Originally Posted by
DougE
First of all,I don't work for the PGC or DCNR.I'm nothing more than an average hunter.
You stated that the PGC ruined the hunting all accoss the state,not just in your own little hunting area.
No I didn't, here is what I said....
Why don't you come to central or northern Pa and film then you can show the world how great of a job the game commission did managing the deer across the rest of the State.
I don't see the word ruined anywhere here, you're putting words in my mouth. The PAGC has gone above and beyond any responsible reduction in the areas surrounding where I live. it is fact... Yes a few nice buck are shot but by those same guys who have always gone above and beyond in order to shoot mature buck. And this is what you consider successful management? What do you think is going to happen???? We can't shoot spikes anymore so of course guys are going to hold out longer and shoot bigger deer because it is the law not because of HR.
I'll say this,if you deny that the deer severly impacted the habitat accross vast area of Pa,you have no clue.
Once again... where did I say that. Seems you are arguing a point I never made. Of course the deer are going to severely impact the forest when the forest is being timbered for profit and not habitat by the PAGC. When you cut down all the mast producing hardwoods and the only thing they have left to eat is whatever is growing from underneath then of course they will browse and browse more of it because it doesn't meet the nutritional level of what a mature forest has, given it is timbered responsibly allowing new regeneration by clearing the low $ crap wood out and leaving the trees that provide a preferred food source. But the PAGC DOES NOT DO THAT. They haven't reduced their Income they just reduce the deer herd and that fixes EVERYTHING! Right, Give me a break!!!
There are reams and reams of evidence to prove this and it's univerally accepted by professionals all accross the northeast.
We had way too many deer for way too long and the only way to fix the problem was to greatly reduce the herd.
Like I said that was the only solution? Kill the deer, not be more responsible with the managing of the land just issue more tags. No that wasn't the only solution, that was the cheapest/ most economical solution..... Don't sacrifice timber profits when you can make more money off doe tags...
It's not even debatable.It's also not debatable that if you actually hunt where deer should be instead of where you want them to be,you can still find excellent hunting on public land in 2G.
So, I live in a valley completely surrounded by miles of mountains and I shouldn't expect to be able to travel 4 miles in any wooded direction and see deer on the first day to keep my 13 yr old son interested in hunting? It is completely unreasonable of me to want my son to have a good hunting experience without having to travel an hour when we live in the mountains?
if you actually hunt where deer should be instead of where you want them to be
Real Nice Douge! Bring your arrogant self down off your perch and realize because someone shows disatisfaction for what has been done in parts of PA they are not "clueless" or less intelligent than you or not as "wilderness savvy" as you. I have killed MATURE buck and I know where one should expect to find deer given their population has been managed at a responsible level. The game Commission has gone too far in my area but as I expect you'll say the entire state is much better than it's ever been, right? If you don't then you must concede to my original post regarding the rest of the state and the way it was managed.
Rest of... meaning - other areas of the state not managed as well as others in which the results are fewer in numbers than what was necessary for forest regeneration and establishment of a healthy habitat. I can still see 200 yds in any direction in some of those areas not because of the deer but because the area needs some selective cutting. The canopy killed off the undergrowth before the deer have a chance but let's just focus on killing deer as you said it is the only way to fix the problem