Valentine, I just selected 4E because it is the unit I am most familiar with. I cover most of this unit throughout the season. My hunting consists of stand hunting, still hunting and silent drives. I have been sucessful in harvesting a buck for the past 5 or 6 years in 4E. And while it is true that the antlered harvest, if you can believe it, has remained relatively the same since 2003 the anterless harvest dropped 6000. Now lets take in to account the range from 2005 to 2010: Antlered harvest about the same, anterless down 3000, total population down 7000. Now we have to assume that the existing does are being bred. And if they are, stastically the dropped fawn buck to doe ratio being equal and healthy does normally dropping 2 per year, and even taking in to account 50% of the fawns taken by predators or accidents there should be more antered deer harvested and the population should be higher.
Someone is lying through their teeth. I'm sorry, figures don't lie, but liars figure.

Get used to the lies from the Game Commission, it has been going on for years. The only thing they admit to is anything good that comes about, whether they(GC) had anything to do with it or not. Anything bad and you don't know what you are talking about. I am tired of years of abuse from Deputy Game Wardens and Game Wardens. Now we have to take abuse from the Game Commission? You try to draw their attention to a problem and they talk down to you as if they were dealing with a special needs child.
I did notice one thing in the last few years. People that were always sticklers for the Game Laws are a lot looser in their interpetations of the law (Me included) than they used to be. I am not talking outlaw stuff, but small things, enough to get a fine. Think about that and people you know that hunt. This is a direct result of no respect for the Game Commission.

Heard and witnessed. :sad0064:

Thanks bronko22000
 

You got me motivated in checking data in PA, for my non-resident hunt.

"Now knowing most of WMU 4E where I do most of my hunting. I cover most of this unit throughout the season."


Now, bronko, it would take a non-local five years to know all that data, even for a start. From the state data, the harvest isn't too bad in 4E. PA had a deer reduction, but not all over, according to the data. I can see the complication, in it all.
Maybe they're giving your area credit for the buck harvest in 2010, by thinking the hunters are hiding some deer in the old culm banks.

Of course, it made me laugh thinking of a army artillery officer, I knew, who was looking at a topo map from PA . What's that strange hill, he asked? Oh that, I said, that's a "column" bank, sir.

(Oh, I have picked out some five different places. None in 4E. And nothing against 4E)

Valentine - If I were a non-resident looking to hunt deer in PA I would look into the southeastern counties or the western counties. The problem is not the lack of deer. From what I understand there are too many in some of these areas. The problem is trying to find somewhere to hunt - especially with a rifle. Maybe talk with the regional offices and see if any landowners are having deer damage and if they would allow hunting. These land owners may not allow rifle hunters but may welcome bow hunters due to the bow's limited range and quietness.
But as far as the data on the PGC site, knowing what 4E has, its hard to believe any of the data listed as factual.

I havent had any trouble finding deer the past few years neither has my son. He has shot 5 in 4 years of hunting 2 buck 3 doe. try telling him there arent deer in PA. I have killed 3 in that time frame. Passed on a few others.

Dale. I've harvested a buck during archery every year for the past 5 years. But I put in a lot of time doing it. Both scouting and hunting. It has gotten so bad that I even get excited when I see deer droppings! That's a shame. And, I didn't say there weren't any deer in PA. You can find pockets of areas holding deer. Mostly on private land or close to it. Not in large tracts of public land though. And you are not in 4E up there in your neck of the woods either. The numbers they posted for 4E is and outright lie or wishful thinking.

Thats why its called hunting. And I live and hunt in 2G supposedly one of the worst units. Deer are here just have to find them. No food source no deer pretty simple if you ask me.

I have a camp in 2G Dale. We haven't hunted deer up there in years. We see one or two here and there when we are up for bear but nothing like we used to see. But like you said, one of the reasons is lack of food. Most of the area is mature timber which is not attributable to large game numbers. But I am sure most will agree that the most significant cause of the drastic reduction in deer populations (on public land) is the overharvest due to the PGC alloting doe tags like there was no limit to the number of doe that could be harvested and people believing what the PGC has been saying in that the numbers were too high. But you can't honestly tell me you actually believe the numbers that the PGC is throwing out. Think back 15 or even 10 years. How many deer did you see compared to now. And how many deer did you see harvested then as compared to now. Then look at the numbers again. The buck harvest are almost identical! They are blowing smoke where the sun don't shine.

Well I agree there are no deer in PA like there used to be but who do you really blame. I am no fan of the PGC but they are no more to blame than the greedy hunters in PA. If people quit shooting every doe they see there will be more deer but it will never happen. I hunted 6 days of rifle and I saw more bucks than does. I never had that happen until this year. If it was a perfect world they would slash the tags or only allow 1 deer a year but it will never happen there because it would cause an uproar among hunters.