Linehog,the USP plays the acid rain card way too much.Much of their argument centers around red oak because they claim the reduction of the deer herd is directly tied to the timber profit of red oak.They claim oaks will not regenerate in soils with a ph between 4-5 and that's 100% totaly false.Oaks actually like acidic soils and do just fine under those parameters.I can show you phenominal oak regeneration behind fences and in areas where the deer herd has been greatly reduced.In most cases,the soil is very acidic and the only differeance is less deer.

I'm not blaming the deer for everything.Many things have affected the habitat including deer,fire suppression,forestry practices,insects and a more mature forest.Still,it doesn't change the fact that much of our habitat is junk and the carrying capacity is much lower