ORIGINAL: blkpowder
Now the historic Valley Forge deer population estimates: Valley Forge is 5.3 square miles in size.
Year………………..estimated deer population
1985.………………….165-185
1997.……………………772
2003.…………………..1398
2007.…………………..1023
Hopefully everyone can see a couple of things from these estimates. First we should be able to see how fast a deer population can increase when they have suitable habitat. Next everyone needs to recognize that these estimates indicate the deer herd is now in a state of decline, even without the influence of hunter harvests, due to over population. That really is a perfectly natural occurrence when populations reach the point of exceeding their habitat and food supply.
R.S. Bodenhorn
That's one of our biggest problems ,R.S.! Yourself,Doug,BTB and many others, keep putting out the numbers in plain black and white and some still refuse to see what's in front of them.What is so hard to understand? If your deer herd is above maximum carrying capacity,the number of deer will start to decline even without hunting.
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You are entirely correct, that is and has been probably the biggest problem deer management in this state has ever faced. It isn’t a new problem though, it has been that way since long before I started my career in this field over thirty years ago.
All we can do is continue to educate those willing to accept the data and facts. Some will never accept any of it though simply because it isn’t what they want to believe. Those ones we can’t change, so we just have to use them as the platform we use to further develop and improve the delivery of our message.
I believe more and more hunters are getting the correct message more often now then ever before in the past. I believe we are making slow but steady progress in the efforts to educate the public about sound scientific wildlife management principles. That will make a better future for both the resources and the hunter.
R.S. Bodenhorn