What PA needs ....................
#132

We need more biologists! Isnt that what we do in manufacturing? Cant fit square peg in round hole, scratch our heads for bit, then hire more engineers to "help fix" the situation.
Kinda reminds me of my mailman, the genius that he is. One day he noticed how my rose bed wasnt doing as well as my neighbors and decided to lend me some advice, since his hobby was gardening. He proceeded to tell me how much better my rose bed would fare if I only took the advice he gave them in what fertilizer to use on their bed. I told him I did use the same fertilzer they used and that we both planted the same time, watered the same times, everything was the same. The only difference was their bed was fenced and mine wasnt. A couple days later I noticed something moving in my rose bed. It was the neighbors cat doing his business all over my roses!
I think thats our answer, someones pi$$ing on our roses and its the DCNR/PGC!
Kinda reminds me of my mailman, the genius that he is. One day he noticed how my rose bed wasnt doing as well as my neighbors and decided to lend me some advice, since his hobby was gardening. He proceeded to tell me how much better my rose bed would fare if I only took the advice he gave them in what fertilizer to use on their bed. I told him I did use the same fertilzer they used and that we both planted the same time, watered the same times, everything was the same. The only difference was their bed was fenced and mine wasnt. A couple days later I noticed something moving in my rose bed. It was the neighbors cat doing his business all over my roses!
I think thats our answer, someones pi$$ing on our roses and its the DCNR/PGC!
#133
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: PA
Posts: 1,149

With the thousands of state forest acres open to hunting it's ashame some areas couldn't be set aside to utilize hunting as a form of recreation.Rather then timber profits take a few pilot programs with habitat improvement and see what happens.
Possibly pitt-rob funds or organizations could help pay.
Not sure about snowmobiles but ATV's have to purchase a license from DCNR to ride which I assume goes toward maintaining the trails.
Why not hunting?Why not let groups such as The National grouse society and NWTF get more involved on state forest lands?Set aside a couple of areas for strictly habitat improvements which would benefit all widlife.Instead of fencing to keep deer out clearcut to keep deer around.
#134

The ruffed grouse society has done some mowing on game lands around here, I just think it needs done on a larger scale.
Of course we don't have the endless tracks of timber that the state forest are made up of.
The answer lies with the chain saw.
Of course we don't have the endless tracks of timber that the state forest are made up of.
The answer lies with the chain saw.

#135

Yeah, but the birdies love the mature hardwods, and the PGC and DCNR really don't want to timber more when the market is down. Translated: Birdies and dollar bills trump improving the habitat. Advice to private landowners...select cut like hell, and sell firewood, not lumber wood. Rising electric and fuel prices have more and more people burning wood. Not gonnna get rich, but you'll improve your hunting land and make a little $ for your time.
#138
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 3,879

The answer lies with the chain saw.
How will chainsaws be the answer for the property owners that already have more food, browse and cover than the current deer population can use? How will they be the answer on SFL where the sustainable harvest rate is only 1% /year?
#139

While I agree that the chainsaw may be the answer for properties with little browse and cover and nothing but pole and saw timber, they are not the answer to the statewide problem. The deer have already proven the habitat can support 1.6M deer but the PGC isn't interested in the carrying capacity of the habitat. Their only concern is the regeneration of the existing canopy.
How will chainsaws be the answer for the property owners that already have more food, browse and cover than the current deer population can use? How will they be the answer on SFL where the sustainable harvest rate is only 1% /year?
How will chainsaws be the answer for the property owners that already have more food, browse and cover than the current deer population can use? How will they be the answer on SFL where the sustainable harvest rate is only 1% /year?
With a good chain saw you could cut and sell enough fire wood so that you could afford to hunt some rich exotic place with spikes and fork horns galore.

#140
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 3,879

With a good chain saw you could cut and sell enough fire wood so that you could afford to hunt some rich exotic place with spikes and fork horns galore.
BTW, I have at least 7 cords I could sell that I cut last year, and cutting that much wood made no difference in the quality of hunting in our area. Furthermore, my BIL and I cut an additional 5 cords and I cut an addition 4 cords for my use.