Howdy Doug,I'm responding to your last three posts so bear with me.
I just think it's too ironic that the herd crashed after massive amounts of anterless tags,new ML seasons,and the biggest factor a two week doe season.We had bad winters before with heavy ice storms on top.I'm going back to the 70's and 80's.But I have never even come close to seeing the herd crash like this.Sure there were fluctuations but the herd always rebounded.Quehanna used to be loaded with deer even after the winters of 93 and 94.No doubt a severe winter will take deer compounded with increased coyotes and bear numbers.But I'll always believe massive herd reduction did the most damage.Now with deer numbers alot lower when a few doe are taken out it affects the numbers even more.I don't doubt you find pockets of deer in mosh st forest.But I hunted bear and turkey in the previous washed out bridge area and man there is very very little deer sign within that big area.Getting back to your statement about people hunting where there's no deer.Well that would be an area where I sure wouldn't waste my time.
By the way I can never remember that dang road name that runs from parker dam to the washed out bridge.
In the beginning of herd reduction we were seeing in the 20-30 deer a day range on that same road up on the mountain to your left.Now of coarse that changed but I'm not seeing a difference in the habitat either.Beech seems to be doing OK.
One thing I really wonder about the future.I'm seeing more and more empty camps and talking to quite a few that are giving it up.With the DCNR still hell bent on farther reducing the herd I'm wondering who is gonna do that?Alot more tags for the few hunters left in those areas and are they willing to do that and can they kill enough deer?Or birth control?I think the answer will be birth control.Starting with the state forest land and then moving to the private land where land owners want it.That's my crystal ball.