For those of you who are missing the point of HR,let me explain.
The DCNR has determined that deer are destroying the forests therefore they want them exterminated and if hunters can't do the job they'll use other means.Now this tells me they don't recognize hunting as a means of recreation compared to hikers,skiers,bikers,birdwatchers,tourists,etc.The PGC is only interested in saving the forests and giving what the DCNR wants because of threats.They don't care about the private land.Sure there's some farmers complaining about crop damage but let's face it,with the amount of tags handed out today the only farms with too many deer are farms that are posted or surrounded by posted land.In that case the farmers need to take that up with their neighbors.If an area is open to hunting there is not a problem with too many deer eating the crops and if you actually think there is then you need to get out more.It's called access and where there isn't much like in the SW or extreme SE you have overpopulation.
OK so scratch the DCNR from future huntable land,Rendell signed that off to tourism and the tree huggers.That leaves us the gamelands for the unfortunate folks that have to hunt public land.And the last I checked these lands were bought by the hunters to "MANAGE WILDLIFE".Deer does fall under that catagory.First of all that means stick to the plan of clearcutting and stop giving into the extremists like the DCNR did.Secondly offer a $5 fee/tag for the people who want to hunt here with that money going toward habitat improvement.I for one would pay even more then that for an oppertunity for some decent deer hunting.That way the gamelands can be managed for what they were bought for-wildlife management.
I hear folks from the SW say that in the past they had to travel to the NC to hunt for deer and now say people are complaining because the shoe is on the other foot.That arguement doesn't hold water because those people had thousands of acres of state land to roam in which used to be great hunting.That oppertunity doesn't exist in the SW because it's mostly private.
If you are fortunate enough to live within private land and have access don't be selfish and flame others who are complaining about the lack of deer on public land.Listen to these people because there's obviosly a problem here.The forest lands are lost to the tree huggers but we can do something about our wonderful game lands system.
Oh yeah,I hear Alt might be headed to California,he'll fit right in there.