Wondering ....why is this applied to select counties in the western half if the state vs central and east? I do find it amusing and offensive lol that the signature buck on the regulations booklet is a HUGE....six

Sorry meant huntingpa.com

The simple answer is the more bucks in the 3 up counties likely tend to exceed 3 points before reaching 2.5 years and thus more would be available for harvest than needed to balance the age structure. Not sure why 3 up vs. 4 point but suspect it might be for simplicity sake so hunters could more readily tell if a buck was legal.

The original intent was to protect and move 50% of 1.5 year old bucks to the next age class. Some areas needed 4 to a side and others 3 to a side to accomplish that.

The reason stated by the BOC for the change from a 4 point regulation to three up was due to hunters complaining that seeing brow tines was too difficult. What I never understood was why only hunters in the three up areas couldn't see brow tines and hunters in the rest of the state could...............

Quote:
Originally Posted by JoeG52 View Post
It doesn't say "3 up".

PA Code 58 Chapter 131
§ 131.2. Definitions.
Antlered deer—
(i) In Wildlife Management Units 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B and 2D, a deer having three or more points on one antler, not including brow tines which is the point immediately above the antler burr.
That is the regulation and what is enforceable. It really doesn’t matter how it is worded or pictured in the digest. The fact is the regulation very clearly makes ANY buck with four points on an antler, or three about where the brow tine should be, legal in the applicable WMUs. Therefore, the buck in question is a legal buck anywhere in the state since all of the four points on the antler are over an inch in length and thus a legal point.

Dick Bodenhorn :Quote


This post is from another active thread, the law as written is excluding the brow tine in the western side of the state,the brow tine simply does not count as a legal point. It clearly states 3 or more points on one antler.

They never got rid of the 4 point rule,they just added the 3 up rule,they both apply.

The 3 up rule as printed in the digest is misleading. The 4 point rule still applies along with the 3 up rule in Wildlife Management Units 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B and 2D.

You just can't count the brow tine even if it is a foot long!!! lol

True, however doesn't address why bucks tend to have better antler's at 1.5 yo along the western border.

Official answer is the geology is different; more fertile soil, mineral content, etc. My personal opinion is that some of the Mid-west genetics are bleeding thru Ohio into Pa. out there, but that is disputed by the biologists.

In our agriculture rich area of eastern Pa., most of the bucks have small six or eight points racks, the first time around..Out of 81 buck that I got on trail camera during the past summer, only a small handful would not have been legal targets in deer season...And with the "three point" ruling here, there is little incentive to look beyond the size of the rack when deciding whether to shoot or not....And lets face it, the common deer hunter just wants a buck, any buck..Not too concerned with waiting out a trophy animal.

So it's been in effect for a significant amount of years....where do things sit now?

No changes in the regs that I'm aware of, if that's what you're asking.

As far as acceptance by hunters, as the older hunters quit, they are replaced by hunters who know no other way. Most younger hunters I know don't even think about it, same as I never thought about the 3" spike rule. Most here are to young to remember but at one time spikes were protected here too.