Antler restrictions

[dtrain56]

My take on that policy is that on properties that are heavily hunted, the hunter who chooses to shoot larger deer has far fewer opportunities because most of the bucks get killed at 1½ years. I'd rather kill more mature bucks, but here in PA so few of them existed. In some areas 90-95% of the buck harvest was 1½ year old bucks. It might take a lifetime in those areas to have an opportunity at a 3½ year old buck. (Also, some biologists would disagree with the "no biological urgency" part.)

I live 4 miles from New York and have hunted there for 4 years. My impression (where I have hunted) is that hunters put less pressure on the deer in NY than we do here in PA. But -- I have yet to shoot any deer in New York. The only antlered buck I've seen had both his antlers broken off. The only time I've had an antlerless tag was 2008, and we had either monsoon rains, or snow up to my waist. The hunting was pretty tough.

Steve

Yeah, i agree in PA, the culture was to shoot what ever walks, the ole' if it's brown it's down - without antler restrictions you would never see a quality buck...

but the change has not been recieved well,

but i hope that the restrictions go even further at some point and the whole state would be 4points on one side insted of three...

also it did improve the age structure for bucks, where now a little more than 50% of bucks killed are 1.5 where as before AR's that rate was 90% or better

and i have gotten a deer in each of the past three years

[msbadger]

In the NEW YORK OUTDOOR NEWs article it stated that the DEC canned the AR's this year because they knew that they had to limit the DMPs and to add that to a new AR program on top of higher fees..... the hunters would have less opportunity to tag out for meat and be upset after paying higher tag prices 

[ranwin33]

Many parts of Missouri are under APR's.  After a successful rollout in select counties, it has been adopted in many more additonal counties this year.
 
I was in the first group of counties where it was adopted and I fully support the use of APR's.  Missouri APR is basically 4 points on one side, or less than 3 inch spikes. 

[Croz73PA]

In PA some areas have a 3 point per side rule and some have a 4 point per side rule.  Junior hunters (under 16) are allowed to shoot anything over a 3 inch spike with their buck tag. 
 
I like the system and have seen the bucks where I hunt get older and larger. 

[jsjandro]

i wish wi would start using common sense in our laws.  we have as a whole one very screwed up herd and im totally for ars simply for the fact that they fix that - listen to hunters that have hunted in ar areas - they even admit that they were against them initially and now see the light.  i cant think of a place that ever had em and got rid of them. they only spread. but our state is very ignorant and arrogant about this, they actually are proud of our herd and havent changed their bucks plus quota doe system since its inception in the 60's. and every one wants a buck so go figure that we got does up the wazoo and the only places in this state where this over pop of does isnt an issue is on private land cooperatives that run their land the right way within the dnr's breadth and harvest does and bucks accordingly.  
 
 

[plan_b]

most people who are against antler restrictions are the same people who either have set up some sort of qdm of there own or who participate in a group who does. from one wmu to another the quaility of deer differ. private land has been so broken up over the years where there used to be multi hundred acre tracts, there now lies multi 20 acre tracts with a trailer or cabin coupled with kids riding dirt bikes and 4 wheelers all year long. ive had my property in my family for over 30 years and have practiced a some version or another of qdm. yes i, as well as my crew would rather shoot a doe or two or three than shoot a small buck. but why wouldnt everyone? if your out there for meat, it all tastes the same! why not pull the trigger, wait a year or two and have meat and a nice rack? its not like iowa here in ny. we dont have monster bucks walking around like they do. between the 3000 acres of public land near me with the army of pumpkins that shoot at everyhting tat moves( and rarely follow up to see if they hit there mark) to the farmer who lines up his buddies on the fence line of his 500 acres shooting at every deer to avoid them leaving his property so that no one else gets a crack(i wonder how many permits they actually have anyway?) pa's ar is working! the kill and age reports prove it... ny needs this . thats why we spend countless hours and endless money on our food plots, property management and such. every animal i harvest is a trophy to me! every deer that walks by me while on stands gets my blood boiling... iwould just like it boil over more often while seeing a truly mature animal that with my (our) work of manipulating the land, creating better habitat, and wise choices helped create. hunters as with most people in life unfortunalty cannot police themselves to do this. some sort of push or mandate from the dec is needed to make this happen. but as usual, nys doesnt want to fix anthing, they only want to raise more fees and taxes and sit back and watch us pay........ sorry for griping sort of.......

[charlie 01]

I heard somewhere that the state of Pennsylvania has antler restrictions. Does anyone know what they are? How do they control it? What and if, are there fines? This is something I do not like to see come about. I don't understand how they can expect a first time hunter, or for that matter someone who has never shot a deer, to pass on a buck that does not excede the restrictions. A person, just does not get a whole lot of opportunities. I've heard some states talk about minim widths. If you have a buck moving from left to right in front of you at a reasonable shooting distance in early morning or evening dimmness, are you expected to pass on him just because you can't see the width of his antlers. And I have to pay for a license to do this. I'm sorry, I just don't get it, and won't get it. You should be able to take the deer of your able choice.

[blueeyeddragon76]

I do not know about pennsylvania but ere in new hampshire an antlered deer is counted as any deer with one 3 " spike... if you have any questions then pennsylvania should have a fish and game website with all the updated rules and regs... i do know here they cut back on the times when you can shoot does ecause our herd has taken a hit over the past few years and they are trying to give it time to repopulate... don't know if it is the same in penn. or not... good luck!

[ajkrem22]

Charlie 01

PA antler restrictions are based on the Wildlife management unit you are hunting. I beleive the western part of the state requires atleast 4 points on a side of the deer. Each point must be atleast 1 inch long, excluding the main beam which is counted as a point no matter the length. The rest of the state is 3 points on a side

The fine is kind of hard to define. If you are able to prove to you made a mistake and really thought the deer was legal, then the fine is not to bad. I think maybe $100 dollars. I could be wrong. The problem is though is though you give a statement to an officer and they decide if you are telling the truth or not. He they believe you just simply shot the buck without trying to judge points the fine can be much worse. I am talking a lot of money.

[scottflesher]

I agree with you Charlie, for a first time hunter this must be frustrating. I think it's just a way the State tries to practice QDM. If the smaller bucks are left to age, it could improve the overall quality of the herd.
In Ohio we do not have such restrictions. I would like to see the DNR put some requirement into the doe harvest, such as requiring all hunters to harvest a doe prior to a buck.