Yep PGC already sharecrops the majority of thier SGLs, and acorns only make a part of a deers diet for a few weeks in fall. In winter deer mainly shift to browse, and pa's forests according to the Bureau of Forestry are "predominantly mature" meaning ready to cut at the 1% a year rate. (Actually DCNR shifted thier rotation in the new forest mgmt plan to be variable, it used to be 100 years, now it is 80 to 100 depending on species composition)

So no, cutting mast trees and replacing them is not detrimental to wildlife, it creates the diversity of sapling stage, pole stage, and mature that is needed for ALL wildlife.

And the pgc does already (has for years) partnered with private landowners in CREP and co-op projects to create food for deer.

Pa can support decent deer numbers with the habitat we have today, it has for decades, but the enviromentalists are drawing a line in the sand and saying there cannot be a tradeoff of flora for wildlife. (trees for deer)

Well there always has and always will be a tradeoff. If you go by ecoweenie standards in pa we will have few deer <12dpsm. If we accept the tradeoff, even Audubon says our state could support between 18-20dpsm before affecting regen.

So why is the PGC at 12dpsm ave. for our DD goal?

Its an extremist goal meant to make a point, but is not a realistic goal for longterm and statewide.

The DD goals are way out of whack, and in the next few years they will be changed.