Submitted by Bocephus8892 t3_z5845w in Pennsylvania
I gave up hunting a long time ago for various reasons but I still wanted to give a hearty "good luck" to all you guys and gals out there in the woods today!
Anyone have any good stories from getting their first buck (or doe) ??
Sponsor with a return on investment?
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Umm, it might be just as easy as asking somebody in here to donate some or all of their deer meat to you? However, you might have more luck going to a local processing center and asking the owners to call/text you if anyone is looking to donate their kill. There is a deer processing shop in just about every small town in PA, so I would just call the few that are local to you and put your name on a list. I would guess around 20% of hunters will donate their kill since they don't care about eating the meat. You could also try posting on Facebook that you would like to try some venison and somebody on your friends list will hook you up. Prepared the right way, venison can be quite tasty!
I"m guessing here to a degree but the PA Game Commission usually isn't cool with anything even hinting of an exchange of money for wild game acquired through a regular hunting license. I know a lot of hunters and not one has ever done this.
Basically you're either you're friends with a hunter and they just give you part of their harvest as q gift or you buy venison from a commercial operation that raises and processes their own captive deer herd.
Deer meat processors usually have it for sale. What county are you in?
I don't think the PAGC would get involved unless it was some kind of commercial operation --- like if somebody posted on their Facebook page "I will have access to 10 deer kills and will sell the meat at $8 per pound" type of thing
The PAGC has no jurisdiction over what an individual does with a legally-harvested deer.
Yeah I think contacting local deer processors is the OP's best shot. Not every hunter who scores a kill wants to eat the meat. They only want the experience of the hunt and maybe keep the head and antlers for a taxidermy mount.
Thank you- A guy in a blind in North central.
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A basket six just walk by he should be a nice 8 or 10 next year
Um, aren’t you OP? Did you forget to switch accounts?
I agree with your take on it but I have lived in this state a looknnng time and I still wonder if they would interpret a investor-in-the-harvest sharing-type membership arrangement as a version of commercial venture. My educated guess that they would and at the least it would be taken to court which would be a PITA for everyone.
That said, I like the concept and wish OP and the hunter they'd work with the best as it would seem to effectively distribute the resource.
I'm imagining more of a dual personality thing where he puts on glasses and a fake moustache and pretends he's not OP.
I guess I had a brain fart --- I was speaking to the person asking about getting some venison
Sadly, this is how most PA people "bag a buck"
Keep hoping against hope --- those monster racks are out there --- I seen 'em
A six-pointer is nothing to sneeze at --- you must be picky
Im on lease land, and another person on the lease just shot at the deer i was aiming on and missed. So its kinda meh right now, deer aint moving very much at all cause of this sudden 60 degree weather.
Got a few on the wall 8 and up only I’m 70 years old been hunting for ever got lots of 4 5 6 7. 8 9 miss a 8 and a 10 in archery old age haha. But this is the best sitting in my ladder tree stand texting and reading had a bear week before bear season in archery 30 feet Bad luck but still out playing Stripper tomorrow.
It’s a right of passage here
Jumping in to be bewildered why you seem to be collecting down votes for perfectly valid replies?
Hunting community used to be pretty supportive and chill.
Too many weirdos out there these days --- it's sad
That's the basic problem when temps get too high --- hunters usually stand still --- which means the deer aren't spooked and will lay down as well
Congrats! Post of a photo if you can.
Good luck out there, old timer
a 6 pointer isn't a legal buck in 1/3 the state... https://sharedeer.org/1607/your-complete-guide-to-the-2019-pa-deer-rifle-season/
Deer’s main predator at this point.
How do you go about leasing land to hunt on? Assuming you don’t already know someone?
Join a club.
Yeah your dead wrong on that. You can't sell any Wild game meat in PA. There are specific restrictions on even selling antlers and permits are needed. Generally speaking the state owns all of the deer until you hit one with a car. Then they're not liable haha.
But seriously the PGC takes selling of wild game pretty seriously.
That would have to be farmed venison. It is illegal to sell game meat.
Hunting club or make friends with other lease hunters and farmers.
If you’re referring to the “3-up rule”, then a 6-point could still be legal. I have a 6 hanging on my wall that has no brow tines. So it would be legal in the 3-up territory, which is only like the westernmost 1/8th of the state.
No kidding; I was not aware of that. What do they do with the deer meat you don't pay to have turned into something?
I've been fortunate enough to harvest a total of 7 deer and a bear with my vehicles.....
There is no difference between the dog in your living room and the animals you are shooting. Get a non-violent hobby and leave the animals alone!
Gotcha, I don't hunt that portion of the state so don't pay to much attention to it. Good to know
Came here to say the same thing. PAGC takes selling wild game meat very seriously. Here's the law:
We picked up farmed venison at Giant once. Don’t think I’ve seen it since, but fancier stores like Wegmans/Whole Foods might have it regularly stocked.
Congratulations! got our first headed back now to try for number 2
They’re supposed to give it all to you. The good cuts will be turned into roasts, steaks, chops etc. other stuff like the front shoulders and rib meat often gets turned into ground or sausages, or used for jerky.
Vegan moment
I tried telling someone that once. Their excuse was, "Well, dogs are pets and deer aren't." As if that makes any difference from a biological perspective. The reality is, there's a lot of people out there that find great joy in killing things even though none of them will directly admit it.
And as we know from studies, there's a high correlation between violence against animals and violence against people.
Not sure why murdering animals in the wild is still revered.
Exactly. And some of it is simply a violent tradition - violence can be taught to children and people grow up to put on mental blinders to protect themselves from the cognitive dissonance. (Hence the downvotes for asking not to kill. People’s defense system is triggered)
Deer have almost zero natural predators in this state. Hunting is a crucial part of conservation efforts and population control.
Calm down sunshine. Perhaps don't read a reddit post about hunting? If your feelings can't handle the internet, YOU should be the one to find another hobby. Sincerely, the guy with a rifle in the woods on this beautiful day.
Take the safety course, learn to shoot, and go out and sit in the woods. Learn how deer live, sleep, eat and learn thier patterns in their habitat.
Because their tasty and healthy. Deer is far superior to any beef you but at the grocery store. Me shooting a deer is far cleaner death than getting eaten or starving to death. Someone has to manage the herd, if hunters don't the govt will and dispose of the animals.
There is a required PA hunter safety course you have to take. I took it over 40 years ago but I would assume it's still the same --- basically about 4-5 hours classes where you watch videos about gun safety and stuff like that and then take a short test which everyone passes. You might even get a chance to shoot a gun but not sure about that. Once you get your license, you can pretty much do whatever you want --- just make sure you get permission to hunt on private land. Hunting just involves a lot of common sense --- don't shoot at something moving in the underbrush --- it might be a dog or coyote or human! Try not to wound deer by flinging lead all over the place, practice on the range so you can make a deadly shot and bring down your animal in a humane way. Most of all, just enjoy being outdoors and HAVE FUN.
You're quite the efficient killer with that mean machine
Don't get too greedy
Spend 5 minutes of Google before writing such a thoughtless comment. Hunting is part of population control in PA.
Time out in the woods is precious for a man's soul --- your wife should know that
She sure does, she will just make fun of me for jinxing myself. Now I will have time Monday to make sausage which also fun
It's illegal to sell harvested game meat. The only way to sell deer meat in pa is if it is farm raised and inspected. It is completely legal to donate meat.
I've been driving for a decade now and haven't hit anything bigger than a bird
Yeah, I was hoping to find one of those hunters here. I’m in DelCo but I’ll try to find a processor.
Hahahahaha
Don't forget. If the left had their way they would get rid of all guns.
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Good luck, Thin the heard of the week ones and keep supporting conservation. I don’t hunt anymore but grew up in a hunting family. Most people that aren’t in the loop either don’t know or overlook the fact that the hunting community keeps the herds strong and free of disease due to the fact over building and destruction of local habitats have made the local alpha predators leave for the most part. We are the predators. Healthy local fauna and good ecosystem/animal conservation depends on people who hunt. People who shit on hunters need to educate themselves.
That’s very special! Cherish those memories with your old man.
The saddest story of all is passing up that buck and then seeing him splashed across the road a month from now.
I’m so far left I make Che look like Barry Goldwater, but I’m also a hunter and a gun owner. So, I’m your huckleberry.
Wow. 8 Day old account brags about being far left. Whoever saw that one coming...
That's utter horseshit. Most people on the left have no issue with those who hunt, as far as the law is concerned.
Most of us who want increased gun control don't think you need a semi-automatic rifle with a tactical grip to hunt an animal that can't shoot back. And we think the people who claim that they NEED weapons of war to hunt are deep down, scared, weak, gullible people.
Be careful!
No? Then why do you all keep electing crazy politicians who keep pushing for more and more and more gun control. Before you know it, an authoritarian like Justin Castro, Err I mean Trudeau comes along and does a complete ban and the country is completely helpless to fight back against the fascist dictator.
And stop with the "wEaPoNs oF WaR" for hunting stupidity. You're not fooling anyone.
Resell? That shit ain't legal
Bro you're way off
My fault, my reply was supposed to be attached to that comment.
>completely helpless to fight back against the fascist dictator.
The right literally elected someone who attempted to overthrow an election, and nominated a gubernatorial candidate in this state who was a Christian nationalist, you ignorant troll.
If we get to a point when we need to fight our government, it's not going to matter whether or not a particular type of semiautomatic rifle is legal because we'll be at war. Right now I'm more worried about the classrooms full of kids getting shot up by morons with AR-15s.
No selling of wild game is allowed. If you're buying venison it is farm raised
Yerp, I bagged a doe 4 weeks ago with my Hyundai
Op is full of shit and apparently a lot of people think it's ok to sell deer meat
It's better than Christmas in my family. And I have more than enough meat all year long to use and share. Thankful. 4 today. 10 hunters. Slow but fun
Oh I do he taught me how to hunt and how to butcher the deer ourselves and honestly I have more fun just doing with him than shooting the deer, to me the fun starts after the gunshot not the work
My husband is an extremely avid hunter (archery, etc.) and he likes to say I kill more deer than he does. In my defense, I have not hit a deer in years, and he managed to have a buck run into the side of his vehicle when we were driving about 5mph backing out of our neighbors' driveway and ruin his quarter panel.
Congrats!
Murder: The unlawful killing of another human being without justification or excuse.
Deer have fewer natural predators because humans have been culling them (particularly wolves) due to conflicts of interest from ranchers, developers, etc. I don't think the deer population needed to be "managed" before Europeans set foot on American soil.
> Hunting is a crucial part of conservation efforts and population control.
Hunting was responsible for the extinction of the passenger pigeon and the almost extinction of the American bison. Several species of wolves no longer exist due to hunters. The great 'nittany lion' that used to roam PA no longer exist because they've been killed off. The conservation angle was forced upon hunters because some people with common sense realized that killing everything off was going to have negative consequences.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_North_American_animals_extinct_in_the_Holocene#Recent
As someone who grew up in rural PA, no hunter I've ever talked to gave a rat's ass about conservation. All they cared about was bagging the biggest buck. If the state govt didn't regulate it, we'd have no deer left.
> Deer is far superior to any beef you but at the grocery store.
Or you just not eat either.
> Me shooting a deer is far cleaner death than getting eaten or starving to death.
Every hunter claims they can insta-kill any deer they see. We all know that's a lie. Particularly cruel are the hunters that use crossbows which cause the animal to painfully bleed out over many days if they miss.
> Someone has to manage the herd, if hunters don't the govt will and dispose of the animals.
Re-introducing natural predators is a much more effective way of managing deer. This is what they've been more or less doing in Yellowstone because hunters killed off all the wolves by the 1920s.
Hunters also don't manage anything. They just lust after the biggest buck they can find. Somehow, I doubt that fits in the idea with "conservation".
Tactical grips are the real killers...
No country that ever banned guns has been taken over by fascist dictators --- just look at the UK and Japan for proof of that
You can't be serious...
Fuck yeah man let's reintroduce wolves in PA also. I want to trap one of those!!!
The far left is not that anti gun in my experience. Self defense is a big thing. I don’t think this comment is so crazy. You’re thinking of liberals when you say the left wants a lot of gun control (speaking as a liberal.)
If you know someone who hunts, ask them to help you learn. The hunters I know would all agree we need more young hunters out there and wouldnt mind teaching someone. We are all getting old :)
I don't, however, feel you should go out on your own the first time. Find someone to be with you for coaching because it's a lot more than sitting down, waiting and pulling the trigger.
Found the deer
Anyone you know do a guided hunt in Ridley Creek? It’s wildly close to me and I’ve always wanted to do it
Semi-automatic rifles are. And letting psychos buy them.
So much for "managing the herd". Thanks for proving my point.
Haha your idea of reintroducing natural predators is so far out of the realm of what would be sustainable for the ecosystem it's laughable. If big cats and wolves were brought back to PA the amount of livestock and pets killed would be staggering. Not to mention the human attacks.
What is the comedy here?
^(Or are you proving my point? Yep. How mature of you)
Well, we should have compassion for the deer. They deserve to live just like you and I. We are all sentient beings worthy of compassion. Hell, hunters like those in this thread like have wiped out hundreds of animal populations and species thanks to hunters’ gross violent attitudes and desire to kill without ever thinking twice about the victim or conservation.
There are non-violent ways of handling animal populations. sPeNd 5 mInUtEs oN gOoGlE before writing a thoughtless comment encouraging violence towards defenseless deer - the irony of your comment speaks volumes.
I chose to speak my voice in favor of compassion and non-violence for animals. What is your point? Supporting violence?
How would you feel if someone paraded in your neighborhood with a gun over your defenseless children like you do to deer? We do not need hunters for population control - it is a sick and dangerous outdated sport.
Gun freak. Work on yourself and stop killing. Get therapy
Sicko. Would you kill a dog? No. Why kill deer?
Ah look at that - no one able to refute facts. They don’t care about facts. They just have feelings (to kill and be violent)
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😔
Sorry, I do not hunt but saw a notice for those days that they are closing the park for hunting.
Are you blind?
Because I eat them. For the low price of ~$50 I can put 100-150 pounds of meat in the freezer each year.
Also my insatiable lust for murder and ravenous desire to stalk and kill an unsuspecting, defenseless animal.
But mostly the food for me and my family part 🥰
> amount of livestock and pets killed would be staggering
It's common sense that you shouldn't be letting your pets roam around unsupervised. We still have bears and coyotes. Wolves aren't going to change that factor significantly.
As for livestock, well, I don't believe we should be breeding livestock. Ranchers are a big problem with conservation efforts because they continuously put demands on state governments to cull predators. Not to mention that on a global scale, ranching is the #1 reason why the amazon rainforest is being destroyed. It's also unethical because, like with hunting, you're killing something unnecessarily just because it "tastes good".
> Not to mention the human attacks.
Wolf attacks are rare. Unless you're encroaching on their space by destroying habitats or removing their food, they're generally wary of people. You're far more likely to be attacked by the neighbor's dog.
Fatal dog attacks from 2005-2017 is 430. Average of 36 deaths per year.
https://blogs-images.forbes.com/niallmccarthy/files/2018/09/20180914_Deadly_Dogs_Forbes.jpg
Fatal wild animal attacks from 1970 is 299. Average of 6 per year.
https://outforia.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Anima-attacks-fatal-wild-by-species-0821.jpg
Wolves account for only two of those over a span of 51 years.
Usually fatal attacks from wild animals are either because of rabies or because the wild animals (bears especially) got too comfortable with people because they were being fed.
Why do you have to kill an animal to eat? That is a very strange justification. "It's okay I murdered John - i'm going to eat his body!"
Whole plant foods are also suitable for survival and quite easy to live off of healthfully. Whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, fruits, and vegetables are adequate for humans and the cheapest possible diet per nutrient. No need to kill an animal to live. I follow this checklist every day: https://nutritionfacts.org/daily-dozen/
It feels so good getting off body parts and secretions - and so strange that humans still choose to eat this when we have 100000 delicious other plant foods out there you've never tried.
Personally I have no issues killing an animal. Have you ever watched another animal eat another animal? Zero emotion.
Wolf attacks are rare because wolves are rare and are only populated in pretty much wilderness areas out west. In PA with our super high population densities they would have to be all over the state iot control deer populations. There would be a much higher conflict rate if there were wolves in central PA. Wolves could easily hop a fence and kill your dog.
I agree with you on the farming aspect. Large corporate farms and monocrop agriculture is highly destructive and gross with all of the chemicals in use. But you have to feed the people because no one can apparently grow a garden and learn to can anymore.
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Ah the classic shoot the messenger! Reported for death threat. Please consider mental health services.
Count your blessings
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Dont like hunting? Fine. You have the right to your opinion. Do not preach to others what you feel they should do. You can not assign a human emotion to an animal that is not human. What about hunting is violent? I assure you that harvesting wild game is far more humane and ethical than farming practices. My children are capable and willing to defend themselves. Every human has an inalienable right to protect himself/herself using deadly force if nessissary. What about hunting is dangerous? I've been hunting for over 30 years, never have I been in danger.
Because they taste delicious!
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I don't eat dogs
Deer in PA are overpopulated; reducing their population is a vital part of the PGC's management plan.
Animals kill, friend. It's life.
There are many ways of population control that do not involve killing with guns. And give me a break - no hunter here cares about population control. Humans have eradicated species after species due to hunting - an unneeded sport in this day and age.
So why discriminate on what species you kill and what you love? Deer have all of the same characteristics as dogs: they form relationships, love, suffer, feel pain, etc.
Be consistent and respect all. Eat plants - it’s easy.
What? Dude get help. Do you teach this hatred and bigotry and violence to your children?
Also no, vegans don’t eat grass. nutritionfacts.org/daily-dozen
It's not a sport for us. For many in PA it's a means of subsisting in a food desert; fruits and vegetables can be hard to come by when you're poor, but a bow is cheap and available.
The modern hunter is very closely tied to conservation, and many who hunt also participate in DCNR and PGC efforts to restore native species and manage existing species.
I love an animal based off it's relationship to me. We're I a part of, or guest of, a nation that eats animals with which we are traditionally companions, I would have no qualms about eating said animal either.
Why not go preach to a mountain lion about turning vegan, and see what it does to you. Stop acting like your way is superior just because you're human. That's anthropocentric bullshit. We're animals too, and we are omnivorous.
Dear lord this comment is brain damage. “What about shooting someone dead and skinning their corpse is violent?”
Animals do have the same emotions as us. Science has proven this. Imagine your comment but if people shot and killed puppies or stray cats. Why do you choose to love them and kill another species?
And you don’t have to eat animals to survive. A whole food plant based diet is adequate for survival. nutritionfacts.org/daily-dozen.
I am giving a voice for the voiceless. Also since I doubt you ONLY EAT your game meat and never eat animal products when you go out…watchdominion.com.
I feel that. However, controlled hunting actually saves so many animals. Better to have ten die and provide food for humans than the entire herd starve for naught.
Lol no. Who was that banned bump stocks? Did you forget because it doesn't fit your narrative?
Controlled hunting actually saves so many animals. Better to have ten die and provide food for humans than the entire herd starve for naught.
Controlled hunting actually saves so many animals. Better to have ten die and provide food for humans than the entire herd starve for naught.
There are many non violent ways of population control that do not involving going into the woods with guns. Please read up on them before typing :)
Do they feed families, too? Why don't you elaborate, expert?
Your values are “be selfish and kill everything in sight unless it provides value to me when kept alive?” That is disturbing. Why not be consistent instead of arbitrarily choosing who has value (species discrimination, known as carnism)
You are not a mountain lion 🤦♂️. You do not need meat nor animal products to survive. Just because we can live off of meat doesn’t mean we have to. nutritionfacts.org/daily-dozen
Also the irony of calling me superior when you think you get to decide what species lives and dies while I’m simply asking for compassion for all. The tired arguments you are making have been used throughout time to justify human atrocities and genocides as well as animal ones. Check yourself and read up on plant based nutrition. Add some plants to your diet - I promise you you won’t die of protein deficiency 😂
You don’t need animal products to survive. A whole food plant based diet provides all the nutrients needed for healthful survival. It also happens to be the cheapest diet per nutritional dollar, so feeding a family on lentils, veggies, and grains is pretty easy.
nutritionfacts.org/daily-dozen
That didn't answer the question as to how else you can help the herd and help the population of the deer.
You didn’t ask that. The answer is no, unless you use the money on guns/ammo/gear and buy cheap lentils/rice.
They also don’t involve taking the life of a defenseless creature. I linked the list in another comment:
Oh okay I think I might be having two different conversations with you lol. I thought it was you who said that there was ways to help control the deer population that didn't involve going into the woods with a gun? That was what I was asking about but you're right it's not on this little thread feel free to go ahead and answer it though that's cool. And just to be super clear I don't actually hunt I don't actually really like hunting however I do like animals and I live in a wilderness area and it just is necessary so that we don't have starving deer getting hit by a car all the time and the entire herd getting wiped out.
Trophy hunters can go fuck themselves for sure those guys are psychotic serial killers basically who have just found a " " socially acceptable way to do it but hunting for food hunting to help conserve the deer population nah that's fine.
I gave a link.
Humans are a very invasive and violent species when it comes to wildlife. It is sad I agree. What is the difference morally between shooting a deer and hitting one with your car? Both take a life. Both can be avoided
Okay I see the link now I will check it out. Well so okay do you not live where there are deer maybe? Because hitting one with your car cannot always be avoided unless you just never ever ever drive a car? Like they come into the city because you know people don't want to hunt them so there's too many of them and there's not enough food in the country so now they come into the city and they go on to the road and traffic yeah it traffic hits them. So again do you maybe not live where there are wildlife?
So while we're here where's your line exactly? Do you use pesticides or like consider the insects that die in order for your plants to be harvested? Do those bugs lives not matter? And I mean the plants are living so that's a life so how do you justify taking that life but not a deer life? How exactly did you come to the conclusion of which lives are okay for you to take versus your opinions on which lives other people are allowed to take? Have you ever taken antibiotics before? Have you ever had a tapeworm and treated it? Head lice maybe? I actually don't believe that every single life all life is sacred so maybe that's our our core issue here.
Personal cars are extremely dangerous for not only humans, but animals too. In hindsight, mass producing the automobile was one of mankind’s worst decisions. We could have had a mass transit system + underground transportation without ever creating the time sink that is traffic. Kinda a separate point but it’s worth mentioning because well built transit would probably save some animals too.
And I’m sorry I’m having trouble understanding the rest of your point.
I guess oh okay so I see you're thinking like crazy ideal Utopian society where we all just give up our cars and make these underground mass transit systems. The disconnect here is I'm talking about reality where we live now and how we could change things now with the reality we actually already live in. But we clearly are in two different realities so I'll go ahead and leave you to yours I appreciate all your thought-provoking conversation enjoy your reality today.
I make a trip to hunt with my dad every year. We each get one. Got mine shortly after he got his.
Wolves definitely would help with the population but them being one of the causes for Deer overpopulation is a myth. Wolves do not drastically reduce numbers of deer but they do create a "culture of fear" that causes them to not just brazenly walk around in human developments.
The fact is deer just do particularly well in our suburban and rural environments and are in no fear of extinction due to hunting. Your wiki link is relevant to nothing considering those were mostly endangered species from the first half of the last century or earlier.
It does sound like you agree that rules should be in place for hunting deer but in no way are humans putting them in danger of extinction. I don't really give a shit about hunting btw but I'm sure it has gotten many deer out of the environment that would otherwise be inside the grill of someone's car right now.
All of this is predicated on taking all of their land and eliminating their predators. Hard to take credit for being saviors in a situation we created.
You're a weirdo. Seek help.
There is absolutely no facts, research or independent thinking in your reply. Find a different hobby. The internet does not suit you.
I have many hobbies. Activism is my passion. I stand up for animals. I gave video and scientific evidence supporting a whole food plant based diet as adequate for human survival.
What are you doing? Yelling at a vegan online and encouraging violence? Pot calling the kettle black, eh?
I understand i’m in the minority for not wanting to kill. Sad world we live in under carnism. Sometimes, it’s good to be “weird”.
And what help should I seek? My therapists, friends, family, and community support my ideals.
Exactly, and I don’t know why someone would accidentally run over a deer with their car(and that number increases by the year) . Could it be that there are less hunters, so more deer are getting killed anyways by cars??? No way...
DelcoWolv t1_ixulatg wrote
Question: if I don’t hunt but am interested in some venison, is there a legal or legal-ish way to “sponsor” one of you? I’m open to suggestions.