When antler-point restrictions took effect in 2002 for Pennsylvania deer hunting, the hunters’ reaction was immediate: There were skeptics and there were advocates. Most everyone had a firm opinion — and the debate is far from over.

No matter what hunters are thinking about the law, though, one thing is certain: Hundreds of thousands of them will invade the woods one week from today in search of their trophy.

Whitetail deer-hunting season in almost all of the state, including Crawford County, will run from Nov. 30 through Dec. 12, with either antlered or antlerless deer allowed to be harvested for all two weeks.

So, does are legal, but many hunters wait for their big buck to come along, and that’s where some claim growing frustrations in recent years. Others say they are seeing and bringing home the biggest deer of their lives.

In 2002, a statewide regulation was implemented where, based on location, hunters could only harvest bucks with at least three or four points on one antler (based on location of the hunting area), a scientific effort to allow the population of older bucks to increase. All of Crawford County is under the four-point regulation.

According to Pennsylvania Game Commission press secretary Jerry Feaser it has to do with ensuring bucks reach their second year before harvest, due to differing genetics and food sources, thus increasing chances for a larger, healthier herd.

Now, seven seasons later — the woods being the pudding — the proof should be out there. Here’s what we’ve found:

n The Pennsylvania Game Commission is pleased on all fronts with the results of the Antler Restriction Program.

According to the PGC Web site, “Following the implementation of antler restrictions, considerably more adult bucks are surviving the hunting seasons.”

An antler restriction report card can also be found on the site which shows a passing grade on increased buck survival, avoidance of negative genetic impacts, maintaining hunter success rates, increasing the number of adult bucks, increasing the number of adult bucks, increasing the age structure of the buck harvest and maintaining hunter support.

In terms of deer kill numbers, between 250,000 and 500,000 are harvested each season in the state.

n Northwest Region Information Education Supervisor Regis Senko’s sentiments concur with those of the commission.

“Overall, antler restrictions have certainly resulted in a much higher ratio of bucks to does,” Senko said. “We have moved those deer from being harvested at a year-and-a-half to two-and-a-half or even a little older than that.”

Senko also acknowledged the element of the ARP which could have hunters a little frustrated.

“While that results in a much more mature deer in antler and body size, it also makes it much harder for hunters,” he said. “The rewards can be a whole lot greater, but those deer are much more educated and tougher to harvest.”

His tip for success in the upcoming rifle season is for hunters to also enter the season educated.

“With the food conditions the way they are, it’s extremely important that hunters get out there and scout,” he said. “Most places have such sufficient amounts of food that you really have to get out there and see what the deer are keying on. Other than on opening day and Saturdays there won’t be as many hunters out there pushing them around. That’s when you have to rely on deer moving back to their natural patterns. ”

On the other end of the law, some hunters are very displeased with the restriction for a couple of big reasons.

One reason is the difficulty of harvesting a buck due to the necessity of counting legal points. The other is a deer population which seems to be lower in certain areas.

n Bill Orr, owner of Bill’s Gun Repair at Conneaut Lake, has been hunting in the area since 1951. “The main complaint I am getting from people coming into the store is they are not seeing any deer, period,” he said. “It used to be fun going out and seeing 15 to 20 deer a day. Now you are lucky if you see one.

“I haven’t shot a buck since they started this,” Orr said. “I have seen some where I couldn’t count them and then they move on and the next guy shoots them and it’s like, ‘how could they even tell if it was legal.’ I don’t even shoot at them anymore.”

Orr said the older population of hunters has trouble seeing if a deer is legal. So it seems it would become more frustrating when a hunter does not see a good number of deer from which to choose.

“You hunt two or three days and you see a deer you are lucky,” he said. “Some areas there are deer and some there are not. Most are on posted land, so (the Game Commission) say go to the gamelands. Most gamelands, they’re herded up and spread out. The people are starting to flood it out and eventually you won’t have many there either.”

Orr did say the deer are most definitely out there, but he and his customers have found it a tall task to do the work to find them.

“It seems like you spend more time trying to find the deer than actually hunting them,” he said.

n Cochranton native John Crooks has been hunting this area for over 50 years as well. For Crooks the effect has been good and bad with a similar list of reasons.

“Most of the people I talk to, it’s pretty much 50-50,” he said. “It seems like you love it or hate it. Most of the older hunters are set in their ways. Nowadays I have a heck of a time counting all the points even when it’s a big rack.

“The end results, in these areas with the four-point restrictions we are getting better bucks. The downside of that, I know a lot of these deer are getting shot and left in the woods and a lot hit on the roads. Those bucks are still not living to 2 1/2 or 3 1/2.”

The primary goal of the restriction was to increase the number of adult bucks in the population. It’s hard to argue its effectiveness in doing that.

Keeping everyone happy was not the premise, and history has proven hunters are generally unhappy with something new even when it is effective.

n “The majority of hunters we have surveyed are (happy),” PGC press secretary Feaser said.

“That’s not to say that there aren’t some that are opposed to it. For the most part hunters are pleased with what they are seeing and what they are harvesting. From a management perspective, we are definitely heading in the right direction.

“Hunting is deeply-woven into the cultural fabric that is Pennsylvania. It is viewed as tradition and anytime you tamper with something that is tradition you will find opposition.”



T.J. Turrisi can be reached at 724-6370, ext. 276 or by e-mail at tjturrisi@meadvilletribune.com.