This is the mentallity that the DEC has to deal with, as if trying to manage the herd wasnt hard enough! Remember, the DEC is in the public relations business too...

The way the state estimates numbers and determines how many to take is flawed by anyones standards, but they do the best they can. They use aerial surveys in certain areas were topography permits it. Measuring browselines and monitoring native food plants is another. Counting offspring through birth scars, numbers of fetuses developing in roadkill does, and also hunter input. Guess what? They already know how "clever" some are, and figure in for all those doe tags reported but not filled. Theres equations based on averages and a whole bunch of thought that goes into this. Its not a perfect system, but its basically all they have.

Like so many others have said in this thread, the state hasnt done a great job in every area, but the solution, to micro-manage certain areas, to date doesnt seem feasible yet. The DEC does NOT, however, win too many hunters over when they try to force feed us the silliness like state wide winter kills, etc. I for one wish they could set aside the arrogance and just admit they erred, and adjust the numbers in some areas, and just do the best they can. I think we could all live with that.