Pennsylvania Red Tag Program

[Nuts]

This program allows Farmers tags to harvest deer August through April. Not sure what was in place prior and I am not overly familiar with it. Growing up we would just kill them and the Game Warden would pick them up if it was more then we wanted. So I leased this land in Potter County PA and the farmer tells me he has 400 of these tags. 1st that's and insane amount. I wouldn't mind having some kids shoot some now. I have families that want the meat and need it so its a win win. It would please the farmer as well. What I don't want is to cut open a doe and have a fawn fall out that is developed and looks like a fawn with no imagination needed. Having seen fawns in May. I assume that they are being born mid to late April through July. So what do you think the cut off would be to not traumatize kids? Google says there has been documented March births but late May is primary fawning. Trying to decide if we let it go to not risk it or proceed. We would shoot them 2/20-2/22

 

[Dave N]

Not much help with your kids. Only you know how they are with their feelings. Maybe discuss the possibilities with them ahead of time. Also, if you need any help with those 400 tags I could use a freezer filler road trip!

 

[INMT]

It’s in an amniotic sac. You won’t even see it unless you cut it open. It will still be tiny that time of year.

 

[Corn king 60]

I shot two big does a few years back on the last day of flintlock season. Mid January. Upon opening them up there was no issues with identifying with what came out. Yes in a sac but very obvious. They must have been the first two does to get breed in the fall and I felt fawn development was pretty advanced. My life long hunting friend sold his flintlock and hasn’t hunted that season since. This was in Clearfield County pa. My suggestion would be to target the smaller deer from the spring of 2025 that maybe are not breed or breed much later and fawn development should be less obvious. I know that is not easy to do but if you have time and can look them over it can be done
Careful of those button bucks and good luck.

 

[Nuts]

I shot two big does a few years back on the last day of flintlock season. Mid January. Upon opening them up there was no issues with identifying with what came out. Yes in a sac but very obvious. They must have been the first two does to get breed in the fall and I felt fawn development was pretty advanced. My life long hunting friend sold his flintlock and hasn’t hunted that season since. This was in Clearfield County pa. My suggestion would be to target the smaller deer from the spring of 2025 that maybe are not breed or breed much later and fawn development should be less obvious. I know that is not easy to do but if you have time and can look them over it can be done
Careful of those button bucks and good luck.

Actually small ones are not a bad idea. They would be bred later. Good call.

 

[Mussgrass]

I am in PA and still have 1 Ag Tag. I have thought about it too and don't really want to shoot too badly the closer we get to the April 15 end date.

400 tags, does that mean the farm is 2000 acres? I understand they get 1 tag for every 5 acres.

 

[Nuts]

I am in PA and still have 1 Ag Tag. I have thought about it too and don't really want to shoot too badly the closer we get to the April 15 end date.

400 tags, does that mean the farm is 2000 acres? I understand they get 1 tag for every 5 acres.

I believe its close to that. It's like tons of separately, deeded parcels that I have not added up.

 

[Dave N]

Just to make a point on the other side of this. If they are giving out that many tags for helping the farmers then it would follow that the deer are overpopulated. Taking a bred doe would in effect remove 2 or 3 from the scene later this year.

 

[Dsnow9]

I have had a sac with a very identifiable fetus in late January in Colorado. No question what it was. If you did gutless you would never see it but if you are going to gut them not avoiding it. Other thing to think about is the further along the doe is the fetus might be viable after the doe dies. There is a good chance the thing will be moving after the doe dies for a fair amount of time.

 

[Corn king 60]

In my opinion the ag tag system will never achieve the desired results by killing does this late in the year.400 tags still available I think is an indication of not working. I’m well aware that most does killed during our regular are bred but most hunters cutting one open never even think about it. Out of sight out of mind. I’ve farmed all my life and I can tell you that the last trimester of a pregnancy in cattle is when the calf really grows and would be the same with deer. It takes a special type of hunter to want to deal with what is not a pleasant sight getting this late into the year. To be clear I’m not saying not to hunt them I’m just saying it’s not for me and it’s a program that will not succeed in my opinion.

 

[INMT]

Maybe elk and deer amniotic sacs are way different? Is the sac more transparent on deer? Not sure. I’ve killed and been a part of processing many shoulder season elk in MT from mid December to mid February and unless you cut the sac open you don’t see it.

I would think kids that don’t really know what they’re looking at would have no idea what it is. Especially if he’s hunting them mid to late February.

 

[Corn king 60]

Maybe elk and deer amniotic sacs are way different? Is the sac more transparent on deer? Not sure. I’ve killed and been a part of processing many shoulder season elk in MT from mid December to mid February and unless you cut the sac open you don’t see it.

I would think kids that don’t really know what they’re looking at would have no idea what it is. Especially if he’s hunting them mid to late February.

No not very transparent. If the pregnancy is advanced and you gut the deer it’s very obvious by the shape. But yeah there are ways to get it done with younger people not being aware.

 

[tom_89]

This program allows Farmers tags to harvest deer August through April. Not sure what was in place prior and I am not overly familiar with it. Growing up we would just kill them and the Game Warden would pick them up if it was more then we wanted. So I leased this land in Potter County PA and the farmer tells me he has 400 of these tags. 1st that's and insane amount. I wouldn't mind having some kids shoot some now. I have families that want the meat and need it so its a win win. It would please the farmer as well. What I don't want is to cut open a doe and have a fawn fall out that is developed and looks like a fawn with no imagination needed. Having seen fawns in May. I assume that they are being born mid to late April through July. So what do you think the cut off would be to not traumatize kids? Google says there has been documented March births but late May is primary fawning. Trying to decide if we let it go to not risk it or proceed. We would shoot them 2/20-2/22

Late February does often carry visible fetuses, which could upset the kids. Thanks for organizing this for the families.

 

[Jwill]

A friend got a doe this year in mid-December, we had three kids with us on the hunt ages 10-13. After gutting we pulled out the uterus and let them check out the embryos, was a pretty cool real life biology lesson for them. Present it like a science class and not a PETA Instagram post and they'll probably be fine. Don't think I'd want to hunt past February, but I mean the whole point of shooting does for herd/population management is because they're the ones that have the fawns.