Just a few peices of missing information about the hunt and reasons why it was not run like a White Clay Creek hunt.

1. I first learned of the Master Hunter program while attending one of the open meetings held by DNREC when all of the hoopla was generated about the so called "sharpshooters" coming in to take additional deer for testing. (Incidentally, the term "sharpshooters" came from the news article in the News Journal paper. That term was never in the press release from DNREC. As we all know, the News Journal likes to put their spin on things. Can't let facts get in the way of a good story!)
2. Folks who live in Urban/Suburban areas as well as many farmers said they would entertain the idea of hunting provided those people who would hunt these areas had advanced training in all areas of hunting, safety, marksmanship,ethics etc.
3. As stated in several posts here, the info is available on the DNREC website as well as the booklet you get when purchasing a hunting license.
4. Since this area has not been hunted in a very long time. Probably 20 years at least, there were no stands from which to hunt as there are at White Clay Creek.
5. All hunters were assigned a specific spot from which to hunt and we were instructed not to wander around for safety reasons as we had no idea where other hunters may be posted.
6. There were about 20 hunters in all and only 4 names were drawn from a hat to determine 4 lucky folks who could harvest a buck. Our instructions were to kill as many antlerless deer as possible under the following conditions:
a.Safety First - The last thing we needed was a hunting accident.
b. Clean - One Shot Kills - No shots on running deer! We didn'twant to lose any deer. Especially since this park is used by nature lovers, hikers, mountain bikers and fitness aficianados. We don't want them seeing dead carcasses lying around.
c. Field dressing was to be done away from any trails for the same reason.
d. If we saw anyone in the area hiking, bike riding, protesting etc., do not talk to them. We had the phone number for some DNREC folks who would handle the situation. All of the surrounding residents and businesses were notified of the hunt and that the park would be closed to the public for the 2 days of the hunt.

Now for the fun stuff.

I was in a group of 3 hunters taken to a part of the park off of Possum Park Road. We entered the park through a housing development where the price of the homes was in the high 6 figure range, maybe even 7 figures. We entered the park through a public access gate between 2 of the homes. The first thing we saw within 75 yards of the gate was about 40 to 50 deer feeding in the field. Next to woods to the right of the field were 2 of the biggest racked deer I have ever seen in the "wild". Both of these deer would easily have made B&C. Couldn't get a real good look as we didn't want to look like we were "spotlighting deer" so we parked our trucks and shut off the lights. We then got into the truck with the DNREC "guide" who drove "through" the herd of deer part way down the field to an access point where we all piled out and were ******ed to our hunting spots.
7 AM - Real nice 8 pointer walks by. Alas I was not one of the chosen few to take a buck. Had to let him walk.
9 AM - DNREC employees and some volunteers start driving to move deer from areas where hunters were not placed due to safety coniderations.
9:15 - Hunter directly across the creek from me shoots a deer. 8 deer come running down the hill from where the shot was. They stop before crossing the creek. I have a 125 yd shot, but got brush between me and the deer so I don't risk wounding a deer, and they run off.
10:15 - 15 deer coming charging down the opposite hillside. Hunter across the way shoots doe at the creek bottom when they stop. At the sound of the shot, the remaing deer disperse.2 to myleft running through brush, 2 more sneaking across to the left. 10 more coming up from the bottom towards me. Here's my chance, right? Nope. They don't come up all the way and turn below a small rise on the hillside to my right. All I can see are few ears, noses and eyeballs. No clean shot available. Now the 2 deer that snuck across the creek to myleft are walking right at me. Looks like 2 spikes at first glance but as they get closer, I count a 7 pointer and an 8 pointer withspreads that approached a whopping 8 inches! 20 yards, broadside, standing! The hunting gods are taunting me!!
11:00 - DNREC comes to pick me up.

All total I heard about 30 shots. I didn't stick around to see what was brought in to be checked.

If this hunt over the 2 days proves to be succesfull, it will be used as amodel for future hunts in similar circumstances.

SeaNymph - If you want to be part of the Master Hunter program. You need to be willing to invest the time to attend the training classes. As far as this hunt being BS, I think all of us hunters should be happy that we now have a way available to us to access some of these areas.
One DNREC person said that the hope was that eventually, this area could be managed the same way as White Clay Creek. This managed hunt will be the first giant step to the possibility ofgreater opportunities in the future.