Whats wrong with the gamelands?

[bowtruck]

What is wrong with the public hunting areas the great state of pa has.

I dont go there very often. Just a wondering.

Is it just to few deer or what?

[pats102862]

Nothing, I like to hunt 141 and 168.If youventure more than 300 yards in the woods you have a good chance of seeing deer, and your chance of bagging a trophy buck are good on both areas, but you will really have to work for them.

[bluebird2]

What is wrong with SGLs is that they are being managed at the same deer density as SFL, where the land is being managed for timber production while the SGL are being managed for wildlife. Therefore, all the habitat work the PGC does on SGLs does nothing to increase the number deer on SGLs.

[bowtruck]

so the habitat isnt very good in your opinion

[bluebird2]

How in the world did you come to that conclusion? What I said was the habitat on SGLs is much better than the habitat on SFL ,yet the herd on SGLs is being managed at the same density as on SFL.

[bowtruck]

Well gezzz i dumb youve said that 100 times by know.

So its not the habitat but the deer density is being managed at?

[bluebird2]

No, I don't recall ever saying you are dumb. But just like many other hunters you had no good reason to question what the PGC was doing because deer hunting was good and we were setting record harvests. Now, the same habitat that was producing record harvests are producing the same buck harvests we had 40 years ago and breeding rates have decreased by 5%..

[bowtruck]

I do recall you calling stupid and such but anyway.

You mention breeding r ates have decline

I hate to say it But.... I have to agree from what i am seeing . Went for a ride around some of the land i have I saw 7 deer in one field Not 1 fawn . No sign of any growth on top of the noodle either . Thou i wouldnt mind 7 buck i 1 field . Some of the other fields havent been mowed yet. so dont know what is in there.some have corn
I havent seen many fawns around either.
I am not saying its the pgc fault yet maybe leaning that way . Havent totally ruled out the weather thou
something isnt working hope the pgc looks into it

[bluebird2]

What would you say has a greater impact on recruitment, a cool wet spring or reducing the number of adult doe by 35-40% ? As the average age of the female population is reduced, breeding rates and recruitment decreases. The PGC has been encouraging hunters to pass on fawns to protect BB and harvest an adult doe instead. The obvious result is lower breeding rates and recruitment!

[bowtruck]

I would say it hurting the deer population no fawns = no buttonbucks either.