Do you want more deer in PA

[firman]

Yes, i don't dispute that, you just can't have a blanket plan for a whole state like pgc. has. I used to see deer at least every other day on my land, now i can go months without seeing a deer, that ain't right. Yet some guys just have to shoot a deer, it's to bad for the fathers who want their children to hunt with them but don't because they don't see anything, thats what happened to my youngest son.

[SlyAsADoe]

Ishman, are you serious when you say you don't think there are mt lions in PA?  Didn't you see the picture on the news last year - a kid took the picture with their cellphone and it was pulled from TV after one viewing.  I now wish I still had the pictures of the tracks they left 2 years ago.  Just because YOU don't see them don't make it "not so"... let me guess, that coyote I saw last week was imaginary too?          lol

[ishman]

Coyotes are established pretty much everywhere in Pa. Ive shot a few of them. Mountain lions are not. Till the day i see a dead one laying in its tracks, I wont believe that they are present in Pa. I live by a rule,  "Believe none of what you hear, and half of what you see". The problem I have in believing it is, wheres the proof. There is none. Today with all the internet pics and cell phone fowards, you cant believe anything you hear. This is my hang up. They could be here and i could be wrong. I just need solid proof

[Everyday Hunter]

ORIGINAL: ishman

Coyotes are established pretty much everywhere in Pa. Ive shot a few of them. Mountain lions are not. Till the day i see a dead one laying in its tracks, I wont believe that they are present in Pa. I live by a rule,  "Believe none of what you hear, and half of what you see". The problem I have in believing it is, wheres the proof. There is none. Today with all the internet pics and cell phone fowards, you cant believe anything you hear. This is my hang up. They could be here and i could be wrong. I just need solid proof.

I pretty much agree with that. But even if someone shoots a cougar, will it necessarily mean cougars live in PA? Several years ago someone shot a wolf, and no one is saying wolves live in PA. One animal might merely mean they pass through occasionally -- it's not likely to prove a breeding population.

I have doubts that big cats are here, but I kinda hope they are except for one thing -- I've heard of several hunters who have been jumped by bobcats while calling turkeys. I've called in a couple of bobcats myself. Can you imagine getting jumped by a cougar while calling turkeys?

Steve

[ishman]

now that would be scary! I would imagine if you got one cornered they could do some damage on you. I know the bobcats sure do a number on the turkey. my buddy has gotten 2 different pictures of a bobcat on their farm with a turkey in its mouth. And not small ones either, i mean full grown turkey. Im sure they have no problem taking down small fawns either.

[sadqdma]

Hello

I am from south central farm country. Although there is plenty of feed for deer here the numbers are way down. I have been hunting here for over 30 yrs and i do remember seeing 30 deer a day. I also remember that only one or two of those deer were bucks, usualy spikes or fork horns. The intro of antler point restrictions helped to see a better ratio of buck to doe as more yearling bucks survived. Unfortunatly the years of long doe seasons and "brown its down" mentality have resulted in far less deer and the killing of many fawn bucks . The result I see is far less deer and the same old problem of a poor buck to doe ratio. It is true that responsible hunters who care about a quality deer herd can take the required actions regardless of regulation, however I do not see this occuring in PA. As a result hunting and hunting related revunes are sharply declining in PA while other states who practice good management are increasing revenue from hunting.

[roughrider 123]

Pa. hunting on game lands will not turn around until the liberal doe seasons are trimmed down to a few days during gun seasons. The less deer guys see, the more "brown its down" happens because they are afraid thats the only one out there anymore. If you have a camp somewhere and doe are open along with bucks, they look great hanging from a meat pole all lined up. I'm sure when it was initiated, lots of does and button bucks adorned the meat pole and now that its barren, the commission is cutting back in some zones. When you go from 3 days of gun doe hunting to 7 WEEKS as in 5c, things will decline.

roughrider out

[ccoutdoors]

I live in 2C area. My problem is hunters, not enough of them. I missed the first day due to call out at work. But the travel (20 miles) to work only seen about a 1/3 of the cars you would normally see on the first day. I got to be the dog for 4 days this rifle season and only seen 2 other hunters in the woods, my days off are Friday and Saturday. Seen deer everyday.

[SteveH2112]

I think there are more "pockets" of deer in PA than when we were overrun by them. Having pockets of deer in alot of areas does make seeing deer more difficult, but the best habitat will always be used. I do think there are still some bugs to be worked out, but I do think that as a state PA is headed in the right direction.