Anybody else notice how fast doe tags...
Pennsylvania
............are selling?! Seems to me a LOT more folks are buying tags now that they got rid of the pink envelopes!
My suspicions were confirmed when I stopped at our local issuing agent on Friday to pick up my second tag.(in Pike Co.) The clerk said a LOT of folks didn’t even know what WMU we were in! When asked for the WMU they just said: “whatever WMU this is”
That tells me they never bought a doe tag before....................
We may be hard pressed to get more than 3 for the special regulations areas
LOL! I always had a feeling a lot of guys never went thru the hassle of filling out and mailing pinks.................now that seems to be confirmed.
Will be interesting to see if guys actually use them now.....................if not, the PGC can always allocate more tags.
I originally planned to try for two 3D tags, but at the last minute decided to go with one each in the first 3 rounds(3D, 2D and 5C) I figured better to have one tag in hand for each WMU I plan to hunt. Then in 4th round I will get 2 more 5C tags if I can...................
I agree a much broader number of folks bought doe tags this year. I think you will have a big take in doe tags come round 3, as guy will be worried about sell outs. My guess is 5c is out by archery week 2. But we will see. With the broader number of tags sold. I'd say 5c will have a very big jump in does taken. Will it be bid enough to see a reduction in tags next season??
Too funny! The guys that hated the pink envelopes & wanted to never have to see them again...you got what you wished for!!! Now you run the risk of having less doe tags issued if the kill goes up because of the people who never bothered to get tags.
The guy that made fun of the people getting their tags as fast as they could in the SRA is now afraid he might only be able to get 3 for the season!
You can't make this stuff up!!!!! LOL
I’m not worried Mr. FUBAR! ;-)
I usually only get 3 for 5C anyway. I’ll see how they are selling the first day of round 4 and if need be I will go online..................if I can wait, I’ll stop by my local issuing agent and buy them in person. That’s all I was saying.
BTW, I wasn’t trying to make fun of you....................just pointing out your needless self- imposed torture! ;-)
I don’t know Ed- I don’t remember 5C selling half it’s allotment in the first 2 rounds. I doubt there are any left by the first day of the season.
Perry, You weren't the guy that made fun of me or them. That remark was directed to the guy in 5C.
The days of guys in the SRA's getting 15,20, 30 tags is quickly going to be a thing of the past. Now that you don't have to take a morning off from work to replenish the 6 tag quota, guys are going to use the internet to get the new tags before they even stick the tag on the dead doe at their feet. I love it!
And if their WMU of choice is not available, they will just buy another WMU from the drop down list even if they don't have a place to hunt which in the past never happened. One thing I do not understand is why the PGC will not make at least 5D and even maybe 5C truly unlimited. I should be able to buy a tag for 5D in January. They want as many doe as possible killed, but yet limit the unit and then limit the hunter on how many he can buy. There is no downside for the PGC to make it unlimited as it will only make them more money and help accomplish the goals they have set. I spoke to a PGC Rep from Reading last year and he assured me this would be changed but it never happened. 5D is all about access and if you have it, you are the hunter who can help the PGC but they keep handcuffing us.
As long as the USDA is baiting & killing deer at night in 5C & 5D every year, I don't see them ever going unlimited.
Rest easy Mr Bob. I'll get those special regulations tags. Thanks for asking though.
"The guys that hated the pink envelopes & wanted to never have to see them again...you got what you wished for!!!"
Well at least you got one thing right.....
Just proves how antiquated and cumbersome the old system was! Now that they have made it easy to get a tag, more are taking advantage of the opportunity!
I don't think 5c, 5d will go to unlimted. Why, if they go unlimited, only 5000 tags would of been sold by this date. Guys would only buy them as needed. Much lower income for the Game Commission. Remember when before the October season you had to buy your day after Christmas muzzleload stamp months before the season opened even though you had a big chance of not being able to using it. That was only to keep the revenue up.
My take on round 3 in 5c, 5d is if they sell say 5k in 5c in round 3. Everyone that bought a tag in round 3 will buy 3 in round 4. So with round 3 and 4 you (my guess) will see 20k tags out of 5c after round 3 and 4. With the chance of a sell out in them units, you may see even more guys jumping on the tag wagon. Interesting to see how this will play out.
With a total of 13k 5C, 11k 5D and shrinking, the last round will tell the tale. 3 available for each, I'm sure they will not last the end of the month. But, allocation aside, why are there even limits on 5C and 5D?
Well I guess the guys that wanted the new system so they could buy tags very quickly after they used them and now the new system causes more folks to buy tags and they may not get more than 6 are not going to be happy.. So lets just try to get "my" unit unlimited so I can still get my 30 tags.
Am I right? New system is working just fine, its going to give way more opportunities for a much broader number of hunters. Tell me how I'm wrong?
5c had a 3500 drop in about 4 days
Ed- they started round 3 with about 31,000 tags. After 4 days they were down to 19,000................that’s 12,000 sold in 4 days.
Little over 13,000 left now and guys will be able to buy 3 starting Monday. I predict they sell out by the end of the day..........................
Ed, new system is working the way it should. They will up the allocation in time. I don't know anyone who's able to get 30 tags now, do you? But I also think the Bambi huggers and the no doe shooting guys are putting a dent in those totals.
What I mean is as it stands with the new system you will not be able to get high number of doe tags. There was guys that got 30+ doe tags a year. Many of 10 to 15 tag, guys. Guys that pushed for the new system said it was a pain in the ass to have to go to the treasurer's office or to mail to get more tags after they used up what they had. Now tags look to be sold out soon. So no more than 6 tag max this year.
Some guys bitched about the guys bitching that they did away with the pink envelopes. Now those guys are bitching about theres not enough tags now that they wouldn't be able to get more than 6.
I dont buy into the folks are buying up tag so you cant kill doe. To me it seem the guys that are saying that, are the guys that cant get more that 6 tags now.
I got to ask again. 30 tags? Do you know who bought 30 tags or is that a guess. The most I have ever used in a season was 12. And I know guys that had 15, but never ran into anyone even on the steps of the norristown court house that bought 30. Except the old couple that would buy hundreds to cut up.
A few years back there was an article or was it a Game Commission release on doe tags sale. In that it stated that the highest number of doe tags sold to one person was 30+
I'm remembering that was a guy that was trying to make a point, not necessarily doing anything with those 30 tags?
Bambi huggers buying up tge doe tags. ??
What a ridiculous belief.
I heard that 2-D tags ran out this past week.
"I heard that 2-D tags ran out this past week."
On 8/25/2023 @ 2:55pm
Got on the website at 8:04 and was 2207 in line..................got my additional 5C tags at 9:24.
It seems the system went down for about 25 minutes from about 8:05 to about 8:30. I'm told it went down in the stores as well.
4th round off and running ?????.
At 9:30 there were about 7,000 tags left. Started this round with about 13,000................so looks like they will be sold out by noon.
6100 for 5c, wow. The Bambi huggers got up early today.
Bambi huggers... take off the tinfoil hat.
Sorry to deflate your theory, there are antis that buy tags. Seen it with my own 2 eyes.
Well, not sold out, but only 3300 left at noon for 5C.........
Rut, get all your tags? Nice to see the system work as advertised. Imagine all those trees that were saved, all those stamps that were saved, Imagine all the stress removed from all those angry court house workers as they can fully work without all those doe tag interruptions. The lights coming from 2023 are blinding, when you're not relying upon the post office and treasures to determine your doe tag fate.
5c, you forgot all the pissed off 5C and 5D guys that usually got more than 6 tags and now only got 6. :(
We are going to hear a lot more about upping the tags or go unlimited from these guys. Just like the guys that was winding about doing away with the pinks. Now this new system is not going to work the way they wanted it to, to help them get tags easier after using up what they had. The winding has already started even though we have not seen what with a browder number of guys having tags what the kill will be this year. I just sit back and watch how they are going to down play this so "THEY" can get more tags. Resources first? No! The, me, me, me what more tags. Just a note I like the new system.
Yep- had my tags at 9:30. LOL! : ) My (retired)buddy was out in the woods trapping this morning and bought his online and I was out on my morning break here at work when I got mine- AMAZING! ;-) Now IF the USPS can just do a FAIR job at getting them to me before 9/21, I'll be in good shape...................................
Last season I was able to get a total of 8 doe tags; one 5C & seven 5D. The days of legally killing more than 6 doe in Southeastern PA are over. That may be an issue for those of us that hunt properties where we must kill doe in order to hunt.
Ed, to be fair it was just expedited. The allocation in both were such even before online that you were hard pressed to get more than 6 any way. Maybe a fringe one or 2 but they were gone by September early opener or there about. I think it just made guys pay attention and made it easier. We will see about the kill percentage.
Ed- you act like these problems are not fixable.................but they ARE! The PGC BOC can get rid of the 6 tag restriction and allocate more tags before next season. We all knew this wasn’t a perfect system, BUT it was progress. Now all they have to do is tweak it a bit.................
And FYI- I never “whined” about the archaic PINK system....................I YELLED it from the rooftops! ;-)
We also must kill doe to remain on those properties. All of the guys must follow those rules.
Perry,
It's been 2 months since the initial clusterf@#!, why hasn't it been fixed yet?
Perry, The new system is fine. Some had things to say about those not liking the new system. But now, before the out come of broader distribution of tags, guys are saying we need more or unlimited tags. Lets just say 5c has a record kill this year. You think guys are still going to say,, I need more tags.
820 5C tags left. It's a banner day for the bambi huggers! LOL
Ed, 5C & 5D should have high harvest numbers. I haven't seen this many deer in SEPA in quite a while.
Bob, I went online this morning and got in the Que...........................waited for my turn and when I got the e-mail, I took a break from work and in 5 min I had my tags. Worked pretty good for me. Also my buddy who was out in the woods trapping...............................he even got them a little bit quicker. Didn;t have to fill out any envelopes and wait weeks to find out if you got a tag or not..................................................
Baring the weather isn't bad in gun season, I say Pa has the largest doe kill ever state wide.
There was definitely a breakdown between 8:05 and 8:40. I started at 2240 in the que. Between 8:00 and 8:05 that dropped to 1631 and then stayed at 1631 until 8:40 when it started moving again more slowly. I ticked down around 9:30 and got my tags. The system needs to be polished a bit and hopefully they learned a lot from the 4 draws. My feeling, not that anyone cares, is that the system will hopefully improve but that many people bought because it was convenient, which is a great thing. The problem may be, at least in 5D, that access will not allow many of those people to use those tags. The dynamics may change next year.
Well, I'm glad I stopped at Walmart at lunch to pick up a couple 5C tags. Bonus - I don't have to worry about getting them in the mail before the opener.
Got to the Wally World sporting goods department at 8:05 and had to find someone to help me. Nobody else there. Guess they knew tags were gone in 2-D. After 3 tries He got me my second 5-C tag at 8:30.
That was fast. 5C is out. Holly Molly.
5D will be done by the end of the week. Last year I was able to take a doe at the end of September and still get another tag. By mail no less. Glad I got what I did.
I got on this morning at 11:15 and got my license with no delay. There were still a few thousand left in 5C at that time. I got this one for 2C.
Well, I’m glad I didn’t wait and try to get one at my issuing agent after work.................I woulda been sh** out of luck! ;-)
Ed- I don’t think the doe kill will be significantly higher this year. Like I said before, all those guys that never bought one before are probably not gonna hunt hard enough to fill it. And a lot of them probably took away from one of those guys that would have filled it..................
I read here and it seems many are all about individuals having high numbers of doe tags and you'll defend and say anything to get it.
Also somethings stated today just don't make sence.
I agree with Rut. Many of the people who got tags this year in 5C and 5D will have very little access to where the deer actually are. And yes, they may have taken tags from those who do have access and that is their right to do so. I don't blame anyone for trying to expand their opportunities but it is not easy getting access down here. Teeton, I don't believe anyone is saying to go against the science across the state but the PGC expressly asked hunters to kill as many doe as possible in the Spec. Regs areas years ago. The population has only grown with more development making it harder on access and if you are lucky enough to have a spot, it can be good hunting. It's not selfish to expect the PGC to actually help us do what they have asked for yet they continue to handcuff the most productive hunters for their cause in Spec. Regs by instituting the 6 tag limit and not instituting unlimited tags in at least 5D. Unlimited tags takes away the theory of bambi huggers buying up tags, lets everyone get tags, and more importantly, lets the productive hunters continue to try and meet the PGC goals. In 5D you should be able to buy a tag in the last week of the late season if you still want to hunt. Plus the PGC makes more money.
Well said Griz! I always said give the guys that can kill more deer all the tools they need......................
And I am not blaming those hunters who get tags and don’t use them. In fact, most years I AM that guy. I only have limited opportunities to hunt in 5C every year, but I try to get 4 tags so if I get lucky I can fill them. (I’ve taken 3 deer a couple times, but haven’t filled all 4 tags yet.) I usually donate all my 5C deer to HSH, so I’d like to donate as many as possible.
Who is saying bambi huggers are buying tags?? That has to be crazy to go through the hunters safety course, buy a license and then buy doe tags. I would think even the nutso PETA people see a better way than that.
Yeah, they know a 'better' way. They lease ground and don't allow anyone to hunt it. Happened not far from here.
I never heard of anti's leasing ground just so no one can hunt it. I would believe there's more to that story. Maybe it was leased by an anti, but I bet there's really another reason they leased it and they are anti.
I got into a lease in Ny state years back that was a horse farm, folks bordered there horses there, as there was 30 deer in every field at night. The group was bowhunters with a lot of safety rules for hunters and horses. Well the horse loving, animal loving antis told the owner if he went thru with it they would pull their horses out. It got closed down before it got started.
Nice post Griz. I don't know anything about the Spec. Regs areas, but certainly sounds like unlimited would meet both the plan of PGC and desires of the hunters for those areas.
The new online procedure was fine for me. It went exactly how I knew it would and I did what I had to do to get the 4 tags I wanted. I knew I didn't have to play the wait game in the first 2 rounds, so I didn't. I did sit in queue for couple hours round 3 to get my dmap tags, but wasn't a big deal. I've spent way more time than that on other states sites trying to get tags, so I thought nothing of it.
Will 5D make it past labor day?
"I haven't seen this many deer in SEPA in quite a while."
I agree Bob, and the numbers will continue to grow unless they untie the hands of the guys who were doing the lion's share of the killing.
I'm just glad to be going to the 5-c hunt and camping with rut. Hope to donate a couple deer to HSH.
Yeah, the 5C hunt is coming up. Remind us when it gets closer. I think I may get up there this year.
You better.
Rut has to go west first to help get the stands ready.
You SHOULD John- it’s a really good time!
Yes Art- can’t wait to get back out there! : )
Was thinking, catching up with the new UBP president would be good to. Haven't seen Wayne in a while. What's the date again?
Send me a PM with your e-mail address and I will put you on our official list and send you the details.............
We open Camp WHACK-A-DOE on Wed. Sept 20 and hunt Thurs-Sat Sept 21-24 and leave Camp on Sunday. Pizza on Friday nite and Pig Roast Saturday night.
I will bring the 5C Hunt thread to the top..........
655 left for 5D. Unbelievable
To echo what Bob said, 377. It is unbelievable, really unbelievable. Got to be a new record selling out.
5D sold out at 9:24 this morning.
I have a strange feeling that some of those 5D tags are going to go on deer killed in a different WMU.
"I have a strange feeling that some of those 5D tags are going to go on deer killed in a different WMU."
Agree- been saying it for years, no doubt those tags will make their way North.
Well, new system worked for me. Hadn't bought a doe tag for several years and ended up buying a 2b tag when I got my license at wally world last week. Convenient for me....if I get a buck, likely won't even use it but, have it, just in case.
Anybody get their 4th round tags by mail yet? Still waiting on mine...................(I have one 5C tag in hand but I always like to have at least 2 for the first day)
Got the balance of them yesterday. A fist full of doe tags and a 70 degrees day Saturday. Woo-hoo.
LOL! Still waiting on my 4th round tags...................................
You should be getting them before Sat I would think.
I hope so..................
It’s polluted with deer here in 5d this year. In a normal tag yr in 5d I would have 2 down already (2 yrling does) so I passed with only 6 tags Many killers down here have work to do, with the 25 plus killers I know that shoot double digits each yr the kill may drop. I passed on 2 yrlng does and it’s only 7:30 When we could, I would buy 15 to 20 tags, I’ve bought as many as 42. I’ve keep track, I’ve used 65% to 100% of my tags every yr. I believe the tag usage in 5D is way less than my percentages They have reduced the effectiveness to cull the herd. It’s different down here in 5D, It’s work to keep the population under controll
Bill, don't lose sight of what's really important to these guys...getting rid of the pink envelopes is worth limiting the the Alpha Hunters to only 6 tags.
I see the FDA taking on a larger roll, than they currently have, in culling deer in 5D.
LOLOL Here let me twist it up a bit:)
Oh HELL NO, Dale! It is worth some "FUBAR" for one year to get out of the 1980's................. ;-)
"Oh HELL NO, Dale! It is worth some "FUBAR" for one year to get out of the 1980's................. ;-)"
To get to what.... into the 90's. I get your enthusiasim over replacing our antiquated system. But as long as we're buying on-line and waiting weeks, sometimes a month for a tag, it's a sh!tty system that was computerized. Buy on-line, print it out. Just like WV....twenty years ago.
I bought my 4B tag on 14-Aug. It just showed up on Monday. That's five weeks. Doesn't matter if I can't use it yet. It just shows the inefficiency (major understatement) of the system. And when inefficiency is tolerated, you'll get more of it. 'Specially from the government. And those FUBAR's ain't going away, cuz "Well you can't use the tag until..."
