cspot wrote:Boogieman1 wrote:cspot wrote:The whole goal of PA's AR's was to allow more buck to live to 2.5 years old. I think prior to AR 90% of the harvest was 1.5 year olds. It isn't about trophy management. Very few bucks in PA live past 2.5 now.
That’s deff a different take. I guess in my head, in the grand plan, what is the diff in a buck living until 2.5? I personally think if a state really cared about the age of animals yet still having a lengthy season. Then have a short gun season that takes place after the rut. No antler restriction required! Be willing to bet after a few years of that there will be much better opportunity for a trophy class animal. Won’t ever happen due to money involved which brings me back to what is the point of antler restriction lol. I mean if they wanna go for the gold in terms of trophy caliber animals there’s better ways to go about it. But imo letting a 1.5 go to 2.5 does nothing for the trophy or meat hunter.
It was to get a better age structure in the herd which it did help. As hunters numbers drop the need for it will be less and I could see them being eliminated. They are actually talking about eliminating them next year in the CWD areas. About 2/3 of hunters like the current antler restrictions though because they are now shooting a nice 2 year old 8 point instead of a 1.5 year old. On average we probably have some more 3.5 year old and older buck, but it hasn't made a huge difference. The decrease in hunter numbers is helping with that more than the AR's.
One thing to remember is that PA has the highest hunter density in the country, so what is needed here might not be needed alot of other places. Going to an AR is better then reducing opportunity. From my understanding if they made a more restrictive Antler restriction then they would be protecting too many bucks which wouldn't be good either. Also you would have more buck that would never meet the AR.
I've said this before!!! AR's using antler points are just plain stupid. They don't really do much to actually improve age structure. Even if your now killing mostly 2.5YO bucks. You haven't improved the age structure. Proper age structure has a balance between the ages. You'll still have higher numbers in the younger age classes. But you won't have the sharp drops from 1 age class to the next year older. Like we see now in most states.
I do like width restrictions. But like the idea of adding a beam length option too. The correct measurements should cover most bucks that reach, say 3.5YO. Alot of bucks that reach 3.5 will be smart enough to elude hunters, to live to be older. And it will get better the longer this type of AR is in place. Cause plenty of 3.5YO bucks that barely make the minimums. Will end up getting passed.
But there should also be a provision for bucks that are of the correct age class but, may not reach the minimums. Other antler and body characteristics should be reviewed by the game department. So these type of bucks can end up being considered legal if taken. Along with any pics and or videos from over a couple years that shows the buck is of a legal age.
Also should be provisions for 1st time hunters. That allows them to take a buck that doesn't meet the requirements. For the first couple bucks they actually kill.
Alot of hunters will bawk at these restrictions. But in 2 seasons there will be plenty of legal 3.5YO's to shoot. And everyone will learn how to judge these measurements in the field. I would also think this would help hunter recruitment in the long run. Having a real chance at older age class bucks should get/keep people excited. And may actually take some pressure off of does too. Because a few less hunters will shoot does just to get some meat.
I don't buy you'd be leaving too many bucks alive by using this type of AR. And if it would be really so. Just give out a limited number of "any" buck tags to get around this "problem".