NJB
All this means is whay I've been trying to say all along. That we are headed in the right general direction. Yes, these results are from the capture area and results are undoubdtedly different form DMU to DMU. Heck, they're going to be different from property to property. It can never be expected to be an exact science and good deer management by it's nature has to be an evolving process.
The last paragraph of the article was particularly interesting. (dont have it in front of me now but I'll paraphrase) It started out saying that game management agencies from all over are watching our "Pennsylvania experiment" cautiously. My first thought was that maybe some biologists out there were also concerned over the higher doe kills but it turns out that the skepticism among ALts peers is about whether or not Pa can use the reward of bigger bucks to sell the idea of killing enough does!
DD
Once again you continue to prove that with a set of numbers ands a calculator you can prove just about anything you want.
Lets look again....
Winter 2002 before AR..... 2% of deer captured for the buck study were adult bucks, BB's to adult bucks were 15 to 1 and adult does to adult bucks were 14 to 1
Winter 2004 after just 2 years of AR...... 13% of deer captured were adult bucks, BB's to adult bucks were 2 to 1 and adult does to adult bucks were 2 to 1
OK from those two statements, the adult bucks that survived IN THE CAPTURE AREA increased in 6.5 times. Now the if the 04 bb numbers are only twice what the adult buck numbers are that means the sheer number only went down from 30 bbs per 2 adult bucks to 26 per 13 adult bucks.
Sounds good to me!
And just as it is valid to not assume that these numbers played out through the whole state it is also just as valid to not assume that the light buck kill this past season is the result of AR alone. The weather, which can be a huge factor was not at all conducive to a big kill this past rifle season.
All I have been trying to say is that we need to give it a chance to work.
One more thing DD, I just can't imagine how you can claim you care a lick about our herd when you willingly contribute to one problem that we can only solve through education and a change in the culture of the Pa deer hunte: the killing of bb's. Kinda makes me think you want Alts plan to fail and you're willing to do what you can to help it do just that!
The anterless harvest has included 21-23% BB for the past 40 years and it has had no adverse effct on the health of the herd. The fact that we were able to harvest 6 BB proves that the herd is very healthy and productive in our area.
So, I guess Gary Alt hasn't ruined your deer woods yet but it appears you and your gang are trying to do just that.