RE: PA question?
Im new but just wanted to add my two cents. I live in York County now, but have lived in Coudersport(Potter) for 4 years until recently. I hunt exclusively in Clinton and Potter. Though I travel much of the state often, the counties mentioned are the only ones I know like the back of my hand.
In my opinion, the PGC needed some type of management program. But they went about it all wrong, whether it is lack of man power or deceitfull political practices I cannot say(though I favor the latter). Our counties needed to be managed on a much higher level. Without going into great detail, Clinton and Potter counties should have been split further. York also but for different reasons. For years hunters and biologists complain about the lack of quality habitat in Clinton and Potter. This couldnt be farther from the truth. Less deer per sq mile, and many more select cuts in the last 10 years than ever before, and with the DCNR gating many access roads, the quality is at its highest ever. Again, purely in my opinion. But the quality of bucks seen in the last 3 years cannot be achieved purely by age alone.
What id like to see is doe season cut for two years in those areas. Closely monitor the population with more stringent methods than field surveys. Ive gotten alot of flack over this one, but bring public run check stations to PA. Not only will public run check stations allieviate some problems with PGC manpower, it will also help the much needed local economy. For years hunting was the big money maker in Clinton and Potter. In recent years snowmobiling has replaced that. Our deer herds affect more than hunters, as the businessman in these areas can attest.
Our state has alot of work to do. It is going to take years to get a balance which in my opinion most hunters will not agree with. But one that will nonetheless benefit a healthy deer population. We need less PGC input and more hunter input. The PGC needs more manpower, and they have that in the hunters of PA. Now they just need to get their heads out of the arse and listen! And the hunters in PA need to get more than 100 yrs off the path, and realize the 25 deer you saw the first day were the same 5 running back and forth. And on a related but much different note, we PA hunters need to start paying attention to public lands. We need more, and fast. With the private lands being bought up by developers in all areas, our grandkids may not have many more choices on where to hunt, and which also greatly impact any management plans the PGC takes.