🦌Some rural Pa. businesses want to see it switched back

[Here4now]

I no longer hunt, so I don’t give a shit one way or the other. But I do believe in traditions, especially for guys who have upstate camps. In addition to the hunt, the camp comradery was/is a big part of deer season. Only myself, and maybe one or two other guys would arrive Friday. Friday night I did go to the local watering hole.

But after that, none of us went to the bars. Saturday and Sunday, we played poker, did a lot of bullshitting, and sure we had some beers. I had been going to the camp since I was 12 and joined when I was 13. I could only take 3 days off from school with un-excused absences. But one year my Dad allowed me to stay for the entire week and paid the fine for the other 2 days. So, if kids really want to hunt, they will take time off from school.

And for adults, most of the time it is just a matter of priorities. I can’t believe that most can’t take off work, even if it requires using vacation days. Again, priorities. When I was starting a job in the fall, I would immediately inform the General Contractor that my bricklayers would not be on the jobsite the first 3 days of deer season. The GC’s didn’t like it, and the out of state GC’s didn’t even understand it, but I told them that all of my guys hunt and there is no way I could make them come to work.

Priorities.

[esh21167]

Why can't they go on Fri, shop in town on the weekend, and hunt on Mon like before?

They certainly could do just that. You just can't blow up stuff because those 'in the field' will get angry. Heck, my neighbor will be pissed on Saturday because I'll be cutting some trim on my patio.

I think most of the people against it like that many people can't get out on Monday and they have more opportunities because of it.

I have not hunted deer for over 25 years, but back then Monday was still a madhouse on public lands. I can only imagine what it must be like with the Saturday opener. I see a lot of vehicles in the game land parking lots.

Its a bar, bars open and close all the time adapt or die, whats next we get the state to waret lawns so we can keep lawn services in business?

If the survival of your business relies on one weekend a year, then you have a poor business model/operation.

The Saturday opener does generate more licenses and get more people out there. Isn't that the goal?

[heatheroo]

There’s a whole lot of folks commenting who either: do not hunt or no longer hunt. I question why you feel the need to voice your opinion?

I have missed exactly one opening day since 1976.

If anyone cares…. I preferred the Monday opener.

[EFK]

I really can see it both ways, and yes I hunt all year every year. I grew up doing the "camp" thing from Jersey, coming up here on Fridays and enjoying all the camp stuff through the weekend with my dad and all the guys, and we usually stayed through Wednesday before coming back on weekends. For almost 30 years now I have lived here at the same location (obviously not a camp anymore), and personally I do appreciate the Sundays and I know many people who appreciate the Saturday opener. But the old crew of really old guys, and now their kids, and many others I know coming up from NJ, think it's a crazy marathon to get their own camp opened up and heated and water running and problems fixed and food shopping and...

I guess the bottom line is whatever keeps more people hunting, because ultimately everything is political now and more hunters is generally better in that respect.

Oddly enough, when I was a kid opening day sounded like the stereotypical WWIII but now it sounds like a lot less shooting. Maybe less hunters, or maybe antler restrictions, I don't know. But it sure doesn't "sound" anything like it used to, and I'm next to a small SGL. People don't walk like they used to either, though, so maybe that has something to do with it too. No ATVs on the SGL next to me. Seems like anymore, if you can't run an ATV to it, it doesn't get hunted.

[Here4now]

There’s a whole lot of folks commenting who either: do not hunt or no longer hunt. I question why you feel the need to voice your opinion?

I have missed exactly one opening day since 1976.

If anyone cares…. I preferred the Monday opener.

Because I no longer hunt, I didn’t realize that I’m not permitted to post an opinion in the thread. I apologize.

Oddly enough, when I was a kid opening day sounded like the stereotypical WWIII but now it sounds like a lot less shooting. Maybe less hunters, or maybe antler restrictions, I don't know. But it sure doesn't "sound" anything like it used to, and I'm next to a small SGL. People don't walk like they used to either, though, so maybe that has something to do with it too. No ATVs on the SGL next to me. Seems like anymore, if you can't run an ATV to it, it doesn't get hunted.

I agree that my last days of hunting had less shooting. Surely the antler restrictions had a lot to do with it. And no, people don’t walk, still hunt, or put on drives like in the past. That takes physical effort. Now they’re content to sit in a tree stand all day while waiting for a deer to walk past and they can spend their time texting and playing with their phones. In addition, all of the early seasons probably cut down on the number of hunters on opening day which results in less shooting.

[esh21167]

There*s a whole lot of folks commenting who either: do not hunt or no longer hunt. I question why you feel the need to voice your opinion?

I have missed exactly one opening day since 1976.

If anyone cares*. I preferred the Monday opener.

Just like men can't have opinions on abortion because they can't get pregnant, right? Or someone can't have an opinion on a bumpstock ban if they don't own one?

And I thought this was a discussion board. To your point, perhaps a non-hunter can have a more objective viewpoint instead of an opinion based on self benefit.

What is the goal of the recent Saturday opening day? I would surmise to sell more licenses and get more hunters out there, and better control deer population? Is it doing that?

[JAKIII]

Seriously though, shouldn't the PAGC just adjust the season length based on the quantity of over-populated deer they need t/b harvested... or give out more tags?

Full disclosure: I don't hunt and have no skin here.

Just like men can't have opinions on abortion because they can't get pregnant, right? Or someone can't have an opinion on a bumpstock ban if they don't own one?

And I thought this was a discussion board. To your point, perhaps a non-hunter can have a more objective viewpoint instead of an opinion based on self benefit.

What is the goal of the recent Saturday opening day? I would surmise to sell more licenses and get more hunters out there, and better control deer population? Is it doing that?

My brother from a different mother.

[McSull]

Why would people wait till opening day to get the camp cleaned up and prepped?

Why not come up 2, 4,7,10 weeks early and get prepped.

[Gunowner99]

Fudds are going to kill the sport. Adapt with the times. This argument is so stupid. So don*t hunt until Monday. Go to bars. It*s on the individual. Tradition is tradition so keep doing it that way but people who want to hunt two more days now can. Both of you all should be happy. Tradition and those who will grow the sport. End of story.

[bogey1]

Just like men can't have opinions on abortion because they can't get pregnant, right? Or someone can't have an opinion on a bumpstock ban if they don't own one?

And I thought this was a discussion board. To your point, perhaps a non-hunter can have a more objective viewpoint instead of an opinion based on self benefit.

What is the goal of the recent Saturday opening day? I would surmise to sell more licenses and get more hunters out there, and better control deer population? Is it doing that?

I don't hunt anymore and I think my voice counts just as a hunters does. Maybe I'll start hunting again..