Same here in 4c. There are food plots all over the place. Nuts everywhere and fields all over the mountain top. Walk those fields at dusk. If you are lucky you might see a deer or 2 in a couple miles.
The advisory group advised the PGC to decrease doe tags and increase the herd. Of course they didn't listen.
It does not matter how many tags the PGC gives out, if there are not many deer dont fill your doe tag. Everyone should do the same. If there is great deer habitat the deer will be back. Spotting deer this time of year can be difficult, the grass is high, lots of leaves and deer don't move much when its hot out.
Can't you guys understand it, $$$$ that is all the PGC cares about. You will buy the licenses, you will hunt it, you will bitch and moan, they won't care.
__________________
"There is nothing in the world like a persuasive speech to fuddle the mental apparatus and upset the convictions and debauch the emotions of an audience not practiced in the tricks and delusions of oratory." --American author and humorist Mark Twain (1835-1910)
Unfortunately all the work that the PGC has done to improve deer habitat on SGLs means nothing,because the herd on SGLs is being managed at the same deer density as DCNR land where no habitat improvement has occurred. The PGC only considers the quality of forest habitat when allocating antlerless allocations and ignores the increased carrying capacity provided by farm lands or food plots.
__________________ In Miss. ,ARs reduced the average rack size of 2.5+ buck across the entire state
Location: S.W. Pa.-- Heart in North Central Pa. mountains-
Posts: 2,508
RE: GREAT HABITAT /FEW DEER
Quote:
ORIGINAL: bluebird2
Unfortunately all the work that the PGC has done to improve deer habitat on SGLs means nothing,because the herd on SGLs is being managed at the same deer density as DCNR land where no habitat improvement has occurred. The PGC only considers the quality of forest habitat when allocating antlerless allocations and ignores the increased carrying capacity provided by farm lands or food plots.
............and since when have farmers been charged with supporting the deer herd?? This is exactly why they have permission to shoot them for crop damage...... Commercial agricultural ground is not considered deer habitat, I believe.
I didn't say anything about farmers being charged with supporting the deer, nor did I say that commercial farm land should be considered as deer habitat. But, abandoned farm land, right-of-ways for roads , power line , gas lines and every other opening in a forest increases the carrying capacity of the habitat. The fact that the PGC does not account for this increased carrying capacity means they are managing the herd at levels significantly below the MSY carrying capacity.
__________________ In Miss. ,ARs reduced the average rack size of 2.5+ buck across the entire state
I am extremly familiar with SGL 252. I used to hunt it extensively when I was in college at Penn Tech in williamsport. Back then the deer population was very plentyful. I did the majority of my deer hunting on the land that used to be the town of Alvira, where all the old ammo bunkers are. I find it hard to believe this area has been decimated as you say. Keep in mind the majority of this land is also bordered by allenwood federal prison. And there were days back in 95-98 when I hunted it when you wouldn't see anything but come out to your car and look over on the prison property and there were herds of 50 deer standing on the prison property where you couldn't get to them. Smart deer they were. Since you say you are doing a lot of pheasant hunting I suspect you are hunting the Northern, western and south western parts of the game lands. The portion I hunted deer on was in the south east corner where the town of Alvira used to be before the Govt bought the town for the ammo plant they wanted to put there. I know the deer ALWAYS went to the prison property when pressured. And with all the fields on the prison property they always had plenty to eat. I do have to say I haven't been there in a while. But I find it hard to believe the numbers are that low.
__________________
"If guns kill people then I can blame my pencil on mispelled words" Larry The Cable Guy
PA Game Commisssion Bowhunter Education Instructor
United Bowhunters of PA
www.enigmacamo.com
http://www.camospace.com/pahardwoods
GREAT HABITAT /FEW DEER
