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PGC lifting antler restriction

19K views 226 replies 64 participants last post by  jimbridger 
#1 ·
Don’t criticize me if this has already been discussed but when the CWD was discussed in a meeting back in late summer, they are going to be lifting the antler restriction in order to take more control on CWD.
 
#2 ·
No criticizing here, but that is in their management plan they have released for public comment through end of the year/beginning of the year. The antler restrictions are only to be lifted in the DMA areas specifically. I would suggest everyone read the document and provide comments to the PGC whether you are for or against. Our speech is one of the best tools we have and hopefully it is respected and taken under consideration.
 
#13 ·
Antler restrictions were put in place to protect about 50% of the 1 1/2 year old bucks for a very good and sound biological reason that benefits good deer management. It was not for hunter appeasement even though many hunters have found they like the bigger bucks that have resulted from antler restrictions.

It is having the better biological aspects of deer management that is driving the need and desire for antler restrictions in the future as well. That best possible deer management is both the desire and responsibility of responsible deer managers.

With that all said it is also completely logical and sound deer management to remove antler restrictions in any CWD area where the FIRST and FORMOST objective is to reduce the total deer population to help reduce the spread of CWD. It also makes perfect sense to remove the antler restrictions in CWD areas because the older bucks seem to be the deer most likely to be CWD positive and spreading prions that infect other deer.

At this point I think they can have antler restrictions in the areas where CWD is not found, remove the restrictions in CWD positive areas and still have a sound management objective and direction for the future in both areas.

Dick Bodenhorn
 
#10 ·
Why is it a shame? Someone hunts a certain way or have different ideals, or goals (antler size) and it's a shame? I'm going to quote you "to me, that's what hunting is about". Right, to YOU. To someone else, it may be antler size and maybe antlers are not a big deal, but they love seeing bucks with more than spikes running around the woods? I don't agree with you, but I certainly wouldn't say it's a shame....

Not trying to attack you, but there are other people out there who have a different opinion from you, and that's okay, and it certainly isn't a shame.
 
#19 ·
I never cared for AR, and like others have stated, I hunted many years (10) between bucks. I think also, we have lost sight of the fact that before AR hunters were killing many large racked deer. Yes I acknowledge the fact that more large racks are taken now than before AR but I also acknowledge you had to hunt harder for them before AR. There are still deer in the record books from 1950. Everybody wants a big racked buck? Not true.


https://www.pennlive.com/pa-sportsman/2017/11/what_are_the_biggest_bucks_eve.html
 
#21 ·
I wholeheartedly disagree. Of course there were some large Bucks killed throughout the years, they were rare, not common. Since AR we have a whole lot more large bodied and large antlered deer because they are given the opportunity to live longer and getting closer to their potential. Anyone who says that we had just as many large buck prior to AR is lying to themselves. Last season on the 110 acres I hunt on and have hunted on for a long time there were four, heavy mass 10 point bucks killed. We have never seen the size of bucks that we are seeing today even 10 years ago. There is no doubt that AR has provided hunters with a lot more large bodied and racked buck that we had prior to AR. One other thing. AR has not created a large group of big antler obsessed people, there were always those who preferred to take big buck rather than just a legal buck, that is human nature. Ar has however, given that group a better chance than they ever had on the past to be successful. The only problem I have with the antler enchanted group is with those who who will comment that a successful hunter who post a picture should have let his buck go for another year so it would have gotten bigger. There are more than enough deer out there to satisfy all of us, there is no need to demean the accomplishment of another hunter because it doesn't meet the requirements of an antler hunter.
 
#22 ·
Speaking of decline in hunters, let ask our selves about the youth coming up
What’s a kid or any human being for that matter constantly doing on free time or idle time? In thier iPhone, IPad, iComputer, I everything... watching Tv, YouTube, and looking at hunting pages of these big bucks (within reasonable measurements ) being killed all over the country and then they wanna go out and try and see nothing but spikes and 5 points. They get mad or frustrated and quit. I’m not taking them setting a standard or having too high of an expectation but something that doesn’t even compare in thier home state.

Now fast forward to today with public access, each year more property is posted private, and even though I have permission, I feel like they are going to cut some of the public out of thier land to try to restore what once was(bigger bucks). You remove antler restrictions, it’s now game on for some of these property owners to try to create a buck management area since there is none. People get mad and quit.

I really hope they reevaluate this because this not a solution to absolutely anything.
 
#25 ·
If you don't hunt to kill the largest buck that cross's your path........then why do you hunt for a buck? If you don't care about antler size, then why not just shoot a doe? The opportunities to shoot a doe vs a buck are far greater than just taking a buck.

I have a hard time believing those who tell me antler size makes no difference. If that were 100% true, they would be buying a doe tag and call it one 'n done when the big doe goes down.

MHO
 
#29 ·
Ok because historically proven most of the time the game commission always reduce opportunity, prices and expenses, seasons, bag limits, tags, requirements, citations, penalties. Never increases. They never expand anything. Hmmm. Right. I for sure don’t know.
 
#74 ·
When AR first was implemented, there were no AR in the SRA's. However, the buck kill in those units rose sharply, prompting questions as to whether hunters in surrounding units were shooting sub-legal bucks and simply tagging them for the non-AR unit. Shortly afterward there were AR in the SRA's.
 
#34 ·
To me a trophy is method used to take that deer.Not antler size.
If a hunter kills a buck with a huge spread and lots of points BUT it was taken on private land with hundreds of acres with no hunting pressure,not a trophy in my book.
If a person spends $10,000+ on shooting a pen raised mega buck,not a trophy.
A hunter that beats the gamelands and competes with other hunters and harvests a buck/deer of ANY size.Trophy.
Antlers mean nothing to me.
 
#35 ·
I like antler restrictions. It helps protect the young bucks. I wonder if a 4 point was standing bedside an 8 or 10 point and the antler restrictions were lifted which deer would most hunters shoot? The best thing we can do for our bucks is give them age. I would rather wait on a nice buck than shoot a small one. If I want meat that bad I'll shoot a doe.
 
#183 ·
That 1-1/2 year old 4-5-6 point is the easiest deer to kill. Spend the first year with most likely an experienced doe, or even part of a small group, protected by numbers. Then they're either run off or disperse on their own as nature's way. Now, as a 1-1/2, on their own in hunting season for the first time, and possibly in a new area from where they were born and spent most of their lives, well, think about it.


It's a way to bring a little bit of a better biological balance, as just by the statistics more bucks will grow to older ages. The fact that as a result we get the nicer bucks to hunt, great.
 
#38 ·
I for one have enjoyed Ar and benefited from it many times. I like a nice set of horns I have been taking and seeing post Ar. I do feel for the guy that trophies a spike and don't look down on him for his opinion. There has to be a good medium and the PGC I feel did this for the right reason. Im in the heart of the original DMA and have to say since this CWD ordeal it probably should be lifted in those areas for a good management tool. On this if you have really put the effort in to the cwd as I have with keeping up on it the PGC is the only friend us sportsman have to fix the problem. If what they do for management reason of our future resource's I will abide by, support, and carry out with out complaining. There is no other state agency trying to tackle the mess another agency has created.
 
#39 ·
I suspect that they are looking to protect the elk herd. CWD is here to stay. Eventually the entire state will be a DMA.

I do believe AR has made better bucks. 25 years ago a basket rack eight point was a big deal around my place. Now, they are as common as chipmunks and now 120 class deer are not rare.

One of these days the state will get out of the dark ages.
 
#41 ·
Antler restrictions were a boom for the area of Tioga county where my hunting camp is located. In all the years leading up to antler restrictions large bucks were rare. Spikes & y's with the occasional 6 were the norm. Since antler restrictions the average is an 8 with the 10's or more not uncommon.
 
#48 ·
I am pro AR for the fact that hunters have to take the time to identify their target versus just shooting at a buck because they see antlers, especially if it's running. I personally don't care how or what anybody else shoots as long as it's legal, but I will continue to pass on young bucks so I can spend as much time as I can in the woods.
 
#49 ·
When it comes right down to it, I really don't hate AR. What I hate is other people telling me that I should give a buck another year, or wait for a bigger buck, or just shoot a doe if I don't care how big of a buck I shoot.

And that is what makes me hate AR at times. If what I'm doing is legal, then shut up and mind your own d a m n e d business. You do what pleases you and I'll do what pleases me and that is not directed at anyone in particular on this thread.
 
#50 ·
We can also look at the top 10 states for the most P&Y bucks and see PA is not on that list and most of the states on that list dont have AR's. Apparently PA needs AR's. I dont give a hoot what anyone else says but i saw more bigger bucks before AR was in place and now all i see is non legal ones all over the place no matter where i go private or public.
 
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