Alt on Penna. Outdoor Life
 

Watched Dr. Alt on PA outdoor life last night. He talked briefly about the deer program and then answered questions that had been sent in from listeners. Now most of you know I'm an Alt supporter so..... let me say I wasn't too impressed. He was not that informative, downplayed someones question on deer numbers where they hunted when he could have given a much more informative answer. Would have to grade him a D or D-. Guess thiers not much need to be as persuasive and information filled as he once was, but it seems like thier is still a bunch of folks out thier who don't get it still that are looking for answers that he could have reached, but wasted the oppertunity( as opposed to those out thier who have all the answers and who's number one mantra is that if it's from the PGC or from Alt it wrong, slanted, tainted, not worth doing, not true, or a down right lie). For those folks it's not worth trying to reach. Anyway, I degress, didn't think much of his time on tv last night. Anyone else see the show. Enjoy, Juniorpc.

RE: Alt on Penna. Outdoor Life
 

No I missed it. But sounds like I didnt miss much.

RE: Alt on Penna. Outdoor Life
 

I watch Outdoor Life on occasion but have not been watching it lately. Is it not retelecasted early on Saturday mornings as well? Hopefully I can catch it then.

I would consider myself an "Alt supporter" to some extent as well but still think that he is not doing enough to micromanage the areas within the WMUs.

RE: Alt on Penna. Outdoor Life
 

I feel the same way. I think he is doing good for pa.
I guess micromanagement would be a task to do, but I feel its gotta be done.

RE: Alt on Penna. Outdoor Life
 

I don't expect Dr Alt to change his mind so I didn't bother, same with that recent call-in program. He has never properly answered the deer density numbers he states as fact. I, and many others, believe it to be over-inflated in most cases (except where illbback hunts:D).

RE: Alt on Penna. Outdoor Life
 

Pabowhunter, I think he's already done more than any of us could have asked of him. Changing atititudes, traditions, etc that have been so ingrained for so long has been a herculean task and accomplished because of his drive and personality as well as his professional stature gained from working with the bears. His ability to use the media is terrific and his contacts in print and video are amazing. I don't think thier is anyone else out there that could have turned PA's deer program around. it just would not have been possible. Our grandfathers, our fathers, and ourselves haven't seen PA's deer herds micromanaged and well now folks will fault Alt for not doing so? Tell me when anyone of us herd anyone complaining before Dr. Alt about micromanaging the deer herd? Nope just didn't happen. Folks didn't care how it was managed. Just didn't care. Still many don't other than they don't want things changed. To heck with the reality of what that means.
Folks that think Gary is in bed with the PGC to further the PGC goals are way, way off. He's at odds with the PGC, especially those that have been through the old Green Ringer School. He still does not have the support of the Commissioners. Why would a commissioner want to listen to an outside biologist instead of one from within thier own agency? In the brief conversations I've had with the commissioners over several years I still find some of them to be less informed than many of us and basing thier views and decisions on tradition and emotion with little or no or twisted and contorted facts to base thier views on. Not one of us would have wanted to undertake what Alt has taken on. Not one of us.
As for the direction he's taking, he's admitted he doesn't have all the answers and that mistakes will be made. He's said that from day one. Any biologist from any state in the union will tell you that is' easier and much quicker to get the deer population increased than it is to get back habitat and habitat is the main issue in the entire process. And bringing deer numbers down is one of the needs. I don't see how he can micromange when he's still going year to year to year with getting approval for the deer program and maintaining the ground he's gained. Folks want him to move faster... heck they almost had his head for the changes he's made to date. Nobody would have accepted and quicker changes. He's damned if he does and damned if he doesn't.
I know one thing from knowing Mr. Alt. He will succeed and he will further his name and reputation. That's what drive's him. Succeeding isn't destroying the deer herd. Succeeding isn't getting deer numbers low enough to make the foresters and audobon people happy. Succeeding is making things better for us hunters. So if anyone thinks he doesn't have our best interests at heart thier mistaken. If only because his best intersts and our best interests happen to match.
I've seen folks with different formula's for coming up with herd estimates. Better? No? just different and just not the PGC's biologists ways. I've seen folks take study data from other states and twist the results to suit thier purposes. I've seen folks look for all kinds of reasons our habitat is suffering. If Oaks can grow inside an exclosure but not outside then acid rain is not the issue the seedlings are disappearing. If acid rain is going to kill them in four or five years then certainly that needs to be addressed, but most of us wouldn't know how big a three, four or five year old oak tree is because we haven't seen many in our hunting lifetimes save for our yards if we've planted one cause almost every last one in the wild is eaten as a seedling. Folks hate Alt for being famous and disagree with him sometimes only for that reason. Everybody loves an underdog, which he certainly is not (but certainly was when it came to deer management and changing tradition), but an unknown, a percieved underdog could never have made changes in Pennsyvania. Why wasn't thier this much uproar when we were reducing doe licenses, couldn't sell out counties, couldn't get folks to shoot a doe?? All the while the habitat tanked? Cause people just don't know any better. Folks can disagree with Alts different programs and stratagies, but they can't possibly say we don't have a habitat problem and more often than not they they can't see that either. I see a whole bunch of parallells in how the anti Alt folks go about presenting thier case and how PETA, the humane society present thier anti hunting, anti circus, anti animal abuse arguements. Thier compelling, but based on emotion rather than substanance.

Juniorpc

RE: Alt on Penna. Outdoor Life
 

I think that Gary Alt was man before the time. 10 years ago hunters were not as informed about conservation and management. Today every hunter is part of some group NWTF, QDMA, etc. These groups have informed many of the "real hunters" that care about the species they pursue. Some people will never wake up and will therefore be left in the dark.

The reason I think Gary Alt is becoming dry is because many of us are reading Deer and Deer Hunter, Turkey and Turkey Hunting, Quality Deer Management and publications of such which allows us to learn these scientific ideas ourselves. We don't need Gary Alt telling us that we must pass small bucks to have larger rack bucks or that I doe to buck ratio is a little out of whack.

There are many hunting clubs that had restrictions before the PA Game Commission made them law. These clubs are tried to keep there doe numbers down. Many of us are practicing some type of management whether we know it or not. "Let him go so he can grow" "A doe tastes just as good as a buck -- some say better" "You don't eat the horns"

The best thing we can do as hunters is keep learning and trying to help manage and have a positive impact on our wildlife.

RE: Alt on Penna. Outdoor Life
 

I saw it as well and I was not that impressed with Dr Alts Answers as well (very vague) (can you believe that one Mike!! of course I only saw bits and pieces of it cause I was trying to chase all the deer away from eatin my lawn all up;))

Every one has a bad day....All other times I have seen him speak he has given very clear answers.

I am not crazy about PA outdoor life. They treat their audience like we are all a bunch of idiots who have never set foot in the outdoors.

RE: Alt on Penna. Outdoor Life
 

Why do you think was vague?He was vague becaus he can't back up anything he's done with facts.None of his predictions are coming true.The buck harvest was supposed to return to normal this year and it ended up being a big flop.The buck harvest and antlerless harvest were both down.Does he say maybe there were less deer available?Nope,he blames it on bad weather and a poor mast crop.I was out in it every day and I'll I can say is I've seen alot worse.Besides,the two week concurrent season was put in place to prevent the weather from having an effect on the harvest.Then we have the mast crop.It was poor around here also but it wasn't the first time for that either.A poor mast crop should actually help the hunting since the deer are more easily patterened.As usual he tried to cover up any hard questions with his usual B.S.Whenever someone comments on seeing less deer he just says"well they're out there.It takes a guy with a phd to come up with that one.*

I agree with your comment on Pa outdoor life.

RE: Alt on Penna. Outdoor Life
 

It's all about dcnr and the audubon.Who do you think is financing all of these studies?They ain't doing for their own benefit.The goal for every magagement unit in the state except one has a goal of 15 dpsm or less.It's all about getting our forests certified.Nothing more,nothing less.I have the certification report if you want to read it.