The Pennsylvania Experience with

Antler Point Restrictions

Pennsylvania Game Commission

Bureau of Wildlife Management
Late 1800’s
Picture of shooting deer from canoe
Picture of meat market
Picture of 2 hunters in old time setting
Picture of logging in PA
Protection of
deer
DEER PRODUCTIVITY:

George Reserve -
DEER PRODUCTIVITY:

George Reserve -

6 deer 6 years
DEER PRODUCTIVITY:

George Reserve -

6 deer 6 years

160 deer
1919 Report 1927-28 Report

Picture of 1902 report

1-WEEK ANTLERLESS DEER SEASON
 >163,000

1-WEEK ANTLERLESS DEER SEASON

Picture of winter killed deer
“To anyone who has carefully studied the situation it is
evident that large parts of the range in Pennsylvania are
overstocked with deer”

“Hunters submitted petitions to the

Game Commission demanding doe
hunting be stopped and encouraging
landowners to post their lands with
signs proclaiming ‘No Doe Hunting’”
PA in TDM:
/
- 1 deer/year
- Unlimited buck hunter numbers

- Limited antlerless licenses

PA in TDM (continued):

- Antlerless deer viewed as a consolation

prize
- Antlerless deer hunting very unpopular
Protection & Recovery Managing Impacts
Picture of degraded land
1999
2000 Objectives:

1. Address population abundance

2000 Objectives:

1. Address population abundance

2. Reduce yearling harvest rates
Options to reduce harvest rates

1. Buck allocation
2. Minimum spread
3. Beam diameter
4. Point restriction
Pennsylvania’s Deer Research
Program

Pennsylvania Game Commission

Bureau of Wildlife Management
 EFFECTS OF ANTLER POINT
RESTRICTIONS ON BUCK SURVIVAL
IN PENNSYLVANIA:
AND HUNTER SATISFACTION IN
PENNSYLVANIA
Bret D. Wallingford
Chris S. Rosenberry, Ph.D

Duane R. Diefenbach, Ph.D

Eric S. Long, Ph.D
2002 ANTLER POINT
RESTRICTIONS
 APRs not new;
Used with moose, elk, mule deer, wtd
Little know about their biological effect or how
hunters support them

BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS?
-SURVIVAL
-DISPERSAL
“People will shoot them and let them lay if
they are not legal”

“The big bucks will be shot before season”

“Hunter satisfaction will drop off”

RESEARCH
• Effects of Pennsylvania’s
antler restriction

- Survival rates
- Hunter satisfaction
CARPENTER AND GILL 1987

Antler point restrictions:

the good, the bad, and the ugly
CARPENTER AND GILL 1987
3 RESERVATIONS ABOUT ANTLER
RESTRICTIONS
CARPENTER AND GILL 1987
3 RESERVATIONS ABOUT ANTLER
RESTRICTIONS

- EDUCATION
- expectations
- consequences
CARPENTER AND GILL 1987
3 RESERVATIONS ABOUT ANTLER
RESTRICTIONS

- EDUCATION
- EXPERIMENT
- effects
CARPENTER AND GILL 1987
3 RESERVATIONS ABOUT ANTLER
RESTRICTIONS

- EDUCATION
- EXPERIMENT
- SURVEY HUNTERS
- support
CARPENTER AND GILL 1987
3 RESERVATIONS ABOUT ANTLER
RESTRICTIONS

- EDUCATION
- EXPERIMENT
- SURVEY HUNTERS
 ANTLER
MEASUREMENTS
2000, 2001
2002 Antler
Point
Restrictions
PURPOSE OF ANTLER RESTRICTIONS

SAVE 50-75% OF YEARLING BUCKS

Armstrong County Centre County
 Study Areas

EASTERN ARMSTRONG
COUNTY

• Extensive Agriculture
• Isolated Woodlots
• Ideal deer habitat
• High deer density
J. Kougher (60/mi2)
 Study Areas

CENTRE COUNTY

• Wooded and agricultural

• Ridge and Valley
• Good deer habitat
• Moderate deer density
(29/mi2) Korber, PGC
Critical to have a large number of
bucks collared
• 2023 total captures
• 1488 unique deer
• 543 bucks radio-marked
– 442 juvenile bucks (260 in
Armstrong)
– 101 adult bucks (69 in
Armstrong)
 Early indications of APRs at work:
Deer captures
2002 (No antler restrictions year
before)
1 adult buck : 17 button bucks
 Early indications of APRs at work:
Deer captures
2002 (No antler restrictions year
before)
1 adult buck : 17 button bucks

2003 (1st year following antler

restrictions)
1 adult buck : 9 button bucks
 Early indications of APRs at work:
Deer captures
2002 (No antler restrictions year before)
1 adult buck :17 button bucks

2003 (1st year following antler restrictions)

1 adult buck :9 button bucks

2004 (2nd year following antler restrictions)

1 adult buck : 2 button bucks
Survival Analysis:
Known Fates procedure
Program MARK
4 Grouping variables
-Month of year
-Year
-Age (juv. vs. adults)
-Study area
AICc to select model
Survival Analysis:
Developed 11 models a priori

4 Grouping variables
**Month of year
Year
**Age (juv. vs adults)
Study area
AICc weight = 70.4%
RESULTS: Yearlings

Monthly survival 0.99 to 0.64

Annual survival = 0.47

RESULTS: Yearlings

October survival = 0.97

November survival = 0.91
December survival = 0.64
RESULTS: Yearlings

Harvest rate = 0.31

(Before APRs ~80%)

Goal of APRs: Protect 50-75%

of yearlings
 RESULTS: Adults

Picture of mature buck with results of survival

Monthly survival 1.0 to 0.36

Annual survival = 0.28

 RESULTS: Adults

Picture of mature buck with results of survival

October survival = 0.95
November survival = 0.89
December survival = 0.36
 RESULTS: Adults

Picture of mature buck with results of survival

Harvest rate = 0.59
Survival to following
hunting season = 0.92
HUNTER SATISFACTION WITH
ANTLER RESTRICTIONS:
THE SOCIAL
SIDE
FALL 2002
FALL 2002
-Anticipation
-Anxiety ?
FALL 2002
DEER SEASON
FALL 2002
DEER SEASON
WINTER 2003
FALL 2002
DEER SEASON
WINTER 2003
- Actual
experience, i. e.
what DID happen?
FALL 2002
WINTER 2003

FALL 2003
WINTER 2004

FALL 2004
WINTER 2005
DEER HUNTER SURVEY

Given the statement:

HUNTERS WILL SHOOT ANY ANTLERED DEER AND LEAVE

THEM IN THE WOODS IF THEY ARE NOT LEGAL
45
40
35
30
25
20 Agree
15 Disagree
10
5
0
Fall 02 Fall 03 Fall 04
Hunting Season Mortality
All Juvenile Bucks (n = 306)
DEER HUNTER SURVEY

Given the statement below:

CURRENT ANTLER RESTRICTIONS ARE A GOOD CHANGE

IN PENNSYLVANIA’S DEER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

60

50

40

30 Agree
20 Disagree

10

0
Fall 02 Fall 03 Fall 04
DEER HUNTER SURVEY

Given the statement below:

I SUPPORT A STATEWIDE ANTLER RESTRICTION

70
60
50
40
30 Agree
Disagree
20
10
0
Fall 02 Fall 03 Fall 04
DEER HUNTER SURVEY

For hunters in 3-point area:

I SUPPORT A STATEWIDE ANTLER RESTRICTION

80
70
60
50
40 Agree
30 Disagree
20
10
0
Fall 02 Fall 03 Fall 04
DEER HUNTER SURVEY

For hunters in 4-point area:

I SUPPORT A STATEWIDE ANTLER RESTRICTION

70
60
50
40
30 Agree
Disagree
20
10
0
Fall 02 Fall 03 Fall 04
DEER HUNTER SURVEY

Given the statement below:

I SUPPORT AN ANTLER RESTRICTION IN THE WILDLIFE

MANAGEMENT UNITS I HUNT
70
60
50
40
30 Agree
Disagree
20
10
0
Fall 02 Fall 03 Fall 04
DEER HUNTER SURVEY

Given the statement below:

I WOULD RATE THE PGC’s DEER MANAGEMENT

PROGRAM AS:
60
50
Percentage

40
Excellent/Good
30
Fair/Poor
20
10
0
W l 02

in 3

W l 04
3

5
4
0
r0

r0

r0
ll
l

l
te
te

te
Fa

Fa

Fa
in

in
W

Survey Period
BUCK SURVIVAL
 BUCK SURVIVAL

ANTLER RESTRICTIONS
WORK

MORE BUCKS SURVIVE

TO AGE 2
 BUCK SURVIVAL

ANTLER RESTRICTIONS ANTLER RESTRICTIONS

WORK DO NOT WORK

MORE BUCKS SURVIVE MORE BUCKS DO NOT

TO AGE 2 SURVIVE TO AGE 2
 BUCK SURVIVAL

ANTLER RESTRICTIONS ANTLER RESTRICTIONS

WORK DO NOT WORK

MORE BUCKS SURVIVE MORE BUCKS DO NOT

TO AGE 2 SURVIVE TO AGE 2
HUNTER’S SUPPORT ANTLER RESTRICTIONS
2:1 MARGIN
 Summary
Summary
• APRs reduced the harvest rate of yearling and
adult bucks
• Out of season survival is high (88%)
• “Shoot andand
• “Shoot Sort” is low
Sort” (5%
is low oror
(5% less)
less)
• About 69%than
• Greater of yearlings and 41%and
50% of yearlings of adult
25% ofbucks
survive
adulthunting seasonhunting season
bucks survive
• After hunting season, about 92% of adult bucks
survive to the following hunting season
 Summary
Summary
• Hunter support for APRs remained stable (57%)
• Out of
• Hunters season APRs
support survival
byisahigh (88%)
2:1 margin
• “Shoot and Sort” is low (5% or less)
• Greater than 50% of yearlings and 25% of
adult bucks survive hunting season
PENNSYLVANIA’S ANTLER POINT
RESTRICTIONS
BIOLOGICALLY: A MANAGEMENT SUCCESS

SOCIALLY: A MANAGEMENT SUCCESS

H. Korber, PGC
H. Korber, C PGC
CARPENTER AND GILL 1987

“…with regard to antler point regulations,

the knowledge gaps are too large…”
FUNDING
Pennsylvania Habitat Alliance
Pennsylvania Deer Association
North Central Branch QDMA
Susquehanna Branch QDMA
Southeastern Branch QDMA
Mason-Dixon Branch QDMA
 Antler Restrictions

OBJECTIVE
Protect at least 50% of yearling bucks from
harvest

What happened?
NOT THIS!!
 Antler Restrictions
Yearling Buck Survival (n=442)

Before Antler Restrictions After Antler Restrictions

Other 5%
Other 5% Unk.
Sur 8%
viv
15% ed Harvested
Harvested
33%
35%
Harvested Survived
Survived
80% 52%
54%
 Antler Restrictions
Adult Buck Survival (n=221)

Other
Mortality
4% Unk.
9%

Survived
28% Harvested
59%
Antler Restrictions

• Buck Harvest Age Structure

– BEFORE: ~20% adult buck
– AFTER: ~50% adult buck

• Buck Hunter Success Rate

– 1985 – 1987: 15% of deer hunters harvested a buck
– 1995 – 1997: 18% of deer hunters harvested a buck
– 2005 – 2007: 16% of deer hunters harvested a buck

• Hunter Opinions
– 2002: 57% of hunters support antler restrictions
– 2007: 63% of hunters support antler restrictions
 Deer Harvests
2001-02 to 2007-08
Age Structure of Antlered Harvest
Antler Restrictions began in 2002-03
 Age of Adult Bucks
80
60
Percent

40
20
0
2.5 3.5 4.5 5.5 >5.5
Age (yrs)

2006 2007
Since Antler Restrictions started in 2002…
• Yearling buck survival has increased
• Harvest of adult bucks has increased
• Hunter support has increased
What about Genetics?
Farmers don’t kill their best bulls…
why kill our “best” bucks?
Bulls & Bucks

Bucks
Free ranging, wild deer
•
– Many bucks, one or many females
–
Breeding Behavior
Who’s Your Daddy?
Who will grow the largest antlers at 4.5?
Who will grow the largest antlers at 4.5?
 Be
fo
r e

0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
25.0%
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29 28
-N
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26 -25
-D
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ec 9
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D c2 3
ec 4
31 -30
-J
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Ja n 6
n
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28 -27
-F
e

Regular Firearms Season

Fe b 3
b
Fe 4-1
b 0
11
Fe -1
b 7
Af 18
t e -2
rF 4
eb
24
When does breeding occur?
 Genetics & Antler Restrictions

• Not a significant concerns because:

– Nearly all bucks are breeding females
– Most breeding occurs prior to firearms season
– Yearling antlers are poor predictors of future antler
growth
ONOR AND MEMORY

James D. Wallingford
1926-2000
- Wounded Veteran
World War II
- Father
- Mentor

-Pennsylvania Deer Hunter

-DEARLY MISSED
QUESTIONS
JOHN M. PHILLIPS
THE DEER HUNTER
(HUNTING)

SOCIETY
THE DEER HUNTER

SOCIETY