germain

I don't have time to do the research but I would love to see how many dpsm are being harvested in say the SW.I'll bet it's a whole lot higher then the dcnr dmap areas?
Why?Because there's alot more deer.The deer numbers are very low in the dcnr demap areas hence the low harvest rates.No science needed to figure that out just some experience and knowledge in those places.

Four Sox

Yeh T, I get it, mission accomplished, herd reduction in these areas worked, I guess total erradication is next??? What else is the article saying, more time for the remaining deer in pockets.

DougE

germain,I killed a doe in Parker dam state park on the first day of archery this past year at 8:00am.She was the sixth deer I had in range that morning.I hunted private property for the remainder of archery season and killed a buck.I saw a total of 3 doe and 9 legal bucks during the rest of archery season on private property.Ispent the rest of the year hunting in Ohioand didn't hunt Pa again until the last day of rifle season.I had a dmap tag for an area in southern Cameron county so I headed up there despite everyone telling me I was wasting my time.I killed a doe that morning and saw around 20 deer by 10:00am.When you add it up,I hunted for about 5 hours on state forest land this year and killed 2 deer and saw at least 25 deer.That's far more than I saw on private land or in Ohio for the entire season.Hunting the state forests is much easier than hunting alot of private land in my opinion.The habitat is so poor on most of the state forests,all you have to do is key in on the small amount of available food and cover.Find an area with some recent logging and you'll generally find the deer.

Once again,the next time you're up this way give me a call.I'd like to show you some area on state forest landwhere they're not even fencing the timber harvests anymore because the regeneration is so good,do to less deer.Some of these area were loaded with deer just 5 years ago and the old timber harvests never regenerated.The herd was dramatically reduced prior to the more recent cutting and boom,regen all over the place.the deer herd is also making a strong comeback in these area over the past year.

germain

I'm going to try and get with you this year Doug.
If the dcnr would get their wish for a three month rifle season it wouldn't take long to eliminate the few deer left on state forest land.
Your hunt up north was on private land though right?

PA GOBBLER

careful guys. few guys on here think that the DCNR can do no wrong. i for one do not and will not support the DCNR and i am so glad i dont have to hunt state forest. [/align]i think that's sad that they would want that long of a rifle season, but maybe next year they will get that wish.[/align]

DougE

Germain,The dmap property that I hunted in Cameron county is owned by a friend of mine that bought it for the timber.He doesn't hunt and never posted the property.It's bordered on 3 sides by state forest land so most peopleprobably assumed it was state forest.He gets10 dmapcoupons a year and hands them out to anyone that wants them.Most of his property is unhuntable because it's pretty mucha cliff.You can actually see the white dots,marking the state forest from whereI hunted.He owns 200 acres and I'd say no more than 50 acres are actually huntable.This property was timbered in 2001 and he's having a hard time getting any regeneration because the deer flock to this area in the winter because it's one of the only places in that immediate area that had any browse.

I've been spending a consideable amount of time on state forest land over the past few weeks while scouting for turkeys.I'm seeing way more deer and sign thanI did the last three springs.I really fail to see how hunting has gotten so terrible in this area.I had a great year last year and I'm positive this year will be better.

Interestingly.I've only seen one other hunter on public land this spring scouting for turkeys.I've seen multiple hunters scouting on the private property where I hunt.Just because land isn't owned by the state,it doesn't mean it gets less pressure.

I'm not a real big fan of Rendell's yes men that area running DCNR.It seems their priorities are out of wack and not in the best interest of sportsman.However,they do have alot of good guys on the ground and they know what's going on in their districts.I know you disagree butI think they did exactly what neded to be done in this area.The habitat in district 9 was absolutely terrible.When it takes a fence to get regeneration,you have too many deer.Now that the deer herd is down,regeneration is starting to come back and hopefully the fencing will come down as well.Those fences help the trees but they hurt the deer.Every acres that's get's fenced is one less acre of habitat for the deer.Hopefully,less deer will mean the habitat will start to recover but it won't happen overnight.

Give me a call when you're up this way.I think you'll see where I'm coming from.Plus,I can show you a few areaswhere you should have no trouble killing a deer.Turkey numbers seem to be down somewhat but there's still plenty of them out there.Who knows,maybe we'll even see a mountain lion.

DougE

The hunters of Pa better wake up and start supporting a lisence increase.The PGC is our best friend and they're on our side regardless of what many think.They have reams of evidence proving that the deer herd was way out of balance with the habitat.Theyreduced the herd because it was in the best interst of hunting and the deer.Once theyhad it reduded,they made adjustments.Last year theyslashed allocation in 2F and 2G by over 40%.This year they slashed it even more.I fail to understand why hunters think they haven't done anything.I get sick and tired of people saying DCNR is running deer management.Ifthey were,which may be a possibility if the PGC doesn't get an lisence increase,we'll see rifles in all seasons,baiting,group huntingand a hell of alot less deer than you're seeing now.DCNR has been asking for these things for several years and the PGC hasn't given in.It's time to ignore the conspiracy theories and look at the facts.

T_in_PA3

Bingo Doug.

Four Sox

Doug, I speak for myself here, I support the liscense fee, I know DCNR isn't totally running the show, I know they have good ground men, but I wanna keep it that way, I want Rendell's yes men to stay outta of the picture. Nothing will change my opinion of the powers to be high in the DCNR!!

DougE

I'm not nuts about the guys running the show at DCNR myself.I have friends that work for DCNR,including our district forester and these guys are dedicated to both the deer and the habitat though.None of them want to see the deer exterminated like so many believe.they're also sick of building and maintaining fences,but up until recently,they had no choice.

All I can say is we better support the PGC because the other options aren't very good.