Here we have another prime example of someone trying to apply a widely accepted theory without thinking it through to a logical conclusion. The fact is the majority of our forest were harvested by 1925 resulting in a high percentage of the seedling/sapling stage with the highest carrying capacity. For the next 20 years (1925-1945) the carrying capacity decreased as the cuts progressed to the pole timber stage which has the lowest carrying capacity. As the pole timber matured into saw timber the carrying capacity increased and the herds increased until the large winterkill, due to a severe ice storm ,reduced the herd in the late 70's.

Since 1980 the PGC has been trying to manage the herd at densities that are below the true MSY carrying capacity of the habitat, But from 1980 to 2000 the herd increased to over 1.6 PS deer,which represented the true MSY carrying capacity of the habitat. That fact is confirmed by the fact that breeding rates and productivity decreased as the herd was reduced by 35-40%.

So,there is no doubt the quality of the habitat decreased significantly from 1925 to 1945 , the quality of the habitat has been relatively constant over the last 30 years . Therefore, it is blatantly obvious that it is the antlerless harvests that have been controlling the herd and which resulted in a 46% decrease in our buck harvest.