hunting crows.