ORIGINAL: DougE
I'll take your bet.That deer will be dead the first year of a failed mast crop,probably before that.
I put two horses in about a half acre pasture last August,that was full of clover.Within 3 weeks,every single bit of it was grazed down to the dirt.Deer have thesame effect on the habitat.
The reason we can't have a huge herd with antler restrictions is becausea huge herd will destroy the habitat like it has accross the northern tier.I can't get over the denial so many hunters have.
Your talking about 2 800LB animals in an area half the size of an acre,Comparing it to one 120 to 150lb animal on one full acre. Big BIG difference there.
If that is the case abouthabitat then why haven't the deer died off in previous years from starvation before the AR program. That is a crock of sh excuseI have ever heard with history to back my statement. The deer are actually smaller in sizenow then before the AR program all so. Explain this if the habitat was so bad? Many hunters can agree with this all so.