Hello RonM, sorry for the delay in getting back to you. Now that deer season is over I don't check the board very ofter. Let me stary by saying both Duck and the News Journal articals got me a bit fired up and I used my response to his post as a oppertunity to vent. I very much enjoy the oppertunity and privilage to be able to hunt and WCC St park. My family and I are year round visitors. During the hunting season the park staff does an excellent job in assuring the safety of both hunters and the public!
You where not specific as to the serious problems that are occuring at WCC and Lums so I will assume it's overpopulation. I believe that the state could increase both 1. the number of hunters at the parks and 2 the number of deer harvested with a few changes in the current program. (I believe the programs at WCC and Lums are different and I have only hunted at WCC so all my comments are directed at WCC.)
1. Lengthen Bow season.
2. During Bow season eliminate the "must go to X stand site" and hunt within a 20yrd circle rule. Insted the state has already determined that each peice of property, Judge Morris, Possim Hill, etc. can support X number of hunters, let the hunters determine/decide where within that property they want to "set up". This would allow the hunters to hunt insted of "gee I hope a deer walks by"!
3. If the above is not acceptable than I would seggest to shuffle or re-locate the existing stand locations every two to three years. Over the past three years several new Archery only areas have been created/added. The harvest in most of these areas has been very successful. Also this past year a few of the old wood stands where re-located, some only 50 yrds but the sucess level at the new locations was great. This is a great strategy and I wish they would move stands on a regular basis. We hunters will provide the labor!
4. It would be great if the park would sponsor a archery clinic during the off season so kids and wives can enjoy the sport of archery or sponsor a 3D shoot borrowing the targets from Ommelanden range! Again if it where advertised I'm sure you could get hunters to provide all the necessary labor.
5. Allow shotgun hunting from climbing tree stands. make hunters show protective gear.
6. Move all stand sites far from the public view. I personally have been harassed by people riding bikes during hunting season. Even though I was in cammo from head to toe, when some of the stands are less that 20 yrds from a main trail it's hard not to be seen.

A couple things the state could do to help maintain safety and control of the program.
1. Require all archery & gun hunters to pass a proficientcy test before being issued a archery permit and gun permit (Ommelanden). This may seem like a deterent and maby it would be but if the state was willing loosen up the rules, I believe it would fly!
2. Require hunters to carry two way radios and check in at designated times.

I realize I'm not going to make any friends by offering these suggestions but speeking for myself, as a hunter who apperciates the oppertunity to use WCC, I would be willing to do any of these if the rules could be somewhat changed/ relaxed.

And yes there are some FAT squirrels in the park! I would love to have the chance to take a few!

Again sorry for the spelling errors, is there a way to run spell check? -Ken