ORIGINAL: patrkyhntr
Having done a bit of research, AJ, I can tell you that it is impossible to eliminate all of the variable factors in ecosystems. In fact, an ecosystem is a huge collection of variables. I suspect that one could find a variable in any ecology based PhD dissertation that was overlooked if one tried hard enough.
Hunters themselves are so variable that the only way to make sense out of data is to collect as much as one can and then establish an average. For example, I suspect I am not a typical hunter. I look for the steepest, roughest, hardest to hunt places. I seldom see any other hunters, even on the first day of rifle season. Now, throw in deer, who individually don't behave the way you expect them to all the time. You can see what a challenge the researchers have, and I think they are to be commended for even trying it.
I don't mind them doing the reserch but I don't like the way it gets used aginst the hunters.
patrkyhntr, I have hunted thehills whereyou hunt, but I like the mountains of Cameron Co. I can climb for over 2000ft. walkwhat seems like endless flats and drag my buck 4 or 5 miles. I know lots of hunters that hunt that way in the big woods, I know to you it may seem like you are the only one that hunts like that but you are not.
