So mrbb and 89tracker, I am one that has started to come around and believe in QDM and letting smaller bucks pass but that is only because I have seen some of the successes of a friend who does that and he consistently gets a great buck but he puts in alot of time.

On the other hand people buy licenses and are entitled to shoot whichever legal buck there heart desires. I shoot does for meat but I usually dont pass on many as long as they are not fawns I usually take the opportunity. The fact is the areas I hunt are large big woods public hunting areas in NW PA at my hunting camp. You typically have only one maybe two opportunities on a deer up there. Sometimes none at all. This year my old man hunted quite a bit in PA with a bow and rifle and never had a quality opportunity its just what it is. The antler restrictions are great and they have really helped but the herd reduction that when with those regulations when to far in the northern parts of the state. There just arnt very many deer. They are making a bit of a come back now that seasons have been adjusted but still they are few and far between. As for shooting smaller bucks if it is legal then I feel people are should not be looked down on for shooting whatever buck makes them happy. Yes passing on smaller bucks helps produce bigger bucks but some people just enjoy a successful hunt and that small basket rack six makes their year just as much as a 160" class buck would make yours. More and more people are passing on smaller bucks so you are going to see bigger bucks but every PA hunters goal is not the same. Any deer that a hunter takes and is proud of is a great personal achievement in my opinion.

If you want to trophy hunt then go about doing that but dont force everyone else to trophy hunt the same as you. Personally I have been passing on smaller bucks recently but if I have a nice say 80-100" deer walk by me up at my camp I may take that opportunity as it is a bigger buck by the standards up at my camp and I dont believe I have gotten one that big up there. I have only gotten a handful of bucks in my hunting career so any legal buck and deer for that matter is great and is celebrated as such. I have taken quite a few does over the years and we still celebrate those as well.

Maybe one day I will get to the point where I have the time and access to land where I will be passing on all of the smaller bucks that walk by but at this point I am not there. I believe in QDM and will let some of the smaller ones pass but at my camp if I like it I will shoot it. Thats just a counter opinion to what you guys are saying. I dont want to start a pissing match but I just feel like if it is legal and someone wants to take the animal then I have zero problem with that.