🦌Pennsylvania hunters want change

[bogey1]

the answer would be "my tradition". they then ignore their tradition has been dying a slow death for years

No it hasn't. It died when they moved opening day. I'm quite sure the bars and restaurants felt it too.

[akley88]

No it hasn't. It died when they moved opening day. I'm quite sure the bars and restaurants felt it too.

the numbers show otherwise. Total general hunting license sales have decreased every year since 2013, with the exception of 2019, the first year of saturday opener, and 2020 when they increased. 2019 saw a 5k increase over 2018 and 2020 saw a 19k increase over 2019. 2021 dropped but was still higher then 2018. mentored youth licenses were dropping as well before the change, in 2019 they increased and again in 2020 they increased, but dropped again in 2021 but still higher then 2018.

https://www.pgc.pa.gov/HuntTrap/Lice...lesReport.aspx

[akley88]

additional info, 1982 there was 1.3 million licenses sold in PA. 1999 it was 1 million sold in PA. The game commission has addressed the decline sales concern, which is a nation wide issue. the link below is the game commission trying to show deer population isnt whats causing declines for decades.
https://www.pgc.pa.gov/Wildlife/Wild...erHunters.aspx

[R L Suehr]

Gives me an exta 2 days to get the kiddo out. She still has the Monday off, so now she gets 3 hunting days at the beginning of rifle season. I don't care about tradition, my daughter would get 1 maybe 2 days total throughout rifle season the old way. That's not how you build "new hunters." I don't understand the bitching, you can still go get drunk the whole friggin weekend if you want, now you can just spend your days hunting as well. For people with lives, jobs, and kids this is by far a bonus.

[spartakis252]

It*s sad that even commie states have less dumb hunting laws, specifically for days of hunting and firearm restrictions. Even in Maryland and California a semi auto rifle can be used, if you can jump through all the hoops of finding a legal semi auto to own. Some states (Ohio for one) do have straight wall restrictions but there are still legal semi auto options for those states.

My summarized point is PA hunting laws suck compared to every other US continental state, including the *commie states*.

[bogey1]

the numbers show otherwise. Total general hunting license sales have decreased every year since 2013, with the exception of 2019, the first year of saturday opener, and 2020 when they increased. 2019 saw a 5k increase over 2018 and 2020 saw a 19k increase over 2019. 2021 dropped but was still higher then 2018. mentored youth licenses were dropping as well before the change, in 2019 they increased and again in 2020 they increased, but dropped again in 2021 but still higher then 2018.

https://www.pgc.pa.gov/HuntTrap/Lice...lesReport.aspx

How does that help the bars and restaurants when nobody goes to them because they have no time to?
I hear it from the locals. I haven't hunted since they changed the opening day either.
It was all about getting together for a weekend of fun for the past 30 years. That has all ended.

[akley88]

How does that help the bars and restaurants when nobody goes to them because they have no time to?
I hear it from the locals. I haven't hunted since they changed the opening day either.
It was all about getting together for a weekend of fun for the past 30 years. That has all ended.

why do they have no time to go now, what has suddenly shifted their tradition and priorities? is it due to a fear of missing opening day and someone else getting "their" deer? For years i never hunting opening day on Monday due to school and work. If the point of going was to have fun and be together you can still do it. no one is stopping anyone from keeping their tradition going. i'm sorry that you stopped hunting due to it. if it suddenly went back to monday would you start again or would you stay your course now?

The goal for the game commission was to increase hunting opportunity, get more people involved like women and kids. Their job isn't to make sure business that rely on 3 days a year to stay float do so. it may sound cold but it seems like a faulty business model to be potentially relaying on 3 days a year to make or break your year. how many of these camps that seem to be the most vocal, have had declining memberships? what have they been doing to try and get more kids and non typical hunters out in the field? those same businesses should have been seeing a shift over time just due to declining participation in general. the avg age of a pa hunter 10 years ago was 47, i am willing to bet that number is probably higher now. the goal should be to get more youth, women and nontypical hunting groups involved.

[akley88]

i would like to know how many people on here were/are members of hunting camps that have been effected by the change. is it that people are no longer going up to camps because of the change in dates? is it to expensive for many people to have just hunting land? is it the fear of missing opening day that the issue. was it the change in anterless season? I'm genuinely curious as to the exact reasons why moving the opening day up 2 days earlier has caused such an issue. the only reason i'm focusing on hunting camps is this seems to be the biggest group ive seen be vocal about it.

[bogey1]

why do they have no time to go now, what has suddenly shifted their tradition and priorities? is it due to a fear of missing opening day and someone else getting "their" deer? For years i never hunting opening day on Monday due to school and work. If the point of going was to have fun and be together you can still do it. no one is stopping anyone from keeping their tradition going. i'm sorry that you stopped hunting due to it. if it suddenly went back to monday would you start again or would you stay your course now?

The goal for the game commission was to increase hunting opportunity, get more people involved like women and kids. Their job isn't to make sure business that rely on 3 days a year to stay float do so. it may sound cold but it seems like a faulty business model to be potentially relaying on 3 days a year to make or break your year. how many of these camps that seem to be the most vocal, have had declining memberships? what have they been doing to try and get more kids and non typical hunters out in the field? those same businesses should have been seeing a shift over time just due to declining participation in general. the avg age of a pa hunter 10 years ago was 47, i am willing to bet that number is probably higher now. the goal should be to get more youth, women and nontypical hunting groups involved.

The whole crowd would meet friday morning at camp. Have fun all weekend. Hang low sunday in preparation for hunting mon,
tue, wed. Go home thursday.
Now its get there friday, do nothing. Hunt sat, sun, mon and go home. YAY.
You can hunt anytime you want, but you cant always get the whole crowd together and have a great weekend.

[R L Suehr]

i would like to know how many people on here were/are members of hunting camps that have been effected by the change. is it that people are no longer going up to camps because of the change in dates? is it to expensive for many people to have just hunting land? is it the fear of missing opening day that the issue. was it the change in anterless season? I'm genuinely curious as to the exact reasons why moving the opening day up 2 days earlier has caused such an issue. the only reason i'm focusing on hunting camps is this seems to be the biggest group ive seen be vocal about it.

I was a member of one, but quit do to lack of time to go way before this happened. My Dad still belongs and there's still a good number of guys that go up every year. I believe there's a waiting list to be a member even now.

I hunt private ground and state Forrest. It's a small family owned property and 1 room cabin. I can't say I saw a whole lot less people up there though. When we went through Waterville (extremely small town on Pine Creek) the local store and bar were hopping on Saturday. I can't say they rely on just hunting season for money though, they make way more in summer with fishing and camping in the area than over hunting season. I severely doubt there's any business like that, that would only stay afloat by making money opening weekend of rifle deer season. I'm sure they get a big boost for a day or two, but there's no way that would be sustainable.