Actually, I get together quite well with my father, largely because when he gets on his soapbox about deer populations I consider the source and don't give it much credence since it doesn't make much sense when you consider it from a broad objective perspective. My perspective seems to be shared since Illinois has recently implemented a deer reduction program. I don't know that it will be too effective since folks who sound surprisingly like you wanted a watered down reduction plan so as to not cut into their easy big buck pickings. So, when the numbers don't drop like they should and pretty dramatic measures are then required that cause a very sharp (but still needed) reduction, the same people are gonna be screaming as loud as you are in PA. I consider this forum a practice for eventually having to deal with them.

Sproulman: Well, my part of the country has not yet been flooded with disabled folks from New Jersey who are buying up all the land and deer camps, but we get our share of outsiders coming in. We have several people from Georgia who came into the area after the deer numbers got really high and bought land. And the out-of-state folks coming in to lease ground is really just starting to get rolling. I think that lots of those folks are gonna be lots less enthusiatic about doing that once the deer population starts dropping to the point that filling ones tag actually becomes a challenge.

I am now experimenting with a New Age Environmentalist philosophy that seeks a 30 percent herd reduction through the power of free love.