All the fenced in areas that i have seen in PA are after a cut. my question is, is there any areas that they fenced up with out cutting? like an area that has big timber.

Doubt it. The fence in areas that have been cut to keep the deer out so new growth has a chance.

thanks T
well i didnt think so also. but i would think they would want to do a few tests though w/ that.

[align=left]yep the commish wants to "educate" the uneducated. All the fenced areas that i know of are after a cut. Of course they are gonna have a lot of under growth.Fence in a non-timbered area once...........[/align]

Right on!
Did you ever see a cutover that DIDN"T regenerate?
They blame the deer for the barren understory in a mature forest when there will NEVER be an understory in a mature forest even if DEVOID of deer.
Some will point to the tornado zone from '84 as proof of deer damage.
The trees were uprooted and died. Thus, no stump regrowth andno seed production the following season. Simple!

HAve you guys ever saw the BASF forestry commercial, where they talk about a healthy forest with no choking underbrush and great visibilty that makes it safe for recreational useand hunters? This in not just a PA thing, its a nationwide forestry trend that is a BIG problem.

Will they ever "unfence" them? We hunt around several of these some are brand new almost completely empty, some are so overgrown and thick that you couldn't walk through it to save your life.

Do they plan to take down the fence at any time?

(laughing)
They make it sound like they are doing the hunters a favor.
I actually get pissed now when I see that commercial.
"healthy" forest?
Healthy for whom, and what?
Its barren and dead to 100 feet up.

How many deer get caught in the fences and die?
I can tell you that in the ANF where I hunt, the deer jump over the fences like they aren't there. Some of the best sign and biggest rubs are on the INSIDE of the fences.
They better remove them soon or I am thinking about filing a lawsuit of some kind. If the treehuggers can do it, so can we.

Livbucks,I have seen many clearcuts that never regenerated.I know of one in particular thathad several small exclures put up about six years after the clearcut failed.Guess what?Those exclosures are choked full of new vegitation now while outside the fences,it's barren.Also,you have to look at what's regenerating in a clearcut.Most of the unfenced clearcuts around here have nothing but beech,black birch and striped maple growing.Not exactly the best habitat.I can also show any of you guys some exclosures that were erected underthe canopy of a mature forest.The growth,while not the same as in an opened canopy is veryimpressive.

Do they ever paln on taking them down?Yes DCNR usually leaves them up for about 15 years.Just long enoughso the new growth gets above the reach of the deer.

I have seen exclosures failin many instances.Deer are not the only issue surrounding the regeneration of our forests but it is one of the biggest reasons.When you cut an area and fence half of it,only getting regen where it's been fenced,you have too many deer.It's as simple as that.