RE: Antler restrictions: another view
First of all, what makes this guy a respected outdoor voice? I read virtually all the deer and hunting related magazines including buckmasters and dont remember this guy. He does elevate the expression of opinion over fact to an art form however. Dr Alt has never said he is mananging for trophy bucks. He is mananging for a healthier herd. One in balance with the habitat. He has admitted that bigger bucks are a by product that he needs to sell it to hunters. Yes AR's will still allow older bucks and young bucks with potential to die but the average age will increase. How much tougher is it to kill a buck that has made just one season. How many bucks die as a result of their first mistake in rifle season. By protecting juveniles for just one year we will help the most intelligent specimens to learn how to evade hunters which will further add to the average age. Isn't it best fo any species that the only the strongest, smartest, most adaptable specimens get to breed. One only needs to look at the current state of the human race to see that letting inferior specimens breed is not good for the whole species. <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>
It's funny how Dr Alts peers, wildlife biologists, all seem to support his ideas. Some admittedly are watching with caution because as Big Country said, we are entering uncharted waters. His opponenets, however, dont cite any science when they make their case. They simply state their opinions and proclaim it as fact.
The PGC conducted an independent study to get the opinion of Pa's hunters. Go to their web site and read the whole thing. I didn't see much of anything in the way of leading questions and the results show that a majority of Pa hunters are interestd in a better balance in the buck/doe ratio and a herd in balance with the habitat. Opponents merely ignore the simple principles of statistics and random sampling and say "they didnt ask me" or "they didnt ask all hunters"
Show me a wildlife biologist that is willing to give us scientific evidence that Alt is wrong, going too fast or that we cant make Pa's herd better and healthier!
Oh yeah, Wallingford made his statements before Alt took the helm. What have we heard from him lately?