Antler Restrictions

[mrbb]

nomad_archer
I agree 110 % about the sdtate not doing ENOUGH work on repairing the damaged forest we have
and sadl not shooting doe in areas where the forest are food less, won't bring the doe /deer numbers back, there still isn't enough GOOD quality food all yur to support them sure a few will spread out in there, but its food they need every day to live on

PA has one of the largest tracts of public lands in the east coast, sitting on millions and millions of dollars of timber, and always bitching about being broke
never understand it
they , from the 1950's to mid 70's di so much logging, controled burns, and even feeding in winters to keep wildlife numbers up

then they got lazy is my opinion, they all got raises, spend money on benefits( and not just for the workers, but there whole familiy's) and new buildings and cars and trucks equipment

and forgot about the wildlife that was making them money, from hunters and tourism, and all that

now all they say is budget this budget that, sitting on millions of timber
not saying cut it all down, but if they need money to get by, stop asking for it always from the hunters, and cut some timber to help the wildlife out, I agree its a powerful tool to help wildlife out, and not just the income it makes, but the cover and food it makes!

they are willing to iopen lands up for the oil companys I see??

but how's that helping the wildlife????

[nomad_archer]

I hate that they are willing to allow oil drilling but not making some money on the timber. My camp is by the Allegheny National Forest which is run by the forest service. That place needs a good logging and that is an understatement. There isnt any understory to talk about and there hasnt been for a long long time. Its sad honestly. There are some places up by my camp that have a really nice mix of old oaks hear and there and a ton of scrub oaks and that place is great for small game, grouse and deer. Its tough to hunt but you can easily be rewarded. That area is private but posted as open for public hunting by the paper company. It has been thicker than thick for the last 14 years that I have hunted it on and off.

I find myself hunting more and more private land that is posted as open for public hunting because the private parties are willing to have the property logged, etc for financial gain but it just so happens to help the wildlife as well. A win -win in my books.

[mrbb]

I agree, my huntin g camp is on a 25,000 acre chunk of land they needs more timber harvested, as like your place just no browse a deer can reach anymore, all grown timber

I am in the oil drilling prime area, and they were SO quick to allow them on the lands there wasn't funny, they were no lie following the oil trucks about asking who to talk to about getting drilling done!

like WTF, log make money and do the wildlife some good
don't get it its like it costs them money to timber the way they look at it or something
timber companys will pay good money and do ONLy as they want no problems asked, even fix roads to do it

lazy bunch of folks in my book, I sold lic's for 10+ yrs, had to deal with a ton of game wardens in PA, and they all were sorry to say more or less all jerks
I have traveled to many states hunting and every single warden I ever meet out of state was so nice compared to our people
they seemed just too gald to talk to you like a person, and not a criminal tryin g to fine you for something like here in PA

they need to work on wildlife and people skilss if you ask me here in PA
A shame, we should have such awesome hunting here with all the lands we have too!

[tilelayer1]

Well said MRBB,and thanks for the reply folks.
I DO think PGC needs to learn better management practices,but I think everyone knew this would be a controversy.It seems as though they are getting a better understanding of how to manage certain areas but have alot more to learn.I have always hunted and still do hunt public land.Deer hunting has changed so very dramatically here it is unbelievable!...YES deer numbers are down but look at license sales,they are wayyyy down.Even doe tags were very slow selling this year.In 5c there are (last count)still 80.000 left.What I'm getting at is less licensed hunters=less money in the tills and a weaker voice for ppl that do hunt.License sales have dropped every year since the masscree of 01 and 02.Hunters that go hunting and hardly ever see game get discouraged and stop hunting.Todays youth that hunt is a very small percentage.Thats why the PGC has opened up many more opportunities for mentored hunting.I agree totally!!
Without hunters the sport will fizzle and may only be for the rich
As for the timber sales I can say that I have seen alot of timber cut lately.I hunt Bradys lake area and pocono lakes also near the pocono racetrack, many acres have been cut.
I cannot compare Pa to Ohio,but I will be making my first trip to the S.E.area the 2nd week of Oct.I have not decided exactly where yet but am thinking about Wayne forest.Yes,I am depending on going public land but from what I have heard ppl in Ohio are good friendly ppl!

[mrbb]

well I agree, lic sales are WAY down in pa, some 250, 00 from the glory yrs, and why the PGC is crying about funds, as Lic sales fund there pay checks

BUT hey they did it to themselves in my eye's

they let the game disappear siting on there hind ends when things were good, and waited too long to notice

and who wants to pay for a lic to hunt less game and lower quality game than you can else where
PA right now is at its best chance for BIG buck than ever in my opinion, but I won't say the state had that in mind
its just a by product of a crash that happened to the herd
I have gone to many PGC public meetings and meet with a lot of sportsman groups

they dodge real questions like crazy if you ask, always asking to speak after a meeting

they don't like being called out on there mistakes nor seem to take any responsibity for there actions

I always ask them about the pheasants we used to have, and how its NOT there fault they disappeared here

they blame everyone but them selves

hell way I see it, there JOB was to protect wildlife Game in PA, so when it dis appears, who else is at fault!!
like come on, if anyone tries to kill a wild critter with out a lic they will fine the crap out of you claiming the critters are there's

but when one dis appears some how its not there fault!!

[nomad_archer]

mrbb,
I most certainly agree. As of the pheasants it is the most laughable waste of money in my mind to stock pheasants to make it like the good old days for 3 days. I would rather see them shut down the pheasant season, create the habitat and reintoduce the wild pheasant to self sustainable levels. They did it with the turkey and elk why not the pheasants? There is to much money wasted on the pheasant stocking but if they want to continue to do that make the people that want to hunt the pheasants but a stamp for that. At least that portion will be partially funded if the PGC wants to continue to stock. In the 14 years I have hunted in PA I havnt seen one pheasant so stock as much as they want the farm raised pheasants arent making it more then a few hours into the season and that is a waste.