[quote]ORIGINAL: RSB
I agree that I am seeing far fewer deer then there used to be, but I am still seeing plenty of deer in ALL of the places where anyone that knows much of anything about deer would expect to find deer.
I have scouted year round, hunted water sources, varied food sources, planted food plots, hunted staging areas where deer have always browsed prior to coming out into bigger timber and fields,supplied minerals ( example-Dicalcium Phosphate) from lateFeb till mid August, hinge cut timber for bedding areas, hunted"historical" bedding areasand planted fruit trees. I have trail cam pics of two approx. 2 1/2 yr oldbuck that have improved in rack size considerably in the last year due to in large partthe mineral supplementation. I am as scent-free as possible I purchase a new scentlok outfit every 3 years and wash it often, scent-free soap, deodorant, laundry detergent, spray, wafers, wear rubber bottom boots, etc.But for all my efforts and miles walked, hours sat and varied techniques in hunting I have only counted 8 deer in total after too many hours to count(minimum 25 hrs per week). The only two bucks were a 5 and 4 point. One adult doe, the rest yearlings and fawns.
I do all the same things in Ohio (for instance) and I saw more deer in one day there than I have all season here in Pa. I saw more buck in 2 days than I have total deer in Pa.
Your claim that the deer are "behaving as deer are intended" doesn't wash with me. The only way for deer to do what deer do naturally is to take man out of the equation. PAGC programs dictate behaviors and populations so don't claim things are so perfectto statethings are the way they "naturally" should be. Anyone "who knows much of anything" knows better!
Please bless me with some insight from your expertise to help me become more successful at seeing all these deer in Pa that I apparently know nothing about.