Gary Alt resigns.........

[jerseyjoe]

http://www.lancasteronline.com/articles/2868.shtm

[ruffed-grouse]

Late reports just in seem to indicate a change of mind or a falure in communications.

[Broadhead88]

WOW!

I guess the pressure was just not worth it. I dont hunt PA but was curious to see of these policies would actually lead to better hunting. We may never know now.

Are they going to scrap all of ALt' s policies in 03?

[nyorange]

" The most recent flap involved funding for several research studies into the habits of deer. Most are being funded not with sportsmen' s dollars but with over $1 million from five private groups.Both Mohr and Bolgiano say they have not been told which environmental groups are underwriting the work, besides the National Audubon Society." Gary has never told us where the money has come from,' ' Mohr said this morning. " I, as a commissioner, have no idea who is paying for our deer studies."

Just imagine, the work is funded by a group of anti hunting
lobbies and they will then try to pass this " success" off to every other state. Yeah, knockdown the deerherd to so and so level and the remaining bucks will have huge racks and their won' t be anymore overpopulation. Of course it will also mean there won' t be enough deer for everyone to hunt and we' ll have to end up going to a permit/lottery type system that will probably decimate hunting as we know it. The fact that the guy wouldn' t say who funded the research should be raising serious flags in every hunter' s mind. Call me pessimistic, but it seems the outcome of every " Scientific research study" seems to depend entirely on who is funding it.

[PABowhntr]

WOW! I never saw that one coming. I have not even heard a peep about it and it has been two days!

I wonder what is going to happen for next year' s hunting seasons. Will antler restrictions be removed? Will the PGC start decreasing doe tag allocations again?

Troubled times.

[tribalscream]

Just when we were getting somewhere. I bet the USP is throwing a party. I wonder if he will be replaced or just phased out?

[oldelkhunter]

Bad news if true.. This means more herds of does and tiny little spikers ...pretty darn pathetic.

[Deleted User]

[Deleted by Admins]

[hornhound]

Truely Sad Times for Pennsylvania Deer Hunters. We can only hope his " Team" stays in place and continues to make decisions based on science and research. I' m sure they have an ample supply of Biologists who still believe in the scientific approach to good deer management still working there. Let' s just hope they let them show what they know. I wonder if this would be a good time to flood the commission with letters of disapproval on how they are putting a chock hold on the management program and Dr. Alt, For those of us who believe it was steps being taken in the right direction? And also that we strongly reccommend continuing the studies set forth by Dr. Alt. Don' t forget we buy liscences also, not just the Unifides and other nay sayers. And I truely believe the people for this Change out number those opposed by a big margin. Lets see if we cry loud enough if someone listens to our pleas?

[Bob S]

It appears that Alt will not be leaving, at least for now. It looks like the USP (The Unified Sportsmen of PA) and Commissioner Mohr were too eager to call someone and gloat. Their negative comments about Dr. Alt and the newspaper article prompted this reply from the PA Game Commission:

Subject: Dr. Alt has not retired/resigned

Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2003 17:24:38 -0400

From: " GM, PGCNEWS" (pgcnews@state.pa.us)


The Lancaster New Era story that ran on June 19, 2003, stating that Dr. Alt has retired or resigned ' amid controvery over his policies' on deer management is incorrect. With the current contract negotiations for all state employees continuing, Dr. Alt, a state employee for 26 years, was concerned that he might be losing some health benefits if he stayed employed beyond June 30. This is a situation that many of our Game Commission employees, as well as hundreds of other state employees, faced.

However, after some consideration, and in light of the Governor' s Office of Administration announcement today that a 90-day window would be granted for those employees who have not made final decisions because they would like to see the final product of the contact negotiations, Dr. Alt has reconsidered and will take advantage of this window.

Also, Dr. Alt has said that he would very much like to stay employed with the Game Commission, but he doesn' t want to stay if staying will penalize his benefits.

Normally, it is not my practice to discuss personnel matters. However, as this particular matter has become the subject of some media coverage, I felt the need to make all employees aware of the facts.

Thanks, Jerry Feaser
(PA Game Commission spokesman)