ORIGINAL: M.Hensler/PA
I hate to get into this whole debate over QDM, overall, I believe the intentions are good, but license allocation (in SOME WMUs) was overboard. I, for one, live and hunt in 2G, and can attest to the drastic decline in the deer population in the past 3 years in particular. It's obvious the PGC is aware of this due to the drastic decrease in license allocation, so let's hope we start to see a turn around in 2G.
Actually there is has not been an increase in the antlerless allocations for unit 2G or the north central part of the state.
I will post the five average antlerless license allocations since 1957 along with the allocations for unit 2G so you can see the real facts about the number of license allocated.
Years……………allocation per square mile of land mass
57-61…………………………8.08
62-66…………………………7.06
67-71………………………..11.73
72-76…………………………9.93
77-81………………………..12.18
82-86………………………..11.68
87-91………………………..16.47
92-96………………………..13.49
97-01………………………..12.83
2002…………………………18.06 (single year of data)
2003…………………………12.64 (first year of management units – data for unit 2G)
2004…………………………12.64
2005…………………………..7.05
2006…………………………..4.62
03-06………………………….9.24 (average 2G antlerless license allocation)
I will agree that it appears the deer numbers are once again on the increase in unit 2G this year. That is most likely the result of the past year’s low harvest, due to so few antlerless license, combined with the good mast crop and mild winter allowing for increased fawn recruitment this spring and summer.
But this is all off topic, so I will also post that it appears to me that antlerless license sales are right on par with what would be expected.