How did your PA Deer season go?

[Pre-64]

I have to ask, How did all you PA Deer hunters make out? I spent the first week in Sullivan Co. and managed to only see 1 Deer. Lots of rain the first day and lots of empty camps by mid-day Tuesday. The Deer sighting occured Wed. around noon. Well people it was a dandy buck that was gone in a flash. Nothing else to report the rest of the week. Came back to Lititz and managed to bag an 8 point Tuesday morning. Lets here about what happened around the rest of the state.

[Swift]

Here in Franklin Co we are 0 fer.

Son and I saw 0 on Mon and Tues. I saw 0 on Thurs. First Sat I saw 4 but my boy could not make them out through the laurels we were hunting, I decided not to take a doe that day. Went out behind the house (our land borders state forest) this past Thurs saw 0.

I'm gonna make it out tomorrow from about 1400 till dark as I have taxi service for sports due to the wife is working.

So right now I'm gonna say this season was a bust. Probably won't even shoot a doe if I see one tomorrow. Numbers have been taken too low if ya ask me.

[Pre-64]

I seem to be hearing a lot of that from all parts of the state Swift. A few of the boys at camp refused to take a Doe even though they possessed a tag. I spent the first two days in a stand. When I say that I mean sun up till sun down without ever having to grab my rifle. I remember the days when I lived in Warren Co. and the "Herds" would run past you. It seems that the bucks being taken are of a better class than lets say the 70's or 80's but I sure do miss seeing Deer on a daily basis to keep things interesting. This is really going to hurt in Flintlock Season. Which makes me think, If you can use a crossbow now during the rut, why not a Flintlock

[petey]

Fairly typical season for me. My 6 year old killed his first buck under the mentored youth program, with me by his side, the first hr of daylight. Dandy 8 point that was bigger than anything coworkers shot. 5 minutes later I passed on a mainframe 8 with it's tines sheared off from a fight. Gotta commend the PAGC on this program, I have to say.
I hunted 4 days in gun season, passed on 5 "legal" bucks waiting for the one I've been hunting in archery. I saw 8 bucks, 3 I could not have shot, b/c they were just flashes or in thick stuff that no bullet could have made it through. Probably 20 some doe sightings in those 4 days. My neighbors missed 8 bucks by 8 am the first day (thank god). I didn't hunt as many days as normal in archery, but still had multiple opportunites at legal bucks. I choose to pass on the 1-2.5 year olds and shoot only bucks in the 120+ class range. We have them...I have plenty of trailcam pictures and pick and choose which bucks I will shoot. To each their own, but I don't just shoot any old buck to say I did.

BTW, I do not hunt private land, I do not own hoards of posted property, it's public and I do my homework before archery season. I know where bucks live, I know their patterns and I have names for all of them. Call my physco, or whatever, but it's how I choose to hunt. I pass on lesser bucks and over the past 5 years I've come to a point in my hunter career where I can wait on that one buck that I've found..him or nothing. I nice to watch bucks grow up, and I have several years worth of trailcam pictures of the same bucks. It makes me smile when I see a 120-140" 4.5-5.5 yr old and I know I was one of the factors in him getting that age and growing that big, b/c I didn't pull the trigger or release an arrow when he was just a 1.5 or 2.5 yr old.

So far...I have nothing, other than does and my boy's buck in the freezer. I'm happy with the season and sightings so far. My boy's kill was one that we'll both remember for the rest of our live's and the bond we shared that day can not be weighed on any scales. A successfull season thus far. So I have to kill "my" buck with a flintlock or bow after Christmas? Can't wait for it...he'll be back to his normal patterns in two weeks and he'll make the wrong mistake soon enough. If not, I'll kill him next year as a 6.5 year old. If not, he just may die of old age! My buck to doe ratio in my area is what I think it should be. Less deer sightings than 10 years ago? Well yeah, but I'd rather see 3 descent bucks in a day, than 100 does and 1 spike.

Anyhow good luck to the rest of you all, if you're still after that big one like me.

[Adam Helmer]

Pre-64,

On opening day here in Tioga County I saw a forkhorn and 8 does during the entire day. All still call this farm home. I saw no deer the rest of the season after opening day. I did not hear many shots after opening day.

I buy an antlerless tag every year to save a doe's life.

Adam

[Adam Helmer]

Pre-64,

Pennsylvania Deer Hunting sure is NOT what it used to be! I bought my farm in 1988 and I had deer here. PGC and Gary Alt began a deer DECIMATION Program to turn the 1.5 million acres of State Game Land into a CERTIFIED Hardwood Tree Farm. They got the Certification and the PA deer diminished.

Some folks say, "But now we have bigger Bucks." NOT SO! The PA Outdoor News says the BIGGEST PA Bucks were taken in 1940, 1934 and 1970. DUH! This is ALL pre-Alt and THE PGC deer decimation POLICY that CONTINUES today. My numb nuts neighbor farmer said he shot 5 does last year and did not see any deer this year? I told numb nuts he KILLED 15 deer, not five and he has yet to COMPREHEND! BUT numb nuts STILL buys every antlerless tag PGC GLEEFULLY sells to numb nuts. No, PGC does not kill does, it sells tags to jerks who gleefully kill the bearers of next year's fawn drop!

I have killed two does in my 65 years of life on Earth. BOTH does I shot were grieviously wounded by other numb nuts and I ended their suffering before they became coyote bait. People who shoot does need to realize they are KILLING the deer resource! A jerk in a hunting magazine said, "Shoot a doe, they are tasty." OK, BUT did he EAT the twin fawn fetuses in the doe he shot? WHAT are these deer killers thinking???? You cannot shoot does and have deer running about on opening day. BE FOR the deer OR the PGC; decide before you shoot ANY doe!


Adam

[Pre-64]

Adam,
I agree with your argument. I have to admit that I have taken my fair share of Doe in the past. In my household growing up, Deer season was a way to put meat in the freezer when money was more than tight and we appriciated what was harvested and nothing went to waste. I also grew up seeing my fair share of 6 points with a 9" spread and more than 1 spike hanging on the meat pole every season ( the other side of the argument). I am very glad to hear of your conservation practice on your farm and wish that more landowners would follow in your footsteps. This had to be the worst Deer season that I have seen and heard of. I will be heading out with the Flinter but it will take a large old grey faced Doe to make the flash pan go off, On this you have my word.

[Swift]

Four deer sighted all season.

I'll be out late muz but doe are safe.

[PA Hunter]

One Eight pointer in Lehigh County in Archery first trip out. Went to my uncles cabin in Tioga County for Bear and saw couple Doe in 2 days.

When I was a kid I could see 15-20 deer a day, now nobody shooting hardly any deer.

Funny thing though I never remember seeing a coyote back then now I hear them allot.

I like the antler restrictions but they give out way too many doe tags, although I dont mind the kids taking the doe.

Where I live in 5C it is full of deer but our beloved cabin has definantly seen better days in Tioga County.

[petey]

Hey Adam,

I saw just as many deer as you saw all season in 1 herd not a mile from your place last night, right after I left your farm. The company jeep almost claimed one! 1 buck in the group. They must stay off the property of the guys that can shoot. Anyhow, just wanted you to know there's still a few running around your place!

[Adam Helmer]

Petey,

THOSE were the same deer I let walk Opening Day! LOL. If you had hit that buck, I could have used my tag and made you some venison jerky.

I will carry your jerky afield opening day of muzzleloader. I hope it helps. Be well and Merry Christmas. Come visit again.

Adam

[petey]

I take a different approach when looking at harvesting does. First off, I never shoot a doe in archery season, that's bait as far as I'm concerned. That doe could come into heat any day and bring an unsuspecting buck my way.

Second, I never shoot a lone doe in gun season as that could be one that could have been bred already and her mate may have gotten shot.

Third, when there's a group of them I pick out this year's fawn, yup the smallest in the group. I always hear of guys saying they pick out the biggest in the group and shoot it. I shake my head as that one is probably the doe that was bred in November. If it's a ma and a couple little ones, odds are she hasn't been bred this season...and I can darn well gaurentee the small ones have not been bred. I still shoot the small ones.

Every one of us has a different take on hunting and the reason why we do it. For one, it may be just just get away in the woods and enjoy the splenders that God created. For this person, the killing part isn't a bonus. For the next guy, it's about bone collecting. For the third it may be all about putting meat on the table. Maybe that guy doesn't get to get out hunting as much as the next guy, so he will take any opportunity he gets.

Me, I'm a combination of all three. I hunt to get out and just enjoy the woods. Killing doesn't have to occur for me to have a successful day. I also am a bone collector. It starts before archery season, learning patterns of every buck I can find, giving names to them, letting smaller bucks go and only harvesting 3.5 or older bucks. Watching them grow into large antlered critters that keep me up at nights. Then there's the part of me that needs to put the meat on the table. A season hasn't gone by where my freezer isn't full of venison, hoards of bologna and jerkey fill the cupboards.

I hunt multiple units, in EVERY season (with the exception of early muzzleloader lately) with every weapon allowed. I fill my tags, but only do so in areas I know that aren't hurting for deer. I guess I'm fortunate enough to be able to hunt in those "pockets" that really haven't been effected as some others have been. Scorn me for shooting does...but who's to say the vehicle on the highway a half mile away doesn't claim it's life?

Do I agree with everything the PAGC has done over the past 6 yrs...HECK NO...Some things I agree with whole heartedly, but you can't please everyone in the state. Antler restrictions (yes), I've seen it work in the areas I hunt. Now I can be picky about the bucks I shoot. I like that a lot. Early season muzzleloader (no)... ok here's a season that was designed to slaughter doe prior to them being bred and it's worked..plus it mucks up my archery season when I'm after that big buck. Try hunting a buck that's gone totatlly nocturnal b/c of all the movement in the woods during this time frame. Actually, I hunt the first and last week of archery b/c after the past three years the deer disappear during mid to late October. Mentored Youth (yes)...look at my 6 year old. He was able to kill a nice 8 point on the first day of his hunting career b/c of this. He'll have 6 bucks and turkey under his belt before I was ever able to consider hunting. Doe hunting during rifle (no).. Ok it's obvious the doe are hurting in areas, so lets go back to the 3 day season and make the 2 week rifle season buck only. Some areas they got rid of doe during the first week. It's a step in the right direction, they just need to do it statewide.

Hey. I'm not going to be one of these guys who complain about no deer, b/c I'm just not seeing it where I hunt. Herds less than 10 yrs ago? Yes. Buck to doe ratio in order? In my area, yes. I buy tags to line the PAGC pockets and I fill them, but do it smartly over the entire seasons. I hunt to eat, to collect bone and to enjoy the PA Wilds. For that I am fortunate.

To each their own, and I won't mock anyone's morals or reasons for why they do it. If you hunt and want to kill a doe, good on you. If you hunt and don't shoot does, good on you. We all do it for our reasons and have only ourselves to answer to.

[Adam Helmer]

petey,

Fine post. I still say our PA deer herd is OVERALLY SHOT and I wonder IF our deer herd can recover!

The PGC does NOT have a CLUE how many deer we have on the hoof or how many are harvested. Even PGC acknowledges it receives "Less than 40% of deer harvest report cards." DUH! What is PGC DOING? I know they have killed OFF FAR TOO MANY deer in WMU 3A. I sent too many e-mails to PGC folks who can ONLY Stay the Alt Course of KILL DEER!

I DO NOT KILL DOES unless I see a greviously wounded doe that needs to be put down. I have done that twice in my life as I saw it as the right thing to do. Just because PGC SELLS ANTLERLESS Tags is not a reason to kill does. We need to know that every doe we KILL is 3 DEAD deer, not just one "Tasty Doe." Legally, one can KILL a DOE in PA. Morally, it is just ALT'S DEER DECIMATION POLICY kept in place by a PGC Commissioners' Board that has NO Other CLUE about PA Deer Management.

Groups like the Unified Sportsmen of Pennsylvania have asked PGC the question: "How many deer are now in PA and what is the PGC goal?" PGC gave UPS the "Finger" and has been the recipient of two court actions. I am pleased to say I fully support USP. Since the deer cannot speak for themselves, I DAMN sure will as long as there is a heartbeat in me.

NO, I do not shoot does and never will unless I see one greviously wounded.

Adam

[PA Hunter]

I dont know if the PGC figures in roadkill into the equation at all but I work for a law enforcement agency and I had 17 deer hit that I know about in one TWP in a month the other year.

Now allot of the reports are passing motorist and the deer are never found or wounded and crawl away.

My belief is car's take as much as hunters and there is no way to know how many.

I firmly believe the insurance companies have pull with the allotments of doe tags.