[Fleroo]

Why are you fellas skeert that a couple handful of 75 year olds will decimate "the herd" ? Gosh, most seniors can't take the cold all that long. Probably >50% STILL won't take a "smallish" Buck if replies from this site are any indication. This will benefit a small minority of VERY late stage hunters, with a couple of not so good years left in the woods. It's much made about nuttin. This is meaningless when it comes to antlered impact of the herd. Crossbows had the potential to be far more impactful when it comes to taking out antlered Deer, and I believe we saw that "sky will fall" potential go by the wayside.

Relax, a few handful of old fogies ain't gonna wipe out all of "our" buck. I APPLAUD the legislature for the move..... just wish the PGC would have proposed it first as a reg.

 

[Fleroo]

Fleroo, this is about the senators thinking they have a better handle on wildlife issues than the agencies.

Well if it's ONLY about senators muddling in wildlife management, then:

- A. I'm with you that they souldn't do that
- B. There's a gazillion other wildlife issues they've
meddled with.
- C. This particular issue is trivial compared to others
they've meddled with.


As I said. My preference would have been the PGC suggest such a change years ago. Should have been this way from the onset of AR's. My opinion, and I was really pushing more for it when my mentor and Uncle was alive... not so much now as it's not as personal to me.

 

[Fleroo]

We have to look at the high side of any possible harvest. The total number of licensees that could take advantage of the law. That is over 100k.

That number has been growing consistently over the last several years. As the Boomer's age into the incense, expect a continued rise in that number.

If you were to poll the Seniors on this site, you will find the vast majority DO NOT want to be exempt from current AR's. If you translate that to the rest of PA's senior hunting population, you will find this change to be fairly moot..... providing our resident seniors are not fibbers.

That translates to a big helping of NO BIG DEAL. Like about all other changes that have been implemented to date.

 

[Fleroo]

If this potential change results in the current ARs being compromised as the age of harvested bucks could not be controlled, the AR aspect of the DMP could be in jeopardy.

If the PGC were REALLY concerned about Buck/Doe ratio, and eliminating Doe prior to breeding, they would have the MY taking DOE prior to the rut, and not starting them out on racked buck. I don't think it's a huge concern to them.

 

[Fleroo]

I think this will lead to increased tag sharing. There are many senior hunters who still buy and license, but don't actively hunt.

Huh ? There are 900,000 hunters out there, and probably 800,000 of them have wives (from a male standpoint). They never did need grandpa to share a tag. Too easy to have wifey buy a license. Grandpa's are too crotchety to give up something they paid for anyhow's. Non-issue.

 

[Fleroo]

Also most older hunters have some integrity, its these young poachers we have to worry about. I would bet we have more young bow hunters who shoot multiple bucks with a bow. Then still rifle hunt.

ABSOLUTELY. I don't think we have to worry about a rogue group of oldsters, tearing up the hillsides in rampant poaching sprees. Increased oldster poaching/tag sharing, is a non-issue regarding this bill.

 

[Fleroo]

If such a large number of hunters are permitted to shoot sub-AR bucks, might that eventually have an affect on the number of more mature bucks?

One could submit, that a Sr. being happy with harvesting a 4 point on day 1, might actually be saving an 8 pt. that he would have to hold out for otherwise, and would harvest in week 2 of rifle. I seriously don't think it will amount to a hill of beans.

I'll be 67 by next deer season and haven't shot a "sub-AR" buck since about the mid 90s, long before ARs even came about. While there must be some Seniors who relish the opportunity to kill a spike, I don't know any of them personally.

With all due respect, you are a puppy compared to my WWII vet 90 year old uncle that I wanted to see the rule changed for years ago. Basically, his son. I'd be fine for the rule not to be Sr. License holders, but yet an age, say 72+.