PA Herd Down 40%

[deaddeer]

There is a graph on page 31 of the PA Deer Management plan that compares the POST Season Deer Density produced by the old and new computer models for the period 1998 to 2003. The old computer model shows the herd peaked in 2000 at 31 DPSM and declined to 18 DPSM in 2003. The new computer model shows the herd steadily increasing from 20 DPSM in 1998 to a high of 25 DPSM. The old model was based on 23 years of data with a two week buck season. The new model was adopted to account for the effects of AR and was based on only two years of data with AR.
Based on the 30% decline in the buck harvest and the reduced sightings reported by hunters, it appeaars that our herd has in fact been reduced by 40% ,while the PGC continues to insist it is increasing and allocates anterless tags based on the increased population predicted by the new computer model.

[ulysses]

my son- in -laws father is a regional land manager for the PGC, I won't say which one, but he told us at a Christmas party yesterday that the "inside scoop among PGC employees" is that the PGC is holding onto those high deer numbers for a 3 fold reason:1. use the revenue from doe tags to suplement low back tag fees because they didn't get the rate hike they had wanted a few years ago 2.lack of a operable plan to make WMUs smallereven though this plan was requested 3 yrs PRIOR to the enactment of WMUs 3.recruitment of hunters to deer rich areas. apparently they feel if someone can kill 1 doe in an area with much private land that they can kill 2 or more.
This is what he said don't shoot me over it!

[Sniper151]

I believe this figure came from the previous person in charge (Mike Ondak) of whitetail deer in Pa. Had his outrageous count been correct. there would be deer walking the streets of Harrisburg. No credability whatsoever! They called form of estimation as the "poke and hope" method. [:@]

[deaddeer]

The PGC said we had 1.6M PS deer in 2003 compared to 1.5M in 2000. The graph I referred to shows that the herd has been stadily increasing since 1998, even with the record anterless harvests.

[chickory]

Well we will see if the misleading coming out of the PGC is a systemic item that is imedded in thier whole staff or if it was something that was cultured by the leader of the deer team.

With Cut n' Runs retirement we have an opportunity to see if the PGC can start to put out some straight information, or continue to manage by hype.

Its not only important what is managed, its also important HOW it is accomplished.