Pa. Game Commission Problems
 

Any thoughts out there on the financial mess the PGC is in, and the ir proposal to raise license fees? I hear there are some entanglements concerning this, and the PGC could be in jeaprody of being disbanded if revenues are not met. What's the outlook, and possible consequences?

RE: Pa. Game Commission Problems
 

The DCNR is loveing this they know that they will take over when the PGC goes down the tubes, at that time they take the land that the hunters paid for and do what they want with it, and they can finish their goal of 0 to 5 DPSM. then they will have room for their bird watchers,treehuggers,day hikers. Their plan has no room for hunters.

RE: Pa. Game Commission Problems
 

Here's my opinion,there's people and groups who want the PGC to fail so they can be free to push their own deer management practices.Groups like the bird watchers,DCNR,and others are licking their chops.Alt and Ben Moyer are two that sure aren't helping the PGC's cause with the crap that put out in public.These guys aren't good for the hunting community.

RE: Pa. Game Commission Problems
 

I think a fee is needed, the flower sniffers are not a group to take lite, they're sticking their noses in this for a reason!!!!!

RE: Pa. Game Commission Problems
 

Why would they want no hunters? Don't hunters bring a alot of money into the state and the outdoors?

RE: Pa. Game Commission Problems
 

The PGC told the House Game and Fisheries Committee back in '98 or '99 when they last applied for and were granteda license increase, that said increase would last about5to 7 years and then the reserve fund would have to be tapped into. That time has come and gone.

Several months ago HG&FC chairman Bruce Smith claimed he was "blind sided" by the PGC's testimony that a license increase was needed. No idea why he was blind sided, since he was chairman when they last asked for an increase and told him it would need another increase in the next5to 7 years. Maybe he and the rest of the legislators were too busy working on their own pay increases and forgot about the game commission?

Now the Houseclaims there are too many questions concerning deer management to grant the needed license increase. Not sure what perceptions ofdeer management has to do with running the agency. Sounds to me like they're using the fuss about "no deer" to curry favor with those constituents who have complained,at the expense of granting the needed license increase.

Personnel costshave risen due to state employee contracts that the game commission has no control over; insurance costs have risen; the cost of vehicles, equipment, materialsand gasoline keepsincreasing.

DCNR secretary DeBerawhatis keeps saying they have no interest in a merger, so does Fast Eddie. Don' t knowif I believe them or not, but nothing has emerged from the adminstration to indicate they're lying.

All the other things I see mentioned here sound more like theignorant rantings of those that don't have a clue. Sorry.

RE: Pa. Game Commission Problems
 

DCNR oversees the managemaent of hundreds of thousands of acres of State Forest and State Parks, among other things. Timbering has become a cash cow for them, as lots of the forested areas under their control have matured. Lots of these areas are being fenced in so the deer which are left, cannot browse on the young shoots as they regenerate, or so they claim. Many feel that the DCNR has little or no interest in maintaining a deer herd of huntable size due to the opinion that they are only interested (DCNR) in protecting the regenerated timber for future harvest. Hence, the realization that the PGC, if lost due to monetary difficuties wre disbanded, the seemingly logical choice to absorb their programs (or eliminate them) would fall to the DCNR. It' starting to scare some of us.

RE: Pa. Game Commission Problems
 

Everything you stated in your post I agree with except your last sentence. THAT was ignorant !!!!!

RE: Pa. Game Commission Problems
 

Fire all them DCNR,PGC the whole bunch of them and throw fast eddie to the bears. And start over.None of them are worth the space thay take up As far as a increase.No problem but lets have a watchdog group of hunters looking over their shoulders with a microscope. Let start with 20.00 doe tags

RE: Pa. Game Commission Problems
 

It's funny how some claim hunting is not part of DCNR's plan but yet DCNR needs hunters to maintain lower deer numbers.