We all shoot the first legal buck we see in rifle season. If it is big great, if not, great. Still a great day of hunting, and fun night of telling stories with some cold ones! Then it starts all over again the next day!

Couldnt agree more. Hunting has changed and its not all for the good. To many cant see past what they want . Congrats to you buddys wife a great deer for her and first with a bow. Tell her way to go.

+1

Lo

if i'd have been there she wouldn't have had any doubt that i was proud of her, and her deer. if she was happy to shoot it, i'd certinly be happy to help her celebrate her accomplishment.

Not sure what the problem is John. My family enjoys our time afield each and every year. Every trip to the woods is an adventure and we always have stories and memories to share at the end of the day. We are happy for any successful hunters and congratulate them when we see them. There is no "should have waited till next year to shoot him" or "I wouldn't have shot that" nonsense that so many seem to claim is an epidemic in this state.

I just don't see the ruining of traditions that others see. Everyone I talk to is always excited about deer season and traditions remain stronger than ever. Groups still get together the weekend before deer season to swap stories, play cards, eat good food, and discuss what their strategy will be. In short, deer season is still deer season. There is nobody at each other's throats claiming that their way of hunting is superior to another's. They may have differences of opinion but in the end they are all hunters who just want to spend an enjoyable day afield.

I have never finished a day of hunting or a season for that matter shaking my fists in anger and blaming something on someone or something else. I look forward to the season all year long and enjoy every minute of it whether I am successful or not. Nobody looks down on me for not filling a tag nor do I do that to anyone else. As long as we all have fun and enjoy each minute that we can in the outdoors, rules and regs shouldn't matter. What we can and can't shoot shouldn't matter.

very nice buck congrats.

Oh sure. Getting slug guns to "group" at 100 yards is no sweat nowadays. BUT, there isn't that reach out capability that the rifles have. There is little doubt that you can "wing" a Deer 250 yards out, much easier with a 300 RUM than a slug gun.

More importantly, what Ohio has going by way of "Trophy" over PA, is less opportunity in the MAIN season. There's a good amount of Buck being killed that second week of gun season here in PA. Could you imagine the carryover if they only had to survive 1 week of "gun" ?

Ohio's soil isn't that far different than the non-mountainous regions of PA. Ohio doesn't grow a different hybrid corn than PA, that adds additional numbers to B&C scores. Ohio doesn't have some genetically mutant species of Whitetail. PA, like Ohio, has plenty of posted land also, so what is the BIG difference ? The gun types and the amount of time you have to use em.

Just a couple two three things for you to consider, Fleroo. First, most of the bucks taken in PA are taken during three days; the first day, the second day, and the first Saturday. Very few are taken during the second week, perhaps less than 10%.
Second, I'll wager that less than 5% of the bucks taken in PA are taken at ranges greater than those for which a shotgun is capable.
Third, Ohio's one week of gun hunting includes Sunday, a day on which more hunters can be in the woods.

Personally, I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of bucks I have taken in PA at a range of over 100 yards, and will not use all the fingers nor the thumb. If memory serves, that number would be exactly zero, so I'm not missing any digits. Thinking back, I can remember one doe taken in the 1960s across an open farm field that would have been out of range for a slug gun. I have taken a few deer along powerlines and across open fields in other states at greater distances, but down there you hunt out of stands that they place for you. Most of my Pennsylvania hunting is done in the forests, not along farm fields.

An addition: Here is a link to Ohio's seasons and bag limits for this past year. Note that they do have a slightly more liberal archery season than we do, an early muzzleloader season for inlines, a two-day later season for guns, and a youth gun season.
http://ohiodnr.com/wildlife/dow/regulations/seasons.aspx

Oh yeah mutt, I'll give you all of that. Down here in SW PA, MOST shots I would take a stab at saying 50-60 yard range or less. And sure, MOST Buck are taken on those select days you've mentioned. BUT, even at your modest, and probably conservative 10% guess on 2nd week Buck, Imagine adding that many more to the next years crop... year after year after year. I am thoroughly convinced you would see wayyyyy more "Ohio class" Buck in the photo op's of the Hunter Succcess Forums.

Think of it this way mutt. Send Ohio's what ? 500,000 hunters over here for 1 week with slug guns, and in turn, we'll send 900,000 over there for 2 weeks with our trusty -06's and 30-30's. After a few years you think you would see the tide start to turn a bit ?

Except where it drifts across the border, the soil is different.