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I am trying to gather information from Pa. hunters about the amount of deer they saw this year compared to the past few years. Please let me know your thoughts on this issue. www.parsonsoutdoors.com
Where are the Pa. deer
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4,266 Posts
Lets see, where to start!,,,,,
Last year- Total of about 10 bucks. 4 in one day, bagged one of them (7 point). Saw a ten, spike, 8, and a 5. Other ones were smaller 4's and a couple 6 points etc. Also, too many doe to count.
This year- Total of 3 bucks. A little 5 point, a little 6 point, and a decent 8 point. Didn't get any of them. As for does, i saw a few but only early in the season. I didn't see any deer the last few weeks of archery season. One thing that REALLY TICKS ME OFF is that in an area where i hunt, somebody saw me and my dad taking our hang-on stands out of the woods for the year when this guy pulls up and says, "Have you seen any deer in this area lately" We said"No not around here anyhow". The reason we didn't want to say much is because we knew there was a biggin in those woods. But sure enough, last week of rifle the same guy went to the area that we hunt and bagged a 13 point with a 23" spread!!! Now that is a MONSTER for this area as you may know.
I have no idea where the deer are going but dang, i didn't hardly see any deer this year at all
Last year- Total of about 10 bucks. 4 in one day, bagged one of them (7 point). Saw a ten, spike, 8, and a 5. Other ones were smaller 4's and a couple 6 points etc. Also, too many doe to count.
This year- Total of 3 bucks. A little 5 point, a little 6 point, and a decent 8 point. Didn't get any of them. As for does, i saw a few but only early in the season. I didn't see any deer the last few weeks of archery season. One thing that REALLY TICKS ME OFF is that in an area where i hunt, somebody saw me and my dad taking our hang-on stands out of the woods for the year when this guy pulls up and says, "Have you seen any deer in this area lately" We said"No not around here anyhow". The reason we didn't want to say much is because we knew there was a biggin in those woods. But sure enough, last week of rifle the same guy went to the area that we hunt and bagged a 13 point with a 23" spread!!! Now that is a MONSTER for this area as you may know.
I have no idea where the deer are going but dang, i didn't hardly see any deer this year at all
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3,319 Posts
Ive never seen many bucks in my area and when I do they are usually not a legal buck...
This year was my worst for seeing deer but I don't know why...
The deer are their but not traveling to well after dark to the lower areas where I only have access to hunt...Alot of food in the mountains??? Maybe the coyotes that showed up last spring, who knows??
This year was my worst for seeing deer but I don't know why...
The deer are their but not traveling to well after dark to the lower areas where I only have access to hunt...Alot of food in the mountains??? Maybe the coyotes that showed up last spring, who knows??
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3,063 Posts
Deer Pop.
I saw more bucks and bigger bucks this year than ever before (even more than last year). Doe population seemed about average to me. I got several pictures of nice bucks on my trail cam (it didn't even get stolen this year, wahoo!) that I wouldn't have otherwise seen. I'm not hunting any magical managed spots, nor do I have my own farm. The areas are heavily hunted by others.
I don't gun hunt but from what I hear many does were taken and not too many bucks. I don't know why, 'cause the weather wasn't bad. My brother-in-law is into bowhunting as much as I am and he didn't see a big buck all year...maybe I just got lucky in seeming them.
From my perspective, the antler restrictions are working well. I've also heard that hunter numbers are decreasing. I sure haven't seen that.
The goal of the Game Commission is to reduce the doe pop. and allow the buck age structure to develop. I think that is happening. They told us from the get-go that we will see less deer but more and bigger bucks and they were right.
I saw more bucks and bigger bucks this year than ever before (even more than last year). Doe population seemed about average to me. I got several pictures of nice bucks on my trail cam (it didn't even get stolen this year, wahoo!) that I wouldn't have otherwise seen. I'm not hunting any magical managed spots, nor do I have my own farm. The areas are heavily hunted by others.
I don't gun hunt but from what I hear many does were taken and not too many bucks. I don't know why, 'cause the weather wasn't bad. My brother-in-law is into bowhunting as much as I am and he didn't see a big buck all year...maybe I just got lucky in seeming them.
From my perspective, the antler restrictions are working well. I've also heard that hunter numbers are decreasing. I sure haven't seen that.
The goal of the Game Commission is to reduce the doe pop. and allow the buck age structure to develop. I think that is happening. They told us from the get-go that we will see less deer but more and bigger bucks and they were right.
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4,554 Posts
I hunted PA 5 times
I went in the early season I hunted 3 times saw nothing.Then I hunted 2 of the last week.I saw 7 bucks and 7 doe.................One monster I couldnt stop chasing a doe.........Last year I saw deer every hunt........
I went in the early season I hunted 3 times saw nothing.Then I hunted 2 of the last week.I saw 7 bucks and 7 doe.................One monster I couldnt stop chasing a doe.........Last year I saw deer every hunt........
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1,070 Posts
North Western Pa.
I cant speak for the entire state, what I can tell you is what is happening in the Warren, Erie County areas. This is fact, not guess work.
More nice buck but less overall Buck.
Doe Population was way way down.
Alot of button bucks shot
Coyote and Bear population way up, both getting less fearful of humans and our suroundings.
The above FACT in our area bothers me some, we are seeing Coyotes and Bear outside our homes all the time, witnessing them taking fawns and Does.
I again support the Antler restriction but am concerned about the overall Deer population.
There are a lot of people that are meat hunters and if there are too few deer they will ignore the Antler restricion and take any deer. If any of you live around Amish communities you know what I mean.
I have a neighbor who claims he has watched Non residents park beside his home and take numerous doe over the last several years. He claims if the Game commision is going to let them come kill all the deer, he is going to get his share. The sad thing is you can see his point, he has been trying to go along with our management program but after a few years of seeing a fraction of the deer, getting discousted.
I cant speak for the entire state, what I can tell you is what is happening in the Warren, Erie County areas. This is fact, not guess work.
More nice buck but less overall Buck.
Doe Population was way way down.
Alot of button bucks shot
Coyote and Bear population way up, both getting less fearful of humans and our suroundings.
The above FACT in our area bothers me some, we are seeing Coyotes and Bear outside our homes all the time, witnessing them taking fawns and Does.
I again support the Antler restriction but am concerned about the overall Deer population.
There are a lot of people that are meat hunters and if there are too few deer they will ignore the Antler restricion and take any deer. If any of you live around Amish communities you know what I mean.
I have a neighbor who claims he has watched Non residents park beside his home and take numerous doe over the last several years. He claims if the Game commision is going to let them come kill all the deer, he is going to get his share. The sad thing is you can see his point, he has been trying to go along with our management program but after a few years of seeing a fraction of the deer, getting discousted.
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1,070 Posts
Buckmaster7117 said:
This is why we need to really have smaller WMU's we have specefic needs for certain areas. I think we are on the right track but need to fine tune the regs.
union county
After having read the posts from a previous thread as well as these, I deceided to add my 2 cents...we (10 ot 12 childhood friends) hunt Union County, WMU 4D,wood lots and hardwood ridges intermixed with farm land and the scenario is like the majority, sightings are few and far between. Between the 12 of us this year, opening day, we saw a grand total of 3 buck (all legal), 3 doe and 7 bear, yes 7 bear. After a lengthy discussion amongst the gang we couldn't recall of seeing more than 6 bear total in our past 35 plus years of hunting. Now Mr. Alt himself has made the statement that the number 1 mortality of fawns is due to bears, with these numbers of bear, the number of fawns being killed must be staggering. Hey, consider this scenario...with the large number of anterless liscenses, take a bunch of doe and then loose the fawns to bear (as well as the coyotes) one year...repeat this the next year and the third year you have very very few deer. Having said that, I have to wonder, if just maybe, Mr Alt's highly touted black bear program of years past (coupled now with the endless supply of anterless liscenses) was somehow part of the grand scheme to eventually lower the deer densities. It certainly has made a major impact on the number of deer in our hunting community.
After having read the posts from a previous thread as well as these, I deceided to add my 2 cents...we (10 ot 12 childhood friends) hunt Union County, WMU 4D,wood lots and hardwood ridges intermixed with farm land and the scenario is like the majority, sightings are few and far between. Between the 12 of us this year, opening day, we saw a grand total of 3 buck (all legal), 3 doe and 7 bear, yes 7 bear. After a lengthy discussion amongst the gang we couldn't recall of seeing more than 6 bear total in our past 35 plus years of hunting. Now Mr. Alt himself has made the statement that the number 1 mortality of fawns is due to bears, with these numbers of bear, the number of fawns being killed must be staggering. Hey, consider this scenario...with the large number of anterless liscenses, take a bunch of doe and then loose the fawns to bear (as well as the coyotes) one year...repeat this the next year and the third year you have very very few deer. Having said that, I have to wonder, if just maybe, Mr Alt's highly touted black bear program of years past (coupled now with the endless supply of anterless liscenses) was somehow part of the grand scheme to eventually lower the deer densities. It certainly has made a major impact on the number of deer in our hunting community.
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1,181 Posts
Fayette County
Well the past 4 years of hunting Prior to this year, I saw 4 P&Y bucks, 1 each season. Also saw alot of little 3, 4, and 6 points each year along with hundreds of does in fields everynight. Well this year came. I saw a 3, a spike and a 6 point. I saw 1/4 the amount of does this year as I have previous years.
I think we need to go back to the 3 Day doe season. Also go back to counties instead of regions.
Well the past 4 years of hunting Prior to this year, I saw 4 P&Y bucks, 1 each season. Also saw alot of little 3, 4, and 6 points each year along with hundreds of does in fields everynight. Well this year came. I saw a 3, a spike and a 6 point. I saw 1/4 the amount of does this year as I have previous years.
I think we need to go back to the 3 Day doe season. Also go back to counties instead of regions.
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