jmveverka
Active member
Just thought I would post an interesting situation from this weekend. I took my son hunting in Pennsylvania back at the family property - more on that later. Buck is still in and it was the first day of the regular rifle antlerless season. It was late morning and we were going to head out to give my son a break and to warm up his toes some, when we heard some chatter coming over our walkie talkies. Apparently a couple of guys on the next property over (same square of woods with no roads or fences between) were on the same channel as we were, probably just a couple hundred yards away. Sounded like a father and a couple of grown sons.
Anyway, the guys checked on where their dad was sitting over the radio, and said that they were coming and would do a push through the woods toward him. A couple of minutes later they speak through the radio "Four deer coming at you, one is a buck". 30 seconds later a shot and a follow-up rang out. We listened in as a couple of eavesdroppers because, why not. We continue to head out on the trail and soon more chatter.
Dad: "Steven did you find it."
Steven: "Yeah I've got him"
Dad: "Are we ok"
Steven: "No"
What does that mean you ask? Well Pennsylvania is an antler restricted state. Bucks have to have "3 up" on one side, not counting the brow tines to be legal. Either an eastern 7-point or better, or a 5 with no brows. This gentleman, clearly and older experienced hunter, disregarded the most basic premise of verifying your target and shot when he saw antlers with no hesitation. He also clearly recognized that he should not come right out and say that over the radio by the way he worded it. Not knowing exactly where they are, who they are, and not having any say over access on that property, we were certainly not going to do anything about it. But I could not pass the opportunity. So I radioed to them.
Me: "You know you probably ought to call the warden and tell them about your illegal buck harvest"
Them: "What was that"
Me: "You need to call the warden about that illegal buck"
a few seconds pass...
Them: "We agree"
And it was radio silence from then on. Who knows what they did with it. I hope they did the right thing and recovered the deer and called the CPO. In all likelihood they would have left it lay, but maybe just knowing that there is someone else out there listening, and possibly watching for all they knew, would have made them do the right thing. I doubt it will be a "lesson" to them to verify the target since they were seasoned hunters, but probably a lesson to be more discreet on an open radio. I hope they thought I was the warden.
Anyway, the guys checked on where their dad was sitting over the radio, and said that they were coming and would do a push through the woods toward him. A couple of minutes later they speak through the radio "Four deer coming at you, one is a buck". 30 seconds later a shot and a follow-up rang out. We listened in as a couple of eavesdroppers because, why not. We continue to head out on the trail and soon more chatter.
Dad: "Steven did you find it."
Steven: "Yeah I've got him"
Dad: "Are we ok"
Steven: "No"
What does that mean you ask? Well Pennsylvania is an antler restricted state. Bucks have to have "3 up" on one side, not counting the brow tines to be legal. Either an eastern 7-point or better, or a 5 with no brows. This gentleman, clearly and older experienced hunter, disregarded the most basic premise of verifying your target and shot when he saw antlers with no hesitation. He also clearly recognized that he should not come right out and say that over the radio by the way he worded it. Not knowing exactly where they are, who they are, and not having any say over access on that property, we were certainly not going to do anything about it. But I could not pass the opportunity. So I radioed to them.
Me: "You know you probably ought to call the warden and tell them about your illegal buck harvest"
Them: "What was that"
Me: "You need to call the warden about that illegal buck"
a few seconds pass...
Them: "We agree"
And it was radio silence from then on. Who knows what they did with it. I hope they did the right thing and recovered the deer and called the CPO. In all likelihood they would have left it lay, but maybe just knowing that there is someone else out there listening, and possibly watching for all they knew, would have made them do the right thing. I doubt it will be a "lesson" to them to verify the target since they were seasoned hunters, but probably a lesson to be more discreet on an open radio. I hope they thought I was the warden.
