Nearly 1,900 off-limits deer killed during latest season
MEADVILLE, Pa. (AP) – Preliminary figures from the Pennsylvania Game Commission indicate hunters bagged nearly 1,900 off-limits deer during the latest season – a spike that officials attributed to tougher antler restrictions. New restrictions implemented this past rifle season required most hunters in the state to shoot deer with at least three points on at least one antler, up from a traditional two.
Because of the change, the Pennsylvania Game Commission said it anticipated a higher number of mistaken kills.
More than 1,870 of the off-limits bucks killed by licensed hunters were shot unintentionally. But 24, or 1.2 percent, hunters were fined $500 for making negligent kills, said Game Commission spokesman Jerry Feaser.
The hunters who made unintentional kills paid $25 and were allowed to keep the carcass.
In the 2001-02 hunting season, only 122 mistake kills were turned in and three hunters were fined $500.
The new restrictions were passed in an effort to change the demographics of the wild deer population.
The final number of deer killed, fines and other figures won’t be ready until March, but Feaser said the preliminary figures show the commission succeeded in getting hunters to kill more doe than buck in an attempt to balance the population.
Last year, the total number of bucks killed was 203,247 while the number of doe was 282,767.
“I think the hunters did rather well,” said Bob Gilford, a regional representative of the commission. “The fact that there’s only that many turned in to begin with indicates that the hunters really tried to observe the rules and make this program work.”
At least one hunter wondered if the new antler restrictions caused hunters not to report mistaken kills for fear of being fined $500.
“My big question is, how many (deer) were there that were killed that were never reported? How can you have that many mistakes and only 24 $500 fines? That don’t add up to me,” said Ron Peters, president of the Crawford County Sportsmen’s Council.
Game commissioners recently gave preliminary approval to 2003-04 hunting rules, which will mirror the 2002-03 season.