I too am a Vt hunter and have lived through the good and bad times. Logging andfarming are importantto provide deer with suitable habitat forsurvival. Unfortunately most of the recent logging in my area has been in softwoods and had depleted many of the winter yards. Huge stands of sterile hardwoods are now abundant and don't provide much food or cover for deer. Many of the working farms are now sold and have been developed into housing lots. Land posting has increased and habitat has declined.Some of the recent winters have been above normal in the severity index as published by the state. Bad winters, limited yarding areas andless habitat equates to a smaller deer herd. Everything runs in cycles and I hope to see the hunting return to the way I remembered it in the 60's.