Ledgen LS-

It is a relative issue when speaking of the unknown numbers of does. First, if archers are given report cards to send in, you will get the same kinds of accounts that you currently do with bucks--those that feel like sending them in will send them in. Second, in areas that get over hunted, the natural effect kicks in-- when there are less deer, there are less hunters in that area the following year. There are no fences keeping deer cooped up, they are free to go anywhere in the State. Therefore when the area that is "lean" one year doesn't get hunted, it gives highly-pressured deer in other areas a chance to escape and re-populate this un-pressured area. It just a natural thing that has been done throughout the ages until someone thought that it became barnyard hunting. The only way for over-hunted areas not to naturally re-populate over a given time would be to fence off individual counties and areas throuout the state. Until then the deer will naturally go to unpressured areas, and hunters will hunt the heaviest-populated ones. The PGC can get a ROUGH estimate of both population and kill ratios, but we have to be realistic, the science is just that, ROUGH. Mandatory check stations are the only true way of getting an accurate account of all deer taken. Anything less is "estimated". So basically that arguement just doesn't hold water in PA's case. All archers SHOULD be given an opportunity at either sex until they decide to implement some sort of accurate standard of counting all deer(check stations) if they really want to get into it that deep. Just my own thoughts, Pinwheel 12