We Are Destroying Public Land Hunting In Pennsylvania

[@jhoffman81]

Anyone not familiar with what DMAP watch this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hYnddpetlNV2qck I never expected such an overwhelming response to this video. I appreciate those of you who have commented and shared with your friends as well as the new subscribers. One thing I told myself when I started KZbin was that I would be authentic to my thoughts and not sell people bullshit. Trying to keep up with reading every ones comments and responding when appropriate. I'm glad I am not the only one whos concerned! The more you engage here, the more the machine wants to promote it, same with sharing to your friends and family. Thanks again for letting our voice be heard.

[@Aquabob1]

56 year old PA hunter since the age of 12. I had opening days in the 80’s where I saw over 100+ deer, 8 different buck (always Allegheny National Forest). I still hunt public land, and I am on a 6year streak, with 5 of my biggest bucks ever….! I’m a firm believer in scouting, and getting away from the crowds at the parking lots…..! In my 40+ years of hunting, these are some of the best years I have ever had.

[@phukoffe8587]

agreed, my buddies and I have hunted 2F for 15 years and the deer numbers are up for us and we’re seeing more bucks than ever now.

[@floydhawk2169]

Pa resident hunter here, mostly wmu 2a & 2c. I've been telling my wife for several years now that I've lost a step or two because I can't seem to find many deer like I used to, don't see any hunters either, nor do I hear much shooting even on opening day.I hunt more private land than public but have taken many deer on both. So far this season I've seen 3 deer total, 2 spike buck's and 1 buck that I didn't have time to count more that 2 up on each side. Had ample time to shoot but couldn't take the shot and take a chance. I've taken some nice bucks since the antler restrictions came in to effect, but I'm not hunting for antlers, I'm hunting meat. I buy 3-4 doe tags every year and maybe use 1 if any, and that is in late flintlock season. Pa Game Commission has definitely changed deer hunting for the worse. BTW, I'm 77 now, hunt alone and prefer archery in the rut. I used to be able to call in several bucks in Oct/Nov but not now. I'm no quitter though and will keep trying as long as I can. It's a damn shame that deer hunting has gotten to this point. No wonder the youngsters don't want to go hunting.

[@Foreverbowhunting]

I subscribed brother. I couldn't agree more!!! I am also in PA and have noticed deer numbers being down, its very frustrating! It's going to be up to all us hunters to make better decisions moving forward. Thank you for being real about this topic!

[@jhoffman81]

Much appreciated

[@rodneymyers5114]

Been hunting north central PA big woods since 1980. Overall deer numbers are the lowest I've ever seen in my lifetime. Hunted public land this past season in Adams county and saw 2 does the first week. It is truly in my opinion at a critical stage for the overall population. When I first started hunting deer it was nothing to see 50-60 deer a day. Not anywhere near that now. Good luck getting young people into the sport. I shot the biggest buck of my life on the first drive of my first hunt and I was hooked for life. Now young people might not see a legal buck or any deer for that matter for multiple seasons. Things change but, this is not for the better. Thanks for making this video.

[@BigBlue1026]

I completely agree. I used to see herds of deer moving through the woods and had to pick which one to harvest. Now I honestly can't remember the last time I saw a herd in the woods.

[@53step]

We got Amish here there worse than coyotes on wildlife

[@jhoffman81]

😂

[@garis5319]

BuvaCrew had problems with Amish trespassing and using his stands. 😂

[@dansmith8933]

I was told that the state is no longer putting up fence due to the cost. But man as a central pa hunter , you are spot on.

[@jhoffman81]

They just put up a new one in the last year on sgl60. I'd be ok if they quit it. Tell us go to the cover then block us from getting in it.

[@bearhunterjay]

cost lol but they will let the state try and take 150 million

[@davidpacker117]

Are you the Dan from Lamar ,Pa.?

[@TheLikkinBranchRanch]

I stopped harvesting does 8 years ago. Coyotes here and on the WMA adjacent to my homestead are heck on our fawns. I live on my hunting land and I hear the fawns being eaten at night. Its not pretty. More hunters need to do predator control hunts.

[@SilentBaller22]

Maybe all hunters should stop hunting for a year or two and see what happens? The people need to stick together against corrupts. They are all about controlling and making money.

[@larryharris1163]

Boom, spot on brother!

[@bearhunterjay]

i think maybe a boycott is what we need everyone buy a license in another state for a few years instead.

[@mortsims]

the dnr doesn't care about the deer. your other issues are the same issues michigan has had for years. now they say they sold 250,000 less licenses than they did 20 years ago. they only care about the money. i stopped shooting does 20 years ago. in my old age i just like to see deer when i go in the woods. michigan and pennsylvania have always been 2 of the top deer hunting states.

[@shanelister3239]

The PGC is a business, doe tags are a cash cow for them. They don't care what you think, only the bottom line which is healthy for them. Call them and complain! We have to stick up for ourselves. They don't care!!!

[@SafetySal]

Agreed 100% They don't want you to be able to find and harvest deer or hogs. They want you to buy your food at the grocery store.

[@jacoblogsdon2850]

They are the Kings deer

[@BigBlue1026]

I've been hunting PA game lands all my life because I don't own a piece of property on which to hunt. I had always harvested a deer every year up until about 15 years ago when all of a sudden the deer population in WMU 3D seemed to almost dry up. In the last 5 years of hunting I've gotten one deer and it was a doe. I haven't seen a buck in the woods in the last 10 years and so far this year `I haven't even seen a doe. I thoroughly enjoy hunting and walking through the woods is still a pleasure, but it would be great if I could harvest a deer now and then if only to justify carrying a rifle. I'm not even seeing fur rubbed onto rocks or blood as evidence that some other hunters have harvested a deer. That would have been unheard of 20 years ago. I know they call it hunting for a reason and I don't even expect it to be easy or even to score a deer every year, but as it stands I'm about ready to sell my deer rifles and call it quits. I know I'm not alone because I'm seeing less and less hunters every year.

[@JimD777]

I agree with you. I hunt 3D Also, and for the last five years, I haven’t even hunted even though I get my license every year it’s just become too discouraging hunting public land

[@AMpufnstuf]

Sorry to hear that, and I hope your luck improves. Don't think I'm doubting you, just trying to compare the expectations to my area. How many days a year are you deer hunting public? How many hours is your average hunt? And is this bow, or rifle only?

[@A9S15J5E9M806]

3d guy here and couldn't agree more in regards to the last five years but I have seen some good bucks in back yards ... And with McDade Bicycle bull shite . Turkeys are scarce on game lands here . By biggest prob in our area is too many out of state hunters . But I digress.

[@Uneditedpublicdeerhunting]

You should that will be one less cry baby in the woods

[@Uneditedpublicdeerhunting]

​@@AMpufnstufthere you go I believe I know where you might be going with this. If you don't sit from daylight to dark during the rut or all you do is walk around spooking deer that you don't even see run away because for some reason they think they're going to see every deer that jumps up. Try going a little further into the woods where most people don't go do a little bit more work...oh yeah baldy said he didn't like for it to feel like work when he's hunting. I'll say this I work harder hunting than I do on the job site because that's how you kill big bucks and I promise I got a hole room full of big buck mounts and everyone came from public land just a little bit more work than the other person did.

[@barryweaver6834]

Funny. I was wishing to start hunting Pa public land again. It’s hard to find private land in Ohio anymore. It’s all becoming leased and those of us on fixed incomes just can’t swing it even with a group. It’s even disheartening that the landowners that still allow people to hunt for free are pretty much dying off or developing their land. I sure don’t see very many people in the woods in gun season and even fewer younger ones.

[@rickyshultz2051]

You don’t see great amounts of deer , or rabbit or squirrel or grouse and other game because they aren’t here .

[@doublej573]

I totally agree, and lets not forget how some of the hunters are, if they see someone in their spot, the other guy will sit about 50 yards away, the amish drives with about 20 plus people with the pots in pans bagging.

[@applejack5439]

you are 100 percent right, and also up in north central pa. its the lumber companies that what the deer numbers down and the game commission cares more about the elk than deer because the money they get from hunters to try to get a license to hunt them

[@jhoffman81]

You trying to send me down another rabbit hole 😂?

[@homeinthewhiteoaks]

Indiana is doing the same thing. Our Bucks are bigger than ever with the one buck rule. But we give out 2 doe tags with each bundle license. The doe numbers are down, and lots of us are complaining about the size of the heard. As a private land owner I just limit my doe harvest, but that is limited control, as the neighbors may or may not agree. Our harvest numbers still look good, but that's due to lots of doe kills. I have hunted the same land for 30 years now, and all the opinions are based on that piece of land. I'm within a half mile of state forest land so I can assume that the majority of the pressure in the area comes from that area, I can hear the shooting so I know 60% is coming from that direction. We need to cut the doe harvest down to one in our state just like the buck harvest. Like you said kids need to be able to go watch does, and have fun hunts even without bucks to shoot. And each year we have less doe families. And this is on a farm with 7 food plots. I can't imagine guys hunting big timber, and how little doe activity they are getting. I can remember in the late 80's coming back and telling people I saw 21 doe's and yearlings on a morning hunt. That just does not happen anymore. It may not ever be that great again, but it would be nice to see multiple doe family groups on the majority of hunts. Good Luck

[@bowdemon9672]

I feel your pain. Pa have our 1,000,0095 doe tags this year!!!!! That’s $7 million in revenue and they sold out in no time. People just don’t stop killing them. I’m in 5C SRA and we have 5 months of straight hunting. It never stops. I see more bucks then does now and we can only shoot 1 buck!! This season I e seen 2 does all year

[@ErikT3]

At this time overall quality of hunting in PA is "fair" at best. I've been hunting for 43 years and deer hunting has changed tremendously including many positive changes. However the PGC reaction to the CWD threat is now seems to be an overreaction. Sadly we've already lost the youth. Despite programs and marketing to recruit and retain youth hunters, the youth will not come back. A large part of that is our state legislature failing to allow Sunday hunting put the nail in the coffin.

[@schreibrocket]

Have hunted 2C for 30 years now . Hung up my deer rifle and bow last season to focus on coyote which are thriving here . Best I could come up with to possibly help the deer population

[@BlettzaHrekleW]

Agree with everything you said , I've been hunting 26 years and each year it's getting worse and worse , back in late 90s it was normal to see 10 to 20 deer a day , now we're lucky to see 5 deer a season , PGC don't care about Deer population

[@benntroutman4517]

Agree. Also, the lack of public land hunting respect for other hunters has really gone downhill.

[@bearhunterjay]

eveyone is fighting for a deer they might kill every 5yrs

[@vaughngarner7360]

Man, I hate to hear what you just explained. I hunted Pennsylvania 30 years ago when I was stationed in Rome new York. A friend of mine was from Pennsylvania, his friend had a cabin just on the line of a large area of public land. That family had that cabin for many years before that. No other cabins could be built there. They were all grandfathered in. I am from Arkansas. Let me say that my hunting experience was fantastic! I think it was in Warren County. I could be wrong. Was about 3 counties or south of Erie. Been a long time. Anyway, I saw about 25 deer the 1st morning and killed a very large spike. Saw 2 other bucks bigger but couldn't get a shot. Saw 6 bucks total. It was walk-in only. The state took a truck part the way in a road that made a loop back to the parking area and would load up your deer if you could drag it out before noon to that road. Made 2 trips. I road out in a truck that had 8 bucks in it counting mine. Some of the best memories I have. Hope it turns around for you there!

[@Liam-ql7tr]

I hunted that similar area this year open day of rifle and only saw 2 doe .

[@Liam-ql7tr]

Oh… only heard about 5 ahots rhat entire day echoing through the hillside

[@vaughngarner7360]

@@Liam-ql7tr wow, that's hard to believe from what I experienced. Really sad if that's the case. Pennsylvania game and fish are definitely doing something wrong

[@bowdemon9672]

It’s not just public but private too in Pa. I hunt private and there are very few deer around. I’ve sent numerous emails to the PGC to beg them to lower doe allocations and shorten the SRA seasons but they have not. Each year gets worse and worse for sightings. At this point I don’t know what else to do so I hunt mainly Md now instead. 5 months of straight hunting with zero breaks for the deer and it’s no wonder the deer that are around are nocturnal for the entire season. Hopefully they see your vid and read all these comments and make some changes

[@MattJones1829]

Hunted southern Bedford County since the mid-80s. To say the herd reduction effort has worked is a huge understatement. THEN...CWD slithered north out of West Virginia. Talked to a friend that lives on the Rt. 220 corridor around Centerville. PGC has told him that's the current hotspot for CWD. He said the deer herd has evaporated. So between endless doe tags in 4A to combat CWD and the initial herd reduction effort, it's no wonder folks are saying "Where'd all the deer go?" You can only hammer a resource for so long before it collapses.

[@johnshuler1396]

Between deer getting killed by car and trucks, over development,foresters,disease and insurance industry, the deer herd is in decline. Very frustrating!

[@ugsisr]

I live in Northeast Pa and find it hard to believe our Deer Populations are down. I am on Public Land pretty much year round, as I am a Fly Fisherman and many Blue Lines run through Public Lands and Im bumping deer often. I am all for cutting down on the numbers of Doe Permits.... Some of these guys shooting a few Doe per year... This isn't good... Especially when they are younger breeding aged deer... Thank You

[@LetThemGrow]

At what age are they no longer “breeding age”?

[@joshuasweet1532]

I'm in Susquehanna County and we've got alot of deer and I see alot of people hoarding doe tags and not even hunting...I ain't from here and this is the best hunting I've done ...I can't keep em out of my yard

[@Uneditedpublicdeerhunting]

The age that I have experienced when a doe can't breed anymore is 8 years old when she stopped having fawn s but up to that point she had tweens every year it was sad to see her stop having them and she died when she was 10 and half year old

[@andrewalbert6520]

Agree with most of what you say. WV has similar issues, way too many doe and small bucks shot on public lands. We are reducing the annual buck limit down from 3 to 2. But still not a fan of all our doe seasons.

[@outdoorman808]

I agree, I have written letter reference these public lands to the deer biologist they have responded and said there are plenty of deer on public lands per square mile. I am not sure how they know they only do some sampling in some areas. They never offered any data study or information. I hunt 4 A 4 B public lands and deer hunting is pretty much dead. See very few deer and there are days you hunt all day and see nothing. As far as taking kids out hunting if they hunt all day and see nothing it only takes a couple days before they lose interest. Handing out 60,000 doe permits is insanity.

[@jhoffman81]

I appreciate your efforts!

[@larryharris1163]

I hunt MI. and it's the same here. What's actually going on? Seems like a pattern here! It all don't pass the smell test. Call me crazy but it sure looks like to me it's targeting youngsters to not want to hunt. Boiling the frogs for a gun control agenda. Kids don't see anything, kids won't want to hunt!! They know what they are doing. Just like what's going on in our schools right now. They want people discouraged, apparently. Make a statement and STOP purchasing licences! I guess?

[@MattJones1829]

If you folks get a chance, check out Deer and Deer Hunting's podcast. I think it's called Deer Talk or something like that. A few days ago Dan Schmidt did an episode on why deer numbers all over have tanked. He mentioned public land and the proliferation of doe tags. Listen to it; he hits the nail squarely on the head.

[@iccr6735]

I live in ANF in the 2F WMU. Deer population is way down. Lot of big racks, but not what it use to be for population. I believe they need to go back to the 3 day doe season. Also maybe have to take your deer to a station to get registered to get a accurate count on harvest. Just like we do for a bear.

[@ethanalexander5115]

Sign doesn’t lie nor does the camreas. I’ve hunted public for 20 years and I can honestly say this year being the worst seeing deer. First day of rifle season only hearing 17 shots and only 3 remotely close is sad. This CWD is just for money for the state/game commission this stuff has been around for years and years but they keep handing doe tags out like candy. Make it only a 3 day doe season and these crossbows don’t help. I hunt with a crossbow as well but they are deadly and a lot more deer are being killed in archery. PA hunting sucks anymore thank god I have a family owned farm in WV to hunt cause I don’t know what I’d do for my kids when they got older so I can get them into the sport.

[@rickkirby5554]

Absolutely agree 100%! One of the biggest mistakes the game PGC is making is NOT tracking weather deer are shot on public or private land. Other states do it and it would really open their eyes if they saw the numbers here in 3D. I reached out to the Northeast Region office and he told me that it would be too much work to keep track of that ! Really? Its just a check mark on your report card...Public or Private. The problem we have here in the northeast is all the gamelands are surrounded by developments and private land. After opening day , I can count at least a dozen deer in my neighborhood. So when the PGC counts their deer numbers, they might be correct for deer per square mile but its not on public land and neither are the total harvests. I hunted a DMAP last week . I still hunt mostly and saw very little sign. Dont know why the DCNR gave out permits in that forest...maybe they want ALL the deer off their property. On SGL 38 there is a local hunting club that now has organized drives to push the deer off the gameland onto their private club land. The game warden even told us" Hey they pulled 13 deer of that club land opening day!" So obviously they dont care. The other problem we have here are insane bear numbers. I cant hike in 500 yds without seeing bear or sign. I dont hunt them but I dont see how a bear hunter could not fill his tag. Every oak bench I hunted last muzzle loader season was torn up with bear sign...in January ! And the bears I encounter are NOT more afraid of me than me of them. They are too exposed to humans here in the northeast to be afraid. I hear more stories now of bears getting to archery kills before the hunter gets out of his tree. The opening day rifle spot I scouted 2 years ago was torn up with bear sign so I left but ran into a guy later who shot a bear in that area and said that it was traveling with 4 other bears! Oh and lets not forget the controlled burns that wipe out the nice thick hard to access deer habitat so we can help the bunnies and birds out. I agree; the sports gonna die. I have 3 kids in their 20s and it never caught on for them or any of their friends. They love to fish though; but there's a much higher success rate with fishing .

[@jhoffman81]

Thankfully my boy likes to fish too!

[@henrybittle5234]

They dont care, when there are know more deer they still have a job. Its all abot money any more

[@gallardo360]

become a bow only state and watch the herd grow

[@darrellraser6732]

Seeing drastically less deer the last few years private and public. It’s like when Alt got in,and they wiped all the deer out last time. Lots of factors but just because you can buy a tag doesn’t mean you have to use it. And if it walks out and stares at you within bow range it’s probably a button buck, people can’t figure that out either.

[@ec9697]

I’ve got to make a 3rd comment bc man everything you say just hits home.I keep telling people that’s what everyone does,they go to the strongholds,they wipe them out then the next and the next and the next until it’s all wiped out.thanks to people running their mouths on www..I am a Successful traveling hunter and people Don’t understand the information they put out there helps Make it even easier for me lol I try to tell them not to do it but they just blab anyways hahaha..I’ve stood where the hunting public boys have filmed,I have seen the damage from the videos they do,and yes people are so close minded and think they are the best hunters and think nothing can happen to the place they hunt.:until word gets out and it’s wiped out.we have to self regulate.I kill my deer all over across many states..which is better than killing a lot Of deer on one property::I don’t shoot does anymore…it’s just like you said.have some common sense.if you are hunting a ton and don’t see a single deer Hardly then do you really Need to be shooting a doe there?we need shorter seasons and lower bag limits.the last 25yrs we have pilfered all the hard work our ancestors have done to bring game populations back,people don’t appreciate what we were given.and they’re so greedy! They wouldnt care if they killed the last deer on earth just so long as they got it on film for their KZbin channel

[@sheddawg6669]

3B guy here.🙋 Cant speak for your hunting area but I'd like to share a perspective of mine. I'm very fourtunate to live and hunt where the mountain laurel shit ground meets the rolling crop fields of the farmland. I run tons of cameras on both and it is amazing to see how much the quality of our bucks has increased. The farmland will grow a hammer but nearly every single buck I get on camera up in those mountains is a stud. Never a shit buck. Sounds like I shouldn't have an empty space on a single wall in my house right?! Wrong. You get up in those valleys and that damn wind will hit you from 6 different directions in a matter of a minute. If by some far out chance you get a steady wind in your favor, you find yourself army crawling through the laurel making so much noise you might as well of brought your chainsaw. You couldn't sneak up on cousin billy passed out after a 3 day bender. Those bucks up there are damn near bulletproof! As hard as it is to get up in the morning and drive away from the farmland where seeing 20 deer a sit is easily achievable, I'll drive straight into those mountains with the strong possibility of not seeing a deer for a week. Because when it all comes together it is SPECIAL. Hunting pressure in the mountains is non-existent (which sucks for deer movement) , the farmland gets harassed a bit but they are all the same hoopjack hunters. Runs feed/minerals all summer and gets good bucks on camera, pulls feed/minerals a week before season (maybe), acorns drop and deer stop showing up. sits the same ladder stand in roughly the same area everyday with ZERO regards to wind direction. Sits in bar room for rest of the season complaining about the PGC. The days of relying on pressure from other hunters to get deer on their feet and moving are DEAD. All the 70 year olds miss the days of seeing 40 deer plow across a field with their tounges hanging out because they've been drove out of 3 different sets of woods. We've got TONS and TONS of great deer hunting information at our fingertips and most around me fail to take advantage of it. We don't have a deer problem (on this side of the state anyway), we've got a hunter problem. I hope the population in your area recovers for you. Happy hunting!

[@nanukofthenorth4095]

Totally Agree with you . The way the state allocates the permits should be researched, I've hunted 3D for years as Non Resident on State Game Lands and never had an issue seeing Deer and managed to fill a Tag or two as well. Numbers are down but so are Hunter Numbers . An entire generation has been lost and regaining ground is gonna be super tough . We've seen a resurgence since Covid because people were bored and saw their vulnerability too t, they took to the woods but will it remain ??? Lets also take into account Trapping Numbers are down which directly affects Coyote numbers which have soared making the problem that more magnified . Good Luck be SAFE

[@johnholloway9981]

Exactly why hunter numbers are at an all time low.... no game no way to keep kids interested. Guys are just giving up PGC only cares about $$$$$.

[@rodneiswonger6102]

I’m not saying you are right or wrong. I have read so many of the comments. I can only give you my perspective. I am 55 years old and I’ve hunted since I was 12. As a kid there was almost no posted ground you could hunt almost anywhere, there were more hunters which keep the deer moving more. However as a young hunter seeing a buck after the first couple of days was a small miracle. Back then a 16 inch 8pt was considered a great buck, now that is more of a common buck. As a youth hunter I would not have hesitated to shot that deer now I pass them up in archery season. That is what the antler restriction has done. I also see buck all rifle season long not just on the first day. Yes I don’t see 50 deer on the first day anymore but you don’t have to feel like after the first day you’re not going to get a buck. So I’m sure I’m in the minority but I think the antler restriction has done more good than bad.Hunting has become very commercialized. What I mean by this is there is so much posted ground that people save for there families to hunt on or it is being leased for financial gain to help pay property taxes. I hunt in 2D and yes I have to lease ground as the properties I hunted when I was younger have changed hands and become posted. I live very close to many game lands and in my travels see many deer on them. I have a daughter who just started hunting. This is her second year. In her first year she harvested a big 8pt 18 inches wide and filled her only doe tag. This year has not worked so well we have not been able to make it happen. Yes I like her to have success but she also needs to learn it is called hunting and not killing. She is frustrated but that will make her appreciate her success in the future more. This has been a very teachable year for her. If all kids ran out and shot a deer everytime they went out they would not appreciate it. So I do agree the numbers might be down but to me the hunting is better. I guess you need to ask yourself would you rather see more deer or better deer? That answer will be different for everyone and the answer to that question will determine what side of the fence you land on. I hope your deer numbers improve for you if that is what you want just keep in mind there are so many factors to the deer you see in your hunting spot such as feed sources, hunting pressure, and available cover.

[@thomascrompton7775]

Respect your response so to put it clear your a big buck hunter. Problem is most hunters described in this post are public land hunters. He describes just as you say you leased land and are more selective. Problem is what % of hunters lease land. You talk about how commercialized the sport is. All those hunts and the TV shows where are they? Private or leaded land. Ever see a show make it that was based on killing big bucks in private land. I say more deer are better. There were big bucks back then also. Now if you don't want to shoot a small 16" 6 point wait for the big buck. But what we are doing now is catering to the minority while hurting the majority. And going forward that hurts the sport. Hunter numbers will continue to go down. Remember nothing is free. If you want to be a big buck hunter state be prepared to pay down the road.

[@yahusrevus]

As a former PAGC Bowhunter Education Instructor, I can say that their effort to decimate the deer population began well before CWD & EHD were found in the state of Pennsylvania. Dr. Alt's "antler restrictions" included a desired massive doe kill off to "balance the herd", of course. But, I'm of the opinion that even that wasn't the beginning. Car/Deer collision reduction was the excuse for exploring herd reduction even before that. So, I believe that it has just been a series of excuses for a far longer-term plan that does NOT benefit the hunter. Now, while I commend your call to fellow hunters to change their ways, most "hunters" I encounter these days are turds. I'm glad that I believe in miracles because I firmly believe it would take one to turn this situation around at this point.

[@tomreppert1722]

I agree with this, but the turds, at least in my area, are only out for two weeks...

[@thomasflickinger1949]

Right on! this started along time ago. Yes a "long term plan that does not benefit the hunter." Again right on.

[@robertpeet3781]

Amen bro........

[@mkeller8114]

I agree totally. Been hunting public land in Pa. for 45 years. Every year gets worse. I am 60 and still go deep in the woods and out of the way of other hunters and still no deer. I can walk for miles and never bump a single animal. I am still successful every year but go days without ever seeing a critter. How are you going to keep young people interested at this rate when even I am starting to lose interest. Seasons are to liberal and now with Sunday hunting ( supposedly to give people more opportunities ) it just gets worse. The reason young people want no part of it is lack of game. Hard to get a youngster to sit still for days with the hopes of maybe seeing a deer eventually. Once they started the concurrent buck and doe seasons I saw it go backwards. They are now doing the same thing to our bear population. 30 days of bear season now with all the seasons when there used to be only 3. This does not bode well for future seasons. It’s a shame because I really wanted to take my grand kids but they have no interest the way we are going.

[@bobsulz9686]

You’re speaking the cold hard truth hit the nail on the head the deer numbers in pa on public land are way down if noticed it I in northern pa (1 B) as well I feel your pain

[@TheBeingReal]

Similar problem in Michigan. We have an early season “youth hunt” which is more like dad gets a deer early season. The other issue is poaching esp during bow season via gun. Almost routine in northern MI.

[@GearsAndGuns]

As someone who hunted here their entire life and has access to thousands of acres of private land, it's all bad. There are some beautiful bucks for sure, but hunting is all but done here. My boy wants to go but I told him not to worry about it. My guess is within 2 generations it will only be for the select few just like everything else. The game commission does absolutely nothing to help the future of hunting. It's sad because the best memories of my youth are hunting with my dad. But I enjoy sitting back and watching a big ole tire fire. Either way god bless my friend

[@carlcook3252]

I couldn't agree more with you Jeremy. I hunt several public game lands in 1A and the deer are gone. I've been hunting 45 years in PA. The antler restriction I feel was a positive but the 2 weeks of doe hunting totally destroyed the doe population also the multiple doe tags is ridiculous.no one needs 6 doe tags. no one. I feel 1 solution could be no more than 2 doe tags also keep the first Saturday & Sunday hunting after Thanksgiving but for the first week Buck only then the next Saturday & Sunday you can take doe. second week buck only the last Saturday you can take doe. your right when you say the public lands are taken a beating. After 45 years of hunting public land it is a total shame to go and hunt and not see a deer when there was a time in this great state when you could go hunt and see deer all through the day. I'm so glad you said what you did. It's long overdue.

[@LDBoone]

Im from Rockingham co in western Va. Theres tons of public land here but numbers are low. The forests here are mostly mature with almost no cover or forage. Selective tree harvest is needed. Roads are blocked off reducing access. Coyotes are prevalent. Hell, I havent seen a forest service truck in 15 years. Our season now includes muzzleloaders that are chamber loaded, crossbows as deadly as anything, and 3+ months to use them. Its like the game dept wants deer killed but refuses to create habitat for them to thrive. Further more the records dont reflect the deer kill because check in stations are in the past and very few people actually call in their deer. Add to that there are not enough game wardens. Its just open season. IMO, hunters should lead in regulating the sport instead of people that dont get out there

[@jhoffman81]

Introduce political motives in anything and it's sure to go to shit real fast. When I started the QDMA chapter I was enlightened real fast about the money doing the talking. The PA farm bureau controls the politicians on hunting here. Who would've imagined the people with their hand out for subsidies related to crops would argue against hunting opportunities. I've been seeing more wardens, actually thanked a few the other day. I've been checked twice this season, I probably went 20 years since I was checked once.

[@adammcgrady3202]

I'm from western va also and this guy is spot on with exactly what is going on here on public land

[@michaelboros9834]

In my youth I used to see herds of 25 and more running around together and it wasn’t just one herd. Anymore I’m lucky to see two deer on opening day.

[@JasonSmith-bv3yd]

That was the game comissions goal....to reduce overall deer numbers...I've hunted since I was 12 in 1987....I've seen the change .....less people....less deer...less hunters...the quality of the bucks has worked for sure but man I hate doing sit after sit with little to no sightings...it definitely concerns me for the future of hunting in pa.....something needs to happen!

[@justinmccloskey4875]

Central pa hunting is horrible anymore. This is the first year in 25 years I haven't seen a single deer in season.....the biggest problem is the deer are moving into rural and suburban communities that you can't hunt. I see more deer in town than in the woods. The game commission needs to trap these deer and relocate them back into the woods.

[@TP-ne6ez]

Probably because the GL's in that area offer no nutrient value to the deer, PGC are poor managers of habitat, I live near SGL 169, nice looking land but poorly managed for deer, Its a pheasant GL, pressured in the fall season by multiple stockings and woodland that needs timbered and burned for optimal habitat.....Drive off SGL 169 and deer are everywhere in the area....there are times we have 10-12 deer in the back yard...then go up the mtn onto State Forest the same thing poor land mgt.

[@richardparker4015]

They could just be becoming like NC deer where every year the smart ones leave and go into the metro parks and mountains until the spring

[@jhoffman81]

I live in some pretty vast wilderness and I do agree they're much smarter than given credit. Have you ever watched and of the Penn State collar tracking study videos?

[@andrewmccormick436]

You are one million percent right. Good video

[@PennNative]

Thank you for making this video sir. I hope this is one of many to come out from others.

[@bim382009]

The land that I grew up hunting are all posted or housing developed. I have been hunting)Deer Rifle Season)on State Game Lands and haven’t seen any deer. I’m sure there are some but must be driven out due to logging. Very dissatisfied in hunting for deer in Pa. I have heard of Blue Tongue and CWD killing deer off from landowners and farmers. Something should be done. No wonder why people quit hunting.

[@ericflood4347]

I have hunted PA since I was old enough to hunt. I saw three doe on public land this season. Last year I saw two, a spike buck and a doe together. When I was a kid, you could drive along public or private land and see ruts where the deer were crossing. I have not seen that feature in decades. 40 years. Don't even get me started on small game.

[@tommotyka5487]

Right on! We are being used as a tool and letting them do it because we pay for it! Here in NJ we have unlimited doe tags it’s killed the experience, my kids have very little to no interest, it’s boring for them to see nothing!!!!

[@larryharris1163]

I hunt Mi. same here. All I can say what ever their agenda is, its not in the best interest of the hunter. They never let a good crisis go to waste. Lets all band together, stop hunting for a min. and giving them money, I guess? Let the Deer herds heal up. I dont know what else we can do

[@MrRichgounder1969]

I agree with almost everything in this video. I have been hunting Game lands29 in Warren for 40 years and the deer disappeared a year after they stopped the doe bonus tags in the mid 90s. They have been decimated. I still go every year only because I love the big woods , however my kids are losing interest and the sport is in decline. There’s hardly any hunters moving deer and the deer are few and far between. The game commission only cares about selling tags. The area in my area are becoming all clear cuts. Having bear season the week before drives any deer there are into the clear cuts and come first day they are holed up.

[@alleghenyadventures8561]

I've noticed an increase in deer activity. I'm also in Warren area.... I really think they're moving where the food is. Management for habitat on public lands has been less than ideal. The deer are still around.... Just not where they have been before. I think about all the places on 957 and rt 6 and 62 where I used to see tons of roadkill.... It's been an interesting observation, I don't know if it's definitive proof, but I've seen the same amount of roadkill, if not more, just in different sections of road. I've walked a few of the gamelands this year in Warren and seen deer every time... Not a ton, but a handful... But I looked around for food... Not much woody brows most places.... I was not far from where you're talking about and I walked a couple hundred acres and it was a ghost town except for a TON of sign under a patch of oaks where they were digging up acorns. But other than that, very little food. I think the management for mature timber and management for whitetail habitat are very different. We didn't always have a ton of deer here at my home... selectively cut and logged a few years ago.... The deer activity is crazy... 🤷🏽‍♂️. Might be a combination of factors but I think a lot of people are focusing on not shooting as many deer and forgetting that if there's no food to support them, they're not going to survive anyway.... Just my two cents. I'm no expert. I've just found all this very interesting and started to learn more about it and make more notes of my own observations.

[@MrRichgounder1969]

Thanks for the reply. I do agree with you about the food sources being key to finding the deer. I know the deer are there because I have been putting out trail cams the last 3 years and have pics of many large bucks, however come rifle season they are most likely hiding in all the 3 year old clear cuts. I will concentrate my efforts on archery season next year up there. I was actually shocked at some of the bucks I got on the cameras, must be the lack of hunting pressure and point restrictions.

[@vice4214]

Glad someones saying something thank you hopefully this blows up and people see this👍

[@PAhuntingfisherman]

Sadly I think this has impacted small private property also with lower deer numbers.

[@jhoffman81]

I'm sure it has unless you have a massive chunk or a block of people thinking the same way.

[@punkndrublic187]

Ya I have a tiny camp I been hunting as a kid. You used to be able 2 see deer run all day. Now I'm lucky if I even see any deer. Between the people who just walk on and hunt posted property like it's theirs, or u got the poachers which have been bad the last few years.

[@Kodysbackwoodsbasics]

Couldn't agree more. I'm only 23, and I can see the numbers going down. You have us backing you up, bud! Something has to change or at least cut rifle back by a week

[@kenfochtman8698]

After a twenty three year hunting hiatus my young daughter (6 at the time) said she wanted to go hunting. She’s eleven now and has killed two deer with a crossbow in that time. The rest of the time we have watched the bark grow on trees. I have apologized to her numerous times about not seeing deer. I’m afraid if it doesn’t change I’m going to lose her. We have hunted public and private land. She has a busy schedule so we don’t get many days to go out and to not see anything when we do go really makes it worse.

[@frez777]

It's all just dollars and cents to the gov't. I'm with ya though. I buy my license, but I've taken up trapping. I am in Michigan, each licensed hunter can take 12 deer. Yep, one dozen deer per season, two of those can be bucks. Now we do have to purchase each tag separately. Then they've just opened up "muzzleloader" where you can use ANY weapon you want during it. Meaning you can use a shotgun, or straight walled rifle, during muzzle loader. Don't get me started on the crossbow use, during bow season.

[@jhoffman81]

I trapped for a few years, very time consuming but very interesting too. It's amazing how smart predators can be!

[@nateuhrich3153]

The PGC and DCNR do nothing for the deer and deer habitat. There are a tremendous amounts of state land in PA but you are lucky to see 5 deer in a week. That’s a failure of management. That’s your hunting dollars and tax dollars going to waste. Timber management is key and the government doesn’t allow it to be done the way it should.

[@myLordSaves]

I hunted with my son this year since I'm retired, and we went to public land and right on the edge of that and a big farm. While we were sitting there about a half a dozen guys come through and they were pushing past us they were actually pushing out the ground and pushing it on the guys that were on the private property on the big farm and they nobody was allowed over there it was all private You weren't allowed to go there they didn't even want to catch over there. I understand your pain brother! I've taken up fishing because I can't do a lot of walking anymore My feet my legs are messed up I'm retired now and the only reason I took my son is because I haven't hunted with him in a while and we want to a place where we could get fairly decent access. It's sad out there and like you said these young guys that were hunting they were pushing it all the high thick stuff out pushing the deer onto the other land you could hear him shooting way on the other side and that's what they were doing they were driving out driving out the public land and pushing it on the private land and they shot a couple deer I'm not sure what they got but there was some shooting.

[@bucknlily6738]

I subscribed and agree. It's been a bag of shit. Just scouted today in my area 4A, deer are definitely not in the 2 year old cuts. There's plenty of browse for them. Cuts are all about money not habitat. Good show bud, thanks.

[@kirkloos8141]

Good stuff man. Central Pa guy here too. Just subscribed.

[@paulmerritt7540]

You’re right about all these extra seasons. There is nothing primitive about the crossbows they use to harvest bucks earlier and earlier, plus leaving cameras up year round on public land, deer stands are left on public land everywhere I go anymore. I see some of them destroyed too by someone, maybe these illegally left stands are used by poachers as many areas I see them have evidence of attractant where the ground is torn up so bad. These folks are responsible for the demise of our deer population. Hunting buck in velvet is another negative, the early harvest of big mature buck hurts the gene pool for passing on the better genes. Enough of my rant……

[@ernieforrest7218]

I am currently 88 years old. I started hunting in 1947 at the age of 12 in the N C region of the state. There is no question about the fact that there are far less deer than in past years. As for the game commissioners themselves, they are simply a group of head nodders appointed because of political connections. The full time staff runs the show. But the big difference is that the DCNR is taking a bigger role in the hunting. By dictating how many antlerless deer will be taken in certain areas. Years ago there was no DCNR, just the Game Commission, and the Forestry Dept. The DCNR is in the lumber business essentially, selling off trees they dont own. And they are also gating off large areas of the public land, meaning off limits to especially older hunters.

[@jhoffman81]

88 and apparently still sharp as a tack and using KZbin. Color me impressed!

[@rwmack3523]

How much of this is deer simply leaving public land because private land access is such lower than it used to? I agree that lowering doe tags might be a good idea, but I'm not sure if it's total population density you're seeing or mismanagement land access. Here in CT, we have shotgun and muzzleloader season as two separate licenses. For private land guys who also want to hunt public, they need to buy both licenses. But guys without private access can save money just getting their public license. (Bowhunters in CT have no swap like thus, but the number of hunters filling their 3rd or 4th tag in a season is under a few percent with their first tag still only around 50% of all licensed hunters.) It might not be a big cost, but it incentivizes going to the areas with the best odds of harvesting a deer, which is almost always going to be private. I don't see another way to manage the situation of private land guys not wanting to risk their herd integrity (which boggles me, because if you HAVE a herd that you've managed, then why WOULDN'T you hunt it since that's what you've been doing the management for in the first place?) and supplementing their freezers with public land. Also, your land management teams don't seem to understand the holistic intent of their jobs.

[@onelastsong2121]

You hit it100% I spent 5 days in Central pa in state forest never saw a tail few shots heard but every evening about 4 shots coming from land boarding public pa is 2nd in the country for car vs deer insurance Co. Loby for big deer kills

[@bobdawson8041]

I agree with you just like the game commission said they screws up with the Saturday opening but won’t change it an when they timer they take the food tree it’s discussing

[@joshblainer2652]

I have permission on 6 private parcels and I also hunt a ton of public land in western pa. I can honestly say I see just as many deer on private as public. And I've seen a ton of deer this year

[@danielszymanski-jw5kq]

Me also 1b deer all over

[@joshblainer2652]

@@danielszymanski-jw5kq 2d 2b and 2f I've seen tons of deer, even more than last year.

I just started hunting again after 23 years because my son wanted to start. We are on public land, I understand that. But there doesn't seem to be much basic hunting etiquette. I went to my blind for an evening sit on Jan. 5 and I had to kick someone out of it. Is this normal these days?

[@jhoffman81]

Guys have this idea that if a stand or blind is on public its free use. I disagree 100%. Ive never sat in another persons setup nor would I. Now, many make the argument someone is reserving that spot by putting a setup there. My thought is, if you come across something and no one is there and you setup right next to it then its yours for the day and if that person shows up they should move on. Im not sure what you experienced is a hunting problem but more a problem with society in general, no one gives a shit about anyone else anymore. Honestly, you might never experience it again, ive never had someone in my stands. Ive only ever had 1 camera and 1 sd card stolen in 20 years of cameras too. Most people are not that bold. Ground blinds really stand out like sore thumbs, if you wanna limit who will get into something try using hangons, they make kids harnesses. Then take the bottom climbing stick with you. Good luck!

@@jhoffman81 I agree with it being a societal problem. I'd have no problem if he sat 10 yards from my blind. It's public land. But I'd never use someone else's gear.

[@KS-ud8pg]

I went to Ohio for first time rifle season this year. I never saw a deer in 2 days. Might have heard 30 or 40 shots in 2 days which is a total joke.

[@jhoffman81]

I was only ever there in November for the rut and I'd never go back. Every lot I went to was full. Was shocking. Can't imagine gun season on all the more public they have.

[@garyknepper4546]

I was born and raised in Somerset County, Pa. I’ve lived in Virginia for 56 years. I came home to hunt deer every fall. Took my vacation then and paid the big bucks for non resident buck and doe license. Then came antler restrictions. Two years of that and I haven’t been back since. I hunted on private land in the laurel covered mountain side. Anyone who can hunt that and successfully kill a buck every year is better than I. Anyone who can count the number of points per side in that laurel covered mountain can see way better than I. Until they adopted antler restrictions I got my buck every year. We like the meat, butchered our own deer and just enjoyed the whole experience. Oh well, as of now Virginia has better hunting than Pennsylvania. So Virginia is where I hunt. And I’m saving lots of money.

[@jhoffman81]

I hear it's not too bad there but I hear the dog zone is wild.

[@Acidman131]

I hear you and agree. I'm from eastern Pa. and mostly hunting state game lands and on 28 trips to the field this season I only saw deer 7 times. It has been a tough year for me and many others that I've talked to.

[@brucefineout2963]

A lot of land is owned by anti hunting people

[@kevinjaskiewicz3021]

I am in erie county and the land owners want to lease the property. 15 years ago your small farmers were happy to have you hunt now if you are not going to game lands where everyone else is. The deer go to private land where there is less pressure.

[@gmz1997]

What I see in NY here on private land is that while older bucks and doe's are being taken, the numbers are dwindling. The coyote numbers have had an extreme effect on the yearling surviving a year or more. So as the older deer are taken the remaining numbers can't populate enough as the coyotes are killing the young ones. So there is a lot going on with this topic but predators are a problem as well. So get out there and cull those numbers and help allow the deer population to thrive. It's not easy either but it has to be done.

[@mattgohlke8216]

There are area i hunted 20 years ago, you could see 10-15 deer in a day which is more than you can ask for here in the northern region of NY. I dont hunt there anymore because today you're lucky to see 3 a season. The entire northern half of NY doesn't even issue doe management tags and never have. Thats not the problem. There is definitely something causing deer numbers to drop off a cliff here and the DEC has its head buried in the sand.

[@B.r.i.a.n.1]

Same in upstate NY. Deer numbers are down big time. Hunting will never be the same. It's hard to find places to hunt for sure. I took for granted the farms i grew up hunting. Now I've lost that land, and it's tough.

[@jhoffman81]

Guys hunting with muzzleloaders here reporting not even jumping deer while pushing. I'd say this is huntings "new normal" and we won't see change anytime soon.

[@michaelkrzyzaniak1045]

Yeah they are doing the same shit here in Michigan. Been hunting the same ares for 40 years and way less deer, also way less hunters. Makes no sense.

[@rogerailiff4941]

This exactly 100 percent describes my experience in central OH over the last decade!

[@jhoffman81]

I've been out there a few times and if you believe what the magazines wrote it should be like shooting fish in a barrel. Far from it, I've eaten three rounds of Ohio tags.

[@JH-lc8xd]

As a public land hunter I have seen things change and accelerate over the last decade or so. I attribute alot of that to the technology we have at our fingertips these days. I live in ohio and you want to talk about public land hunting pressure? Its O-H-I-O…Things have gotten so crazy here that the dnr had to change the regs and you are now only allowed 1 doe on public land per year. If you think I am crazy I wont hold it against you at all, butI think because so many people hunt public land now and so many non residents hunting other states adding to that hunting pressure: I think deer are getting smarter from all the hunting pressure making them that much harder to hunt. Just my experience and 2 cents. Good vid bud.

[@GodOfThunder6789]

I hunt mostly 4d and it’s so obvious the deer populations are down. I never thought it would be possible to do an all day sit in rifle season and not see a deer but unfortunately it’s happened to me and many others too many times lately.

[@jhoffman81]

4D might be the worst of all the ones I hunt

[@shelw195]

My property boarders PA state game land in 4D. What I have seen happen over the years is the deer come in to the safely zones it almost as if the know their safe. Other property owners tell me the same thing and my property is not posted.

[@Buddha-of8fk]

This is my 43 year hunting in PA my entire life. I don't do deer hunting until flintlock season. I love it, the city slickers stays home for that season and it is great. I do hunt some game lands. If you can find the original homestead you will find all kinds of food. One spot l know has damn near everything from nuts, fruit and berries to chives, wild garlic and other spices. Thinking this homestead was Italian. Critters love pear trees for sure. The deer are out there but when people start sighting up their rifles they either head way back in the woods and also in town. I'm not so sure they can't read posted signs. After rifle season they mellow back out and they are focused on food. Set up like your hunting early archery during flintlock. Hope this helps.

[@jhoffman81]

I hunt deer for archery season, rifle season is just an excuse for me to be outside. I do "ok" but put in a ton of time to get those results. I definitely don't want it to be easy or I wouldnt enjoy it. Overall numbers, participation and hunter attitude is what most concerns me.

[@Buddha-of8fk]

@@jhoffman81 a lot of the game lands used to be old farms and homesteads. Those old time folks planted all kinds of stuff that grows everywhere and sometimes even spread. I know a spot on game land 96 where they apparently loved blue berries. Now there is a good acre that is covered with them. My favorite is an old homestead that is probably a mile back in. The critters know where it is for sure. The neat thing is looking at the history of some of these families that lived there.

[@ronaldgoodrich5460]

All of the private land has been leased up or bought. I've said it for years. Unless you got money to spend you will be hunting public land. Its going to get crowded.

[@LizardKing513]

In Ohio, they limited the doe harvest on public land to one per hunter starting back in 2018 or 2019. Now you can only take a buck and a doe if you hunt public exclusively. After that, you’re tagged out for the season. I was skeptical until this year when I saw deer nearly every sit, whereas in years past I’d see deer every 3rd or 4th sit. Grant it, I’m not talking about seeing big bucks every sit but mostly does, fawns and spikes but I’ll take it. I hunt for the fun, experience and meat. And this is after EHD hit my area. I hope PA turns it around for you. I will also add that Kentucky does an excellent job managing their public lands. They are always doing habitat improvements for a wide range of game; they engage children in the outdoors adventures; have regular TV shows and youtube videos. They are a model of what DNR agencies can become.

[@jhoffman81]

I actually think your public I've seen is managed extremely well for habitat. I've said more than once Pa could learn a little from Ohio in that regard. Ohio's downfall for me is it's volume of public, lots of guys rammed into small pieces except for the south east.

[@user-io4ui9dr5q]

This happened in Connecticut, we were getting upwards of 13 tags a year, the glory days when I was growing up we'd see upwards of 50 deer a day! Now I can hunt for days sometimes the full two weeks that I go back to hunt without seeing so much as an ass running off in front of me...People want to blame it on everything except themselves and the simple fact is that we as hunters decimated the deer herd especially in the entire northwest half of the state. And I should mention that I hunt private land and I'm the sole hunter and it abuts hundreds of acres of non huntable refuge so you would think there'd be deer everywhere right? I consistently hear guns going off from the refuge...So like I said it's us! We did it to ourselves and we are continuing to do it...I don't shoot older "trophy" bucks and I don't shoot does...I self imposed this rule apon myself in hopes of building a stronger healthier deer herd but I think it's fruitless because I think I'm the only one and we need everyone to jump on board and do their part. I've spoken with state biologists and they couldn't care less...So if the state isn't going to do anything about it we need to do it. Where are all the ethical hunters we keep hearing about? I've only killed one small buck in the last 6 years hunting my private land...

[@JamieFerguson-kx1gs]

Kentucky dnr has destroyed our public land hunting as well. Except for a Few wma areas. You hardly ever see a deer on our public lands.

[@jhoffman81]

Do they have a velvet season?

[@johnhepburn7419]

Agree with some of what you’re saying I hunt 4A deer heard is wiped out I think it’s to many different seasons youth senior bear season long archery there’s so much more hunting pressure today than years past we need less seasons and reduced doe tags

[@ryans1683]

I cold not agree more with literally everything that you said! I also hunt alot of the zones that you're referring to. I have plenty of pictures of deer by the overall numbers are down significantly from the past. The deer do get inside those fences on State game lands. I'm sure the vast majority hit the fence and walk past but I've seen deer inside them. Keep spreading the word.

[@mountainflower1791]

Same in 2c ..i tagged out early archery but put massive time in my kids didn't see shit nor my dad this whole rifle season ..shit is sad

[@kartracer5g229]

Honestly it seems to depend on what part of the state you are in and the wmu... personally while we dont see the numbers we did pre antler restrictions and pre moving antlerless from 3 days to all season then to first Friday back to all season.. personally ive had better hunting in the last 10+ yrs then i ever did before where i hunt.. in just the last 3 years I've harvested 5 deer 3 buck 2 doe and in all those years only one deer ever came from private land i hunt primarily on public land in wmu 4D ... i feel alot of the reason we dont see the numbers we used to is because in general the age of hunters is higher and the number coming in isnt near whats leaving... and the only time they fence off a cut is for a forest growth study they dont do it to them all... there are so many facets of this whole subject to look at and its alot to think about

[@bill74ish]

Ban cameras and the crossbows. or at least get them out of archery. They are not bows. The amount of wounded deer out here from crossbows is staggering this year.

[@pacowboy1968]

I agree with you 100%. I also hunt 4D & 2G also 5A-B. I started as a kid hunting 2G and used to see a ton of deer and there was plenty of food back then. Of course that was a long time ago, I’m 55. I told my cousin and uncle during bear season near Slate Run that the PGC needs to stop doe hunting in 2G for at least 5 years. I don’t sit 100 yards off the road. I put in miles some days. I hunted the first week of rifle in 4D. From Saturday to Friday I saw a total of about 6 deer and not one was a buck. Wednesday I put in about 8 miles according to my tracker and didn’t bump a deer in Rothrock State Forest. The last weekend I hunted Michaux State Forest in 5A. I bumped one deer and saw 2 little doe. To make matters worse, almost every oak tree I saw in Michaux was dead. The PGC needs to make some serious changes now, not tomorrow. I understand the insurance companies are in their back pocket. Proof of that was when Deputy John Brodbeck (now deceased) from 5A came in to a local fish and game and made the statement “The PGC is catering to 3 groups, the insurance companies, the farmers” and I forget the third one right now. A guy asked where are the hunters on that list. He said you’re not on it. And that was from a PGC deputy. Hunting in Pa will be lost in less than 15-20 years if drastic change doesn’t happen now.

[@jhoffman81]

Lots of people like to paint with broad brushes to assume everyone is beside the road. I have a video on here from 22 of me killing a creek bottom buck and quartering it. I didn't buy an $800 kifaru to hunt where I can drag em to the tailgate. You're more optimistic than me especially with conversations I've had locally. I see a mass exodus in 5 years or less.

[@MarkSiegrist-z8o]

Mentored my grandchildren for the past 3 years in 4A. Going to be hard to keep them interested when all they see is trees growing 😢. I know 4A is in the heart of cwd😢😢. Yes the PGC is handing out way too many tags but it is the hunters pulling the triggers. Too many hunters just want to fill those tags and don't care. We see it, groups put on drives and shoot everything that comes out of it. They gather around and figure out who has a tag to put on each deer. Disgusting!!!!!

[@christinamoneyhan5688]

My two cents, I started to hunt when I was 13 ( not 12 PA. Law ) I am now 72 years of age. I have hunted Pa. 99% of my life. I have taken 56 White Tail deer ( 3 with a revolver no special season ) and 1 Pa. Black Bear when they had a 3 day season. My issue with the Game Commission is that they bow down to special interest groups ( money to be made ) and if those funds are used to help the game I have no problem with it. The bigger problem is that Conventional Archery is not that anymore. Muzzle Loaders are not conventional either. There should not be any special season on deer just for the use of these type of hunting tools. Deer should be in season for X number of weeks and all harvesting devices should be included into that X number of days. There is way too much precision in today’s devices being used to harvest deer. This includes telescopes on rifles. Tree stands and ground blinds should be outlawed just like bait .The emphasis is not on gathering meat for your family anymore but how big the antlers are. There is not sport hunting. Hunting is just that hunting and it is and always was to put food on the family table. I will only stop hunting when I can not walk , eat, or see the sights.

[@AMpufnstuf]

That's a very long deer career, you should be proud. Are you saying that modern crossbows are basically a second rifle season? A lot of people agree with that. Couldn't tell if you meant there should not be a bow season even for compound or primitive bows though. I wish more people would hunt with more traditional bows, and more states would make sure to give them the first season before allowing a crossbow to be shot at a deer. A lot of poaching is now done with crossbows too unfortunately.

[@christinamoneyhan5688]

@@AMpufnstuf What I’m saying is, is that there should be a deer season x number days to be determined by population of the herd and you hunt with what ever tool you want. Muzzle loader , bow ( traditionally or cross bow type ) or rifle, pistol. Whatever you want to use. No special seasons.

[@specag31]

@@AMpufnstuf Where's the hard proof of this: "A lot of poaching is now done with crossbows too unfortunately."

[@mikepainter2135]

The game commission keeps over selling for tags because they want the money. It’s up to us, the hunters, to buy the doe tags and pocket them. I didn’t use my two doe tags last year and I won’t use my two tags this year. 4:12

[@jjz814]

Im in the south of 1B by the border of 1A and 2F. I hunted when i was a kid and never got one, I started again a few years ago as an adult. What you said is exactly what happened 25-30 years ago with my Dad and I on the public game lands around here since we have Erie and all the city people go to the same areas I joined a private gun club so now I have my own land i can hunt on and the other 100+ members maybe only one other guy goes out there. Thats an option for the guys out there that are frustrated. I belong to 3 clubs in the area up here and all 3 have 20-100+ acres of land available for hunting/fishing to use. The deer up here will end up dead on the road. Besides CWD there is also an issue happening where Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) goes rampant some summers. Happened where I hunt.

[@jhoffman81]

Looks more and more appealing every year. I'd like to find one in southern pa farm ground.

[@adamboron4522]

Couldn’t agree more !!! I live in Ohio hunted here my whole life we’re facing the same issues I’m a turkey fanatic and our numbers have crashed also plus no one in the division of wildlife is addressing the Amish problem who are poaching all year round and not following any rules and in turkey season notorious for shooting hens and to top it off the states letting the habitat go to shit !!! And the hunting industry isn’t helping by catering to celebrity hunters and false realities to every day hunters in federal up too !!!!!!

[@AP-eu5mx]

In ny they sell a lot of doe permits because there is a lot of interest in getting hunters to come a spend big money on hotels dining etc and you cant hurt the deer population by issuing doe tag if there is no deer to shoot anyway one hunter can spend 700.00 on hotels food gas etc in 4 days with no extras and that is having 95% of your stuff with you and the weather is to warm for keeping meat from spoiling and you cant age the meat very important. Do STATES CHARGE OUT OF STATE HUNTER HIGH LICENCE FEES WHEN IT HURTS THEIR BOTTOM LINE IN LOST SALES TAX MONEY AN HURTING STORE, HOTEL ECT. BUT A LEAST YOU HAVE SOME MGT OF THE LANDS. IN NY YOU HAVE NONE .