How is it working
Pennsylvania
We here in ct have a hit topic on points pa has this in place is it working if so how or if not why . Thank you for any input
Well the does are real thin in alot of areas there for a while we had 2 weeks of buck and doe think that hurt alot, first day of rifle guys would shoot does. Now the first 5 days buck only. In my area havnt seen many more big bucks now then I did before restrictions.
You will get mixed replies here.
In my area and other areas they are working great.
In other areas guys say they are not working.
I'm working and will chat more about this later.. I'm in the Northeast part of Pa and I have not seen deer being killed this big in all my years of hunting.. Hunting has gotten a lot more fun.. After a while guys that were against it really warmed up to it. Yes may of 1.5 years don't get killed there first year as small bucks.. That give them a year to learn and helps them make it through their second year. I know quit a few guys that were against, but now after many years of AR would not have it any other way. It took a few years but many of guys saw the potential of our deer and started passing up smaller 8 points looking for a bigger deer. I was one that was for AR but would shoot any legal buck with 3 on a side, now I pass up (110 class) 14 or 15 inch wide 8 points looking for that 130+ class.. I also took a while for guys to look at doe and not shoot the first antlerless deer that came in , looking and trying not to shoot button bucks.. I now look at anterless deer and don't shoot button buck.. Since I started looking I have not shot a button buck pretty much meaning theres a buck for a few years down the road. The big thing I hear is guys are not seeing 25 deer a day and with less hunters being in the woods not move deer like in the old days of 1.3 million hunters. i think we are at about 750000 hunters now and AR is not the reason for the fall off of hunters like some say.. Hunters numbers have dropped off even in states that don't have AR. Yes the first year less buck are going to be shot, as guys have to pass up deer and guys are going to complain they didn't get a deer.. Give them same guys a few years to start seeing the results of AR,, and they will start liking them. Ed
Don't you know yet.. There are no deer left in Pa. This site is all doom and gloom. No deer, less deer and a 3 up limit, yup.. It's all down hill from here.
No deer above Rte 113...Lol!
An update from the PGC just came over. They are rescinding the AR's in all WMU's except the special Regs areas. So you guys can now shoot spikes and Y bucks to your hearts content... Let all those bucks above 3 years old alone.
It's working great. When these bucks hit 3.5 you see them but when they hit 4.5 it's a whole different ball game and they r real smart and usually nocturnal.
The above 4 year old buck tough no good to eat. Young 4 point still tender good table fare.
Hey guys please weigh in on the thread over in CT.
I can get in enough arguments over here in the PA section about AR's, thank you. :)
Give guys a few years for antler restrictions, it's been 16 years how many years is it goin to take, lol.I got a piece of public land in 2 d to hunt only 1 legal buck was seen in it ,a scap rack 6 what most people would call it.
Shawn, how many different pieces of public ground do you hunt? Do you hunt out of a stand or on the ground? Do you hunt all over or do you hunt certain spots?
Well I've been sitting here on this ole stump the past 20 years and only see one deer a year. My dads grandpa shot 2 bucks here in 1943 and 1953 so it must be a good spot.
From what I've seen in SW Pa and up in the northern mountains of Pa, I have a tough time understanding why others aren't seeing more nicer bucks. Either they are bull crapping us or they need to do more scouting. Or there is a serious poaching problem going on.
Stick and string I hunt out of a summit treestand so I'm mobile, I hunt 3 to 4 public lands. And the 1 private land in 2d. I have certain spots on my public land which is good area real thick big rubs,way back off the road. Most of my spots are in 1a, my 1 spot I hunt is by a turnpike and alot of the bucks get hit by cars.
I do believe it's workin in certain areas , I have a camp in 2F big woods not as many hunters as old days., I don't get up there much to hunt 1 day a year due to work, family. I've seen bigger bucks up north, a guy I work with as 300 to 400 acres private land in 2d he sets out trail cameras and hunts it , he hasn't seen much difference neither he said maby a 10 point every once in awhile, I'm not trying to be a negative nancy just my opinion. I love hunting, archery, gun and flintlok . I get out 30 times a season atleast.
I can show you spots on public in 2D that have way more legal bucks than the private I hunt.
You would think the private land I hunt in 2d should have some legal bucks, there is a good population of does on it that should bring in bucks during the rut you'd think. I know you won't see every legal buckon a property there not dumb.maby 5 guys hunt it all season. Maby at most 4 deer takin off it a year.sometimes none, alot won't shoot does.
RC. Get off that stump and get behind that computer/printer. I need more doe tags. :-)
I wouldnt expect someone with 400 acres to notice a huge difference on trail cam pics. Granted, a deers range encompasses much more area than 400 acres, BUT thats a fairly big chunk of ground and there likely werent many 1-1/2 yr old bucks being harvested on that acreage pre-AR. Guaranteed he is getting pics of multiple good bucks and always has. Because the 400 acre chunk provides exactly what the ARs are providing.
I hunt mostly public ground in an area that gets hunted hard. I only saw a few legal bucks this year but it isnt because they aren't around.
We own 45 acres and only the 3 of us hunt it(i only hunt it once or twice a year). We dont get a ton of pics of bucks bigger than a basket. Yet year after year, we watch the neighbors take multiple GOOD bucks out thru their fields on the ATVs in rifle season. Why the bucks frequent them and not us when our grounds touch on the same ridge, your guess is as good as mine. Some of it it the forest makeup between the two, some if it is that they have a large field planted in corn each year giving food and cover. There MAY be some other factors as well...But none of that means that there arent good bucks within sight of where our cameras/stands are.
Ijust cant believe that there are areas in the state anywhere where there arent at the very least, legal bucks.
Palongbow not trying to be cocky but you telling sportsman that hunt 3 to 4 solid months that we got to end the got to get a deer every year, like I said I hunt alot , aND I'm not bragging but I do have venison in my freezer most every year if you spend 3 to 4 months in woods you deserve some venison.
C'mon, Shawn....your last name is Bowhunter! You deserve the right to be a little cocky with a last name as cool as that! I have to disagree with your last sentence though....none of us "deserve" a deer. If you put in enough time and effort, do your homework, and become proficient with your bow, the good Lord may just give you the opportunity to kill and eat one of his finest creations. Take each day as a gift, every sunrise, and your time in the woods as it may be your last...and never believe you are "owed" anything.
Shawn...you say you have venison in the freezer. Good for you. Then, what is your bitch? That there is not a buck behind ever damn tree? Seems to me your one of those guys that has to be able to say,” yep, I got my BUCK this year”. And that would be ANY buck, size doesn’t matter. And if you say size doesn’t matter, kill another doe. If you been hunting for 35 years, as you say, you should have grown out of the mentality of killing a buck, no matter the size. After all, this sport is called” hunting”, not “killing”.
Your problem Shawn, is you remember the days before AR’s. You know, when there was damn near a buck behind every tree. Hell, in those days, you could train a monkey to kill a deer. Get out there, learn woodsmanship. Learn everything you can about your prey. Scout, scout and scout some more. Did I say scout. Hell,I’ve killed more bucks in late Jan., Feb., and March, than I can shake a stick at. And the arrow wasn’t loosed till late Oct. or Nov.
And, also, the woods don’t owe you a damn thing. You’ll get back exactly what you put into it. You gotta make it happen, not wish it to happen. . And that usually starts with a change of attitude.
Should of not said deserved , should of been earned.
Bc173 no I'm not one of those guys that have to get a buck every year,just like what pa bowhunter1064 I enjoy the sunrises and the sunsets you never know you got limited time on this earth. Every deer with a bow in my thoughts is a trophy and a gift of the effort you put in the woods.
Guys step back,, lets not make this a big pissing match.. Say how you feel but, no need to direct anger at each other..
As for private vs public,, I hunt a piece of public thats about 4000 acres and a private thats about 3000 acres.. The private is own my a bunch of different owns that make up that 3000 acres.. The public that i hunt sees 2/3 less hunters than the private.. This past rifle bear season i was late getting to the above pubic do to icey roads so I drove by all the parking areas to see where all the guys where hunting at.. Well I can tell you this,, I had 4000 acres to myself. I see deer and some really nice buck on it.
But over all I still see deer, maybe not as much as pre AR... I now pass up many legal 6 and 8 points.. I never passed up any before AR's came about. I have more fun hunting now.. The only place I hear guys saying they don't see deer is the guys on here the bowite. Maybe it's just other areas of the state that don't have as many deer.. If your not seeing deer in your area maybe don't shoot any doe??? If I was not seeing any deer I wouldn't shoot any doe.. Point point restrictions is not what causes you not to see deer. So can you still have AR"s and still have doe or still have as many doe as before AR?? Ed
That's exactly the attitude I'm talking about. Now go out there with that attitude, and make it happen.
Some of you guys make shooting a buck sound like something to be ashamed of. We all get 1 tag. Shoot what's legal and makes you happy. Allow the other guy to do the same. And, "yep, I got my buck this year."
Yea , there are woods that I don't shoot doe in. I won't get mad at other bowhunters comments,I consider every bowhunter my brother.
Man, reading this thread is like turning on the outdoor channel and having it stuck on the same 10 second loop of drivel.. Smoked em, smacked down a stud, and all the other kiss face painting theories. It is supposed to be a sport, one you can not win at but we play every year.
Got my buck too.
I love AR's.
Hehe :)
AR’s are workin’ real good in your area, RC.
Dude, thats obviously fake. Nobody wears a hat like that anymore. Nice try ya faker...
Wow how does that deer even walk thru the woods. Gotta be a new record.
I bought stock in cleanex after this thread was started, gonna be rich in no time. The usual complainers never let me down, right Ron?
Plenty of deer in the woods! I've not taken one in a couple years though. I quit shooting doe, not because I'm not seeing them. I'm Strictly buck now with the bow. Lots of big mature buck running around. I'm not the killer i use to be. :)
Pa game commision estimate 30 Deer per square mile 2018 survey they must think sportsman are dumb , back in 85 I would believe that. That's all I'm sayin.
RC shoots that same deer every year.
Guaranteed there are plenty places here in PA of well over 30 deer per sq mile...
Ah, there's light at the end of the tunnel.
Ya ever see that old beer commercial that said Old Milwaukee beer is the best????
I don't believe them cause old milwaukee beer is like skunk piss.
Shouldn't you be out scouting?
LOL Merry Xmas, Jeff.
Yeah... I bet that was pretty expensive. I hope everything is ok now.
Merry Christmas
Thanks Jim. It was just shy of $7500 out of pocket, but THANK GOD I had insurance! That was less than 2% of the total cost.
Getting better slowly, but still have issues! Could not imagine it would take so long(5 months). I'm just hoping I am pretty much back to normal(for me) in another 6 months or so. Just thankful I'm still breathing, though! ;-)
MERRY CHRISTMAS! : )
Merry Christmas bowhunters, rut nut heard of your experience here on bow site , could not imagine the pain from a rattle snake, I hate snakes. Glad your getting better.
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