The PGC Reinvents The Wheel
12-21-2009, 04:18 AM
#1
Nontypical Buck
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Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 3,879
The PGC Reinvents The Wheel
Here is a quote from the PGC in 1979 comparing the former deer management plan ,to the new and improved deer management plan.
Does any of that sound familiar?
Compatibility matter – “Instead of relying almost exclusively on age
structure, physical measurements and reproductive capability as the
criteria for allocating antlerless deer licenses, overwinter carrying
capacity (deer per square mile) for the different range classifications will
be utilized.
“The ultimate goal is to tailor deer numbers to levels more compatible
with natural food supplies and other land uses. A downward
readjustment in population size for counties experiencing excessively
high damage to new forest growth and agricultural crops will be effected
by utilizing the more sophisticated basis for allocation licenses.
Conversely, an expansion of herd size is anticipated for areas exhibiting
adequate food and little potential conflict with the farming community.
While there will be changes in the traditional population centers and
attendant harvests, the implementation of more realistic and harmonious
herd control will assure that deer management remains in the hands of
the Pennsylvania Game Commission where it belongs.” - Game
Commission biologist Harvey Roberts, Report to PFSC, 6\79 PA Game
News
structure, physical measurements and reproductive capability as the
criteria for allocating antlerless deer licenses, overwinter carrying
capacity (deer per square mile) for the different range classifications will
be utilized.
“The ultimate goal is to tailor deer numbers to levels more compatible
with natural food supplies and other land uses. A downward
readjustment in population size for counties experiencing excessively
high damage to new forest growth and agricultural crops will be effected
by utilizing the more sophisticated basis for allocation licenses.
Conversely, an expansion of herd size is anticipated for areas exhibiting
adequate food and little potential conflict with the farming community.
While there will be changes in the traditional population centers and
attendant harvests, the implementation of more realistic and harmonious
herd control will assure that deer management remains in the hands of
the Pennsylvania Game Commission where it belongs.” - Game
Commission biologist Harvey Roberts, Report to PFSC, 6\79 PA Game
News
12-21-2009, 07:04 AM
#3
Typical Buck
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location:
Posts: 659
So HR and managing the herd in regards to forest health actually began in 1979? Interesting. I thought (according to the current plan proponents) that those were the years where no one gave a damn except for having a deer behind every tree.
12-21-2009, 07:41 AM
#4
Nontypical Buck
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Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 3,879
You must be confused.It was Gary Alt that spend two years bashing the PGC DMP that was implemented in 1980, not me The result is we now have a DMP based on the desires of special interest groups like DCNR, the timber industry and the Audubon.
12-22-2009, 01:22 PM
#5
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 3,879
Here's another interesting quote from the 1927 Bailey report.
Then there is this from a 1927 newspaper article.
Based on that it appears we had more deer in 1927 than we do now.
• “The estimate of the number of does at the present time is generally
given by those familiar with deer conditions as 25 does to 1 buck, this in
a rough way would indicate over a million deer in the state.”
• “In places where the whole slope is grazed to a height of six feet from
the ground, fawns and yearlings can not reach to the lowest branches of
the trees and are thus deprived of the best food. The low shrubbery is
usually closely cropped or exhausted before the higher levels are reached
by the large deer. This apparently is the cause of the recent loss of large
numbers of last year's fawns.”
given by those familiar with deer conditions as 25 does to 1 buck, this in
a rough way would indicate over a million deer in the state.”
• “In places where the whole slope is grazed to a height of six feet from
the ground, fawns and yearlings can not reach to the lowest branches of
the trees and are thus deprived of the best food. The low shrubbery is
usually closely cropped or exhausted before the higher levels are reached
by the large deer. This apparently is the cause of the recent loss of large
numbers of last year's fawns.”
And the number is – “Some sportsmen claim there are more than
3,000,000 deer. Others place the number lower, but all, game
commissioners and wardens included, sincerely believe that the state
contains close to 1,500,000 deer, or nearly a deer for each family.” -
McKeesport Daily New, June 13, 1927.
3,000,000 deer. Others place the number lower, but all, game
commissioners and wardens included, sincerely believe that the state
contains close to 1,500,000 deer, or nearly a deer for each family.” -
McKeesport Daily New, June 13, 1927.
Last edited by bluebird2; 12-22-2009 at 01:25 PM.
12-22-2009, 01:28 PM
#6
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: PA
Posts: 8,167
You just might be catching on after all.
12-22-2009, 01:36 PM
#7
Nontypical Buck
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Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 3,879
But in 1927 those 1M plus deer were limited to 30 counties of the state. Now we have deer in all 67 counties and the counties with the highest human populations also have the highest deer densities, yet the PGC chose to reduce the population to less than 1M deer.