Ive been hunting PA and NJ for about 15 years. PA on and off, because I couldnt always afford tags.
If you look at the broad spectrum, both states have their pros and cons, regulations wise.
PA does offer a much friendlier attitude towards hunters. You feel like your in the majority when you hunt there. When you hunt here, your made to feel like your one of the last 12 dinosaurs walking the earth.
Ive spoken with several PA hunters though, and they claim the same political non-sense corrupts their management too.
Claiming that the PGC is persuaded by timber companies, and crossbow manufacturers $$$$.
I think alts plan could have worked very well, and was working, however, it needs tweaking.
One thing PA needs desperately is a more accurate way of measuring harvest. Perhaps taking ideas from NJs wonderful check in system. Some hunters complain about NJs check in, and it could use some MINOR tweaks, but is one of the best in the country.
No management plan or regulations will ever please every hunter though. Because every hunter has different things that make them happy.
I enjoy going out and seeing a few healthy deer, and monster bucks. I wont shoot small ones...absolutely no way, no how!
But someone else may want to go out and see sheer numbers of deer, not caring much for size or antlers.
You CAN NOT manage for both. It just cant work, therefore one side is always going to be unhappy.
But to get back on topic. Im a happy hunter in NJ for the most part. Our division does a good job, and tries to please us. They dont get much help from the state, and are actually milked by the state govt. So I love the NJDFW....I want them to flourish for as long as I shall live and beyond.
But thats not to say I dont want some changes. I think you can never stop trying to improve, even with the deer management plan I had come up with. I fully expected it to need change within four years of inception. Why? Because with those changes, and with the everchanging environment, you have to stay flexible, and adapt.
PA is a great state to hunt too, but they also need some minor changes to make it better. Ive proposed changes to them as well.
And I hope you do hunt NJ, because it really is a great state to hunt. Once you get past the lunatics trying to shut us down, and the somewhat confusing rules that govern us...you can find your piece of mind and sanity out in the NJ woods. You just have to drown out the noise of construction equipment destroying more fields and forests.
