ORIGINAL: 951hunter
Guy's. The tough 2 winters is what reduced the herd size. Before the 02 winter I was tripping over deer (so many). All I have to say is wait 2 or 3 years so the numbers where use to will return. I am not making a blanket statement. There are other parts of the state that the harsh winter did not affect the deer as much. Mostly the higher elevations. Including many parts of NY as well.
No two years of bad winters didn't reduce the herd . But two years of record anterless harvests in which we killed more adult doe than the total anterless harvest in 1999, reduced breeding rates and recruitment, which leads to lower harvests.
The number of deer will not increase anytime soon ,since the goal is to reduce the herd from the current 25 DPSM to 13 DPSM and the areas that have the most deer now will experence the biggest reduction, since only 2 G and 2 F have a goals of 15 DPSM or more.