It's not too much too ask for deer densities in the range of 15-20 dpsm in decent habitat.The areas that have decent habitat most likely have more deer than that.The areas around here that have poor habitat are having a hard time regenerating at less than 15 dpsm.It's a shame because it should be that way.Unfortunately that's the price you pay for letting the habitat get to the point it was.
If the DCNR did larger cuts instead of 75 acre cuts, sprayed for competing vegetation and did TSI work on adjacent areas they would get good regeneration at 15-20 DPSM just like the PGC said they did in 1983. But it is a lot cheaper to have hunters pay for the opportunity to kill a doe than it is to properly manage their forests.
BTW, the habitat was not and is not the factor that is limiting the herd in NC PA, it is the antlerless allocations. The habitat in NC PA could support 40 DPSM ,if the regeneration of commercially valuable timber was not the determining factor.