• The SH Membership has gone live. Only SH Members have access to post in the classifieds. All members can view the classifieds. Starting in 2020 only SH Members will be admitted to the annual hunting contest. Current members will need to follow these steps to upgrade: 1. Click on your username 2. Click on Account upgrades 3. Choose SH Member and purchase.
  • We've been working hard the past few weeks to come up with some big changes to our vendor policies to meet the changing needs of our community. Please see the new vendor rules here: Vendor Access Area Rules

New PA tagging requirements

huntin_addict

huntin_addict

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 18, 2018
Messages
1,387
Location
Erie County, PA
Not sure if it's been mentioned or not, but after receiving and reviewing my new 2021/2022 license, I see there are month and day cutouts on the back. Additionally after reviewing the book, I see that cutting out the month and day are part of the tagging requirements. As a public service announcement, just wanted to let all the PA hunters know.

You can guarantee that there are going to be some "improper tagging" fines handed out for that this year.
 
That kinda sucks.
It will make rubbing off the lead from bullet points used as pencils to change the date harder to accomplish...
I know a lot of guys that won't like that.
 
phatkaw said:
That kinda sucks.
It will make rubbing off the lead from bullet points used as pencils to change the date harder to accomplish...
I know a lot of guys that won't like that.
Click to expand...
Well, since the requirement was filling out everything with ballpoint pen for a few years now, the old bullet trick would've presented an issue anyhow.
 
I'm glad you mentioned. I hadn't seen that until now. The logic on this escapes me. It accomplishes nothing that honest hunters writing the date with a pen didn't do before, except now I have carry surgical scissors to do this accurately? The ole Buck knife ain't gonna neatly cut those tiny squares. No disrespect to the PAGC, but this is incredibly stupid.
 
Marmuzz said:
I'm glad you mentioned. I hadn't seen that until now. The logic on this escapes me. It accomplishes nothing that honest hunters writing the date with a pen didn't do before, except now I have carry surgical scissors to do this accurately? The ole Buck knife ain't gonna neatly cut those tiny squares. No disrespect to the PAGC, but this is incredibly stupid.
Click to expand...
I actually don't mind it. MANY states already have this requirement. A good knife cuts the notch.

You referred to honest hunters. They aren't doing this because of the honest hunters I'm sure.
 
It's such a strange patchwork of requirements. We've had to notch tags going back as far as I can remember but there are also states that require you to pin your tag on the back of your jacket which to me seems ridiculous.
 
I haven't received my tags yet, seems like it is taking longer with this new system.

For what it is worth I also hunt in VA and they have a paper notch system too. However, they also have an app which suffices as notching. I assuming PA is headed there at some point.
 
This has my curiosity now.

Why are you getting tags now for what I assume is a fall season? I assume it has to do with a lottery system but it still seems very early.
 
PA '21-22 licenses went on sale mid June. We have a system for doe tags where you have to snail-mail in applications in special envelopes. It's less of a lottery and more of first-come-first-serve race with 2-3 application rounds, one tag per round per applicant until you get to the last rounds where basically you can get multiples of whatever is left over. Opening round starts next week, and tags can sell out pretty quick across the state by the end of August unless you're hunting around metropolitan areas. I think PA will be heading digital with this process in coming years but it's not there yet.
 
My neighbor is from PA, has explained it a few times and still seems like a mess.

Here, the state is parceled out into zones and each zone lands in one of 5 categories depending upon estimated deer population:
Lottery-1 deer, either sex with a set limit of tags offered
Buck only
Hunters choice-1 deer limit
Managed-2 deer limit, 1 buck only
Intensive-3 deer limit, 1 buck only

Aside from lottery, you can buy any over the counter, just can't use it the same day as purchased. The area I hunt flips between Managed and Intensive so I usually buy 2 tags heading up to camp the day before. Never bought more than 2 tags since 2 deer hanging keeps me plenty busy.

Edit: We also have a 6th category which I forgot about: Unlimited Anterless but these are for CWD zones. You can also take 3 bucks in these zones, 1 each with archery, rifle and muzzleloader.
 
Last edited:
Michigan has a cutout notch requirement too (for as long as I can remember). This is why I need to carry reading glasses with me to the woods. I can't read the darn thing without them let alone get the notches cut right. The whole tag is about the size of your standard business card and notching the antler points takes some gentle touch with the knife blade. This is the back of one of my 2021 deer tags.

1625433218444.png
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top