ORIGINAL: deaddeer
That is not what Alt said would happen. He said AR would double the number of 2.5+ buck and double the number of 8 pt+ buck, but it only increased the number of 8+ buck by 20% , not 100%.
You have one major problem and that is all the experts in the PGC disagree with you. The 2003 annual report states that the herd has been steadily increasing since 1999 and last years harvest only kept the herd stable. Therefore , according to the experts there has been no herd reduction and buck harvests should be over 203K , if AR worked the way Alt said it would. Remember ,he said buck harvests would return to normal after the first year.
So it only increased the number by 20% and not 100%. he//, it's only been in effect for two years, you've got to give it a chance. That's the problem with some hunters, they think monster deer grow on trees and they want to see full results in 1 year or they think everythings a failure. These are usually the same ones who think "hunting" consists of walking 10 feet of the road, sitting for an hour and heading back to camp before breakfast is cold. So what if Alt was off on the time frame. The numbers are still pointed in the right direction. You said yourself mature buck harvest is up 20%, it just may take longer to get as high as you see fit. As far as the herd growing I can't see how that's possible seeing as how we are harvesting more deer than before with the majority of those deer being does (meaning less offspring). On this I have to disagree with the pgc. I let the numbers and what I see in the woods dictate my opinions and not an annual report. All in all I think there are less deer with a better ratio and more bucks. This is the first time in years I have seen more buck than doe on my property with the smallest buck being a 120-130 class 8 point and the largest being a 170+ class 14 point. Without AR half of these would have been shot 3 years ago when they were 60 lb fork horns.