Taunt to PA hunters.

[Bravov2]

https://www.deer.psu.edu/ridgerunners/

Was reading some old blog posts from the PSU deer forest study and multiple times they mention a lower than average harvest rate in their study areas.

"Keep in mind that a 4.5-year-old buck is no longer a rarity on our study areas. We have documented some of the lowest harvest rates of any place we have studied deer in Pennsylvania."

Even have maps where X marks the spot

[Thesouthpaw]

How about attatching those maps

[Bravov2]

How about attatching those maps

It's all on there. Just have to follow links around you can figure it out pretty quickly.

[Mike32]

lol

[comeback_kid]

"What’s the bottom line? There are some really nice bucks on our study areas. The probability of a buck that survives the hunting season as a fawn and subadult will make it to his 7th hunting season is 1 in 3."

That's very interesting. I wonder how much of that is influenced by lack of pressure due to the mountain terrain.

1/3 in the PA farm country I hunt doesn't seem too realistic...

[Bravov2]

"What’s the bottom line? There are some really nice bucks on our study areas. The probability of a buck that survives the hunting season as a fawn and subadult will make it to his 7th hunting season is 1 in 3."

That's very interesting. I wonder how much of that is influenced by lack of pressure due to the mountain terrain.

1/3 in the PA farm country I hunt doesn't seem too realistic...

I would say your spot on, Rifle is what knocks down most of them so where can they survive drives and bullets. What I'm seeing is hill country mixed with clear cuts has a few older ones. I have no idea what the study area looks like but I may go shed hunt it next year to match a visual with the study.

[rfickes87]

Losing 20,000 hunters every year will make deer live longer.

In the last 15-20 years we've gone from seeing strings of 20 does and 1 fork horn to seeing 1 doe, 1 spike and 1 dandy. Every year PA feels more and more like when I hunt Ohio. And that really has the majority of hunters upset and they're quitting. Seems to be the older generations. God bless them, I can understand things aren't what they were but for me I'd rather have it this way, but I think I'm in the minority of that opinion . But because of it hunting numbers are wayyy down and its kinda sad. I do wish the PGC would ease up a little on the large amount of doe tags so that hunters in general could see more and have a better experience out there. Last year I saw units not even sell out when every year before they would sell out. Where I hunt numbers are very low. Its about 5 deer per square mile. You can walk for 1/4 of a mile and not see a rub or a pile of crap. Luckily for me I understand bedding areas and b/c of that I keep myself in the game but holy smokes a normal hunter can spend a whole season out there and maybe get lucky on a little buck or doe.

Last year it took me 3 days of hunting during the first week of archery before I even saw another vehicle on my game lands. Hunted 9 times total till I got my buck and never saw anyone in the woods.

[Bravov2]

Losing 20,000 hunters every year will make deer live longer.

In the last 15-20 years we've gone from seeing strings of 20 does and 1 fork horn to seeing 1 doe, 1 spike and 1 dandy. Every year PA feels more and more like when I hunt Ohio. And that really has the majority of hunters upset and they're quitting. Seems to be the older generations. God bless them, I can understand things aren't what they were but for me I'd rather have it this way, but I think I'm in the minority of that opinion . But because of it hunting numbers are wayyy down and its kinda sad. I do wish the PGC would ease up a little on the large amount of doe tags so that hunters in general could see more and have a better experience out there. Last year I saw units not even sell out when every year before they would sell out. Where I hunt numbers are very low. Its about 5 deer per square mile. You can walk for 1/4 of a mile and not see a rub or a pile of crap. Luckily for me I understand bedding areas and b/c of that I keep myself in the game but holy smokes a normal hunter can spend a whole season out there and maybe get lucky on a little buck or doe.

Last year it took me 3 days of hunting during the first week of archery before I even saw another vehicle on my game lands. Hunted 9 times total till I got my buck and never saw anyone in the woods.

I think some areas need more doe harvest then others. My old pre kids stomping ground you can still catch strings of deer 20 to 30 but large bucks are rare. People show up first day of rifle take a buck then go back to the city and no one does there part in taking some females. My post kids area close to home has less deer but alot of old deer, more old deer than young in some parts. But like you said you are either on them or not.