I also remember needing 3 or 4 hunters per DMP in the same area where now I am almost guaranteed 2 dmps a year for myself. In the ADKs (Herkimer, St. Lawrence, Hamilton Counties) in 70s and early 80s DMPs were issued, and havent been in years. Here as well as the Tug Hill area I believe strongly the almost universal use of muzzleloaders and the october ML season has taken the place, and results in a much higher doe take. I do not envy the DEC in regulating the harvest. It is an art, not a science. If hunters dont get enough DMPs, they gripe. If they give them more, the herd takes a bigger toll, and there are less. The purpose of the DMPs is to regulate the size of the deer herd, not to supply hunters with the most deer possible. In that regard, I wish the state would move to a one buck per license holder limit, with the DMP job being handled by the bow, muzzleloader etc. licenses.

I personally think the DEC needs to take more of a hands on approach to our herd. They base harvest numbers on the call in report system, and some mathimatical calculations. Buck harvests per square mile determines how many doe need to be harvested! I see less and less deer check stations these days. I used to volunteer in college to work deer check stations. There used to be alot more then. The DEC changed to the Sat. opener to allow more hunters, and youth in the woods for 2 days on a wknd. I head home on Sun. afternoon, drive by the Lafayette deer check station on Rt.81. The sign is always up, and running that Sun. "Deer Check Station OPEN Ahead". I driveby, and noones ever there. Now you tell me how does the DEC get good input from 1 day deer check stations? I know they get more than #'s for info. But 1 day hardly seems enough. I know other states like Ohio have mandatory deer check stations. You must check your deer in, and recieve a ear tag in order for it to be legal. Imagine the data, and harvest #'s the DEC could collect from mandatory deer checks?
Right now the DEC is looking to once again restructure the tag system to better control doe harvests in every WMU. Why?, becasue they can't keep track of actual herd #'s in several WMU's. I think its time the DEC changed its system of tracking our herds!

I reakze it can be a hit and miss on deer numbers ,
There is NO way to no exact numbers for sure .
How abought getting hunters in each area do a survey on the deer seen on each hunt or scouting trip in the field ?
I no they had one for turkeys last year ,
Heck I filled it out and I dont even hunt turkeys .
I still cant figure out how they can predict deer numbers in an area by the deer take ?
During the rut witch is at least a 3rd of the season up here the Bucks run everywhere and push the does to .

Being a non-resident, I've not had any anterless tags for years...except for archery either sex. That and $140 a pop for the licenses, have dampened my spirits a bit.

I'm about guaranteed 1 DMP from the looks of it and will get denied for a second DMP which it's been probably 3 years now since I got 2...

Awe nuts!
 

So, then ya' put em' in the brine???:D

I agree, but like you said, there is no surefire way to accurately predict numbers. I participate in the Bowhunters survey to try and do my part, but it's not mandatory. There are so many variables that could affect deer herd #'s eg. harsh winter, car vs. deer, coyotes, poaching, low buck to doe ratio, natural causes, people with 5-shot magazines and an itchy trigger finger, and so on. The way I see it is that some people just won't put forth the time and effort to evaluate the local herd without some incentive. Maybe if the DEC would create some public awareness as to the importance of keeping track of the #'s then it could be something that even non-hunters could partake in!!! If we helped them(non-hunters) realize that a close evaluation of the statewide deer population would not just be helping hunters, but rather maintaining a healthy herd of deer for everyone to enjoy. Hey, I might be onto something!!!!:D

I agree ..
 

I hear ya , just need to get everyone on the same page .
Variables are evidable .
For instance , where I own I see deer 9 out of ten times I hunt .
Theres days where I see 6 to 8 deer and sometimes even 20 to 25 deer in one evening hunt .
Although I always see more deer on evening hunts versus morning hunts , I here other local hunters say they see very few within a 5 mile radious ,,,,,

Or just buy the lifetime license and shell out some cash up front and never pay for another license again. Thats what I did this year. I wish I did it a few years ago before prices went up tho.

I did to
 

I bought my Life time license abought 3 years ago now .
Glad I did , I have the big/small game Sportsman and Lifetime Bow license to .
Weather you pay the ten dollars or not its still a raffle to get a DMP Tag....