ORIGINAL: Lanse couche couche
Now that things are getting halfway back on track, could someone please address my question. Given the high number of hunters in PA compared to other states, how much of an increase would be needed in the statewide deer population in order to get success ratios on par with neighborhing states. Would that increase be above the carrying capacity or would it be sustainable?
Our herd was below the MSY carrying capacity of the habitat when we had 1.6M deer in 2001 and harvested 203K buck. The buck harvest was 44% lower in 2007 than in 2001 and despite reducing the herd , breeding rates decreased by 5%. Our herd is being managed based on the cultural carrying capacity demanded by DCNR and the timber industry , not on the carrying capacity of the habitat.