Rsb, speaking for most of my hunting areas in Greene, Id say the high point of the population was definately in mid to late nineties, just going by memory. Lowest point in decades is currently.

Seems Pgc data shows this trend Ive seen for the most part. I'll get to the "lesser part" at the end.

According to pgc annual reports, the PREHUNT density in 2A in 2005 was 40.

In 99/2000 season, POSTSEASON after the herd was shotup, the total was 69 dpfsm (and 74 for washington!!)

I dont think it hard to see the decline. Even by pgcs skewed veryhigh endestimates.

Now fast forward to 06/07 and pgc said the herd actually slightly increased from 2005. Did it? Oh no no my friend. Not when we had 55,000 tags and harvested 19,600 doe!! Which was more than the 45,000 tags and 16,500 harvestthat reduced it previously 7% according to pgc...In a larger herd, with a lesser buck to doe ratio!!!....AndId imagine you are wondering whatwas the reason for increase in doeharvest to 19K if 45,000 tags reduced the herd with a harvest of 16,500? simple. Ten thousand more doe tags that year!


Also, Rosenberry says all else equal, buck harvest trendsis good herd trend indicator. Lets look at the years in question, since weve supposedly been stabilizing... 05/06 buck harvest was 8500. Fell next year to 8100. Fell again this year to 6600.

Now the doe harvest. Can see a trend with the doe harvest as well in this case, because the allocation didnt change....Until this past years all time high of 60k....which still resulted in a LOWER harvest.

2005 doe harvest--19,600 (really got smacked unwarranted significantallocation raise)
200617000 same allocations.
2007 14300

In 2007 Allocations were unjustly increased by 5kand harvest still decreased.

Looks like further decreases to me on top of the "main" reduction previously. When we were supposed to be stabilizing theyears I postedaccording to the gameless commission.