Like other post's have discussed,it is incredibly hard for the DEC to micro manage to the degree that is necessary.You can have vastly different populations of deer within the same management unit.The best example of this is low land suburban area's versus high peaks in the same management unit.Plenty of deer low,no deer high.In my home area there are so many sanctuaries for deer that can't be hunted it makes me sick.The smart old bucks stick in there like glue.
It is all about habitat.(If we build it they will come)For the most part the public land habitat sucks,at least in the catskills.You can't log it,you can't burn it off.On private land you can do almost any thing you want.
Challenginng circumstances for public land herd management!!