If you’ve ever had a teenage son, you know what this feels like.
He gets a driver’s license, ask for the keys, and, however reluctantly, at some point, you turn him loose. And pray.
Do he go straight to where he’s supposed to, and only there, unless he checks in with you first? Is he focused on the road and not his buddies in the car? Does he avoid dangerous situations?
If only he were a deer.
A look at some research done here in Pennsylvania shows that when young bucks of the whitetail kind leave home, they make a beeline for their destination, avoiding distractions and dangers along the way. You can check it out here.
It’s interesting stuff to keep in mind, especially as it relates to “stockpiling” bucks on your property. The same research shows that, while the young bucks born on your hunting land may have the potential to become trophies, they’ll be long gone by the time they demonstrate it.
It’s not too early to start thinking about deer hunting, though. Hunting and furtaking licenses for the 2015-16 license year went on sale Monday. Prices are unchanged from last year.
You don’t need one right away, necessarily. Licenses — and range permits, for those who want to shoot at Pennsylvania Game Commission ranges — purchased for 2014-15 remain good through June 30.
But doe licenses go on sale July 13, and you’ll need a new regular license to apply for those. First-round unsold licenses go on sale on Aug. 3 and second-round unsold licenses on Aug. 17.
Nonresidents get their first chance to apply for doe tags on July 27.
