I didn't post on the poll - but wished I had.

If I were a PA resident - especially with some land, I'd support him 100%. Just because the state might institute a management plan for the general public, doesn't mean you have to follow it (though I think for most it would be wise).

My point is - If you control say 400 acres, and everyone around you is forced to take does, and older bucks (kind of the opposite of what you have now), you could manage your land to take advantage of the situation. DOn't get me wrong, I'm all for taking does and and protecting young bucks, but think of what you could accomplish. By offering food plots, and sanctuary, you could take your does, and up the plan a notch and make your goal 3-1/2 year old bucks within a couple years. In states where no restrictions exist (NY) most of us are trying to manage for 2-1/2 year old bucks, with the occasional 3-1/2 year old on small properties.

Assume that the plan was in place today, and you wanted to increase your deer sightings, and average buck age, could you do it? Of course you could. Buckmagnent, your area sounds great now, think how much better it could be. Cardeer, your situation is a bit more bleek, you say you hunt a week and see 5 deer. With the Alt plan, you would see 2-1/2 deer per week - but they would be better deer, I'm sure that's your fear. And honestly, it might be realized until the habitat rebounds either through management by the state on your forests (through cutting and food plots per your suggestion), or naturally as less deer browse the understory(which might take many years).

If the Alt plan goes through tomorrow, many of you hunting barren woodlands would have to reconsider where you hunt, how you hunt and what would need to be done to increase your deer sightings/population. Mostly it would require increasing the carrying capacity of the land. There is nothing in the Alt plan that I've read, that would stop anyone from doing this.

Biologically, the state needs to reduce the herd, or increase the carrying capcity. Unlike NorthJeff's situation, Winterkill is not a big concern. The state has decided to "manage less deer" (Buckmagnet's words), yes, but if you increase the carrying capicity, or its already high like in Buckmagnet's case, I doubt you'd see less deer at all, just better ones. This is the case in Iowa, Kansas, etc.