I would like to add my veiws to this subject. My family owns land in Mckean county. Our land butts up to the Allegany National Forest. Our group in camp agree that there has been a steady decline in the deer herd in the last 10yrs. There use to be deer all over our land and the forestry. It would be nothing to see 20 or more in one day. Now, you'll be lucky to see one!! Last year, I had to let a buck walk because I could'nt see one of the points on one side of the rack. But the law is the law. Anyhow, I think there is a serious problem happening here. The lack of food seems to be the major problem. The deer run out of food, and start too eat hemlock. They can only eat so much of this, because too much will kill them. We find dead deer every year! The commission needs to concentrate on food resources not antler points!!!! Quality food sources produce trophy animals and quality game management!!

Turkey, I am 100% against the amount of herd reduction taking place here in PA across the state. but in the few area's like yours, were the deer have destroyed their habitat, we should be hhooting every deer we see, because its the only way to improve food sources in your area. The PGC., DCNR, controls over 1 Million acres of public land and it would cost 10's of millions of dollars to plant food for the deer, even more to plant to grow quality deer like your suggesting. Pike

J Pike, I would agree to thinning out the herd, but in our situation, if you kill all the deer you see, there would be none. We see all the same deer everyday on our land during season, so it's really not a option. I also hunt the special muzzleloader season in October, and see the same thing. I believe that food is the answer. But the game commission cannot rely on the private land owners to step up and feed all the animals. I try to help wildlife by planting food plots. Land owners nearby feed the wildlife with feeders during the off season, and it's unbelieveable the amount of animals at the feeders. Heck, last year, he went to fill the feeders in the spring, and had 13 bears waiting for grub!!! 3 males, and the rest were females with cubs. Anyhow, I hope the PGC does something to help our struggling wildlife!!!!!!!!!

The place where I hunt was clear cut about 8 years ago. I see deer every year and quite a few of them. Like I posted before not as many as years ago , but quite a few. Could regulations imposed on cutting in the forests from environmentalists be causing some of the lack of food? Not sunlight reaching the ground to allow smaller vegitation to grow?

It does make some difference I'm sure!

Dang it Beenthere, your B.S. doesnt fly over in the huntingpa message board and it doesnt fly here either.

Guys, please dont listen to Beenthere, I mean deadeer. He couldnt hunt his way out of a paper bag with a chain saw.

Thanks for all the compliments BS , but instead of just attacking the messenger,why ton't you try to formulate an intelligent rebuttal based on facts. Bet you can't come close.

BTW ,both my wife and I shot 2 deer last year and that is all we needed. So, you are also wrong about my hunting abilities.

Try harder next time.

Weve been round and round about this subject on another board, if you like I could post all that info on here. Oh by the way the deer you shot last year, were they mature doe, bucks or something else

Sounds like a personal problem to me buckshot. Maybe you should take your jealous rage somewhere else?

The thread was about "how many hunters are pleased" and I think we are seeing a growing number that are not.

It is easy to say that over in Jims area they need to shoot all the deer and let the forest grow. The old anywhere but where I hunt attitude. Large state forest areas that are drawn down to minimal numbers will be causing a lot of hunters to relocate. I think we will see an increase in conflict in the coming years as hunters are pushed into smaller areas. Its first come first serve in the woods.

I believe that all five camps will be closed for deer season, up north where we used to hunt. Lack of deer sightings. So there are 35 guys who are going to be coming to an area near you to set up a stand, and take another deer out of your woods. It also means no money spent up north for a week. And of course losing out on the tradition that those camps had for decades, but nobody seems to care much about traditions and getting more sportsman involved in hunting anymore. There definitley was a bonus to hunting camp, that you don't get roaming around with one other guy in the pickup truck for the first week of buck.

I don't think anyone has even BEGUN to hear the friction and complaints that this minimum sustainable deer plan will produce. It was not a big deal for some hunters who were seeing 20 dear a day before reductions. But for many there were not more than 2 or 3 a day and with reductions it means - no more hunting, lock up camp and hit the road with the caravan and go clean out another area.

No, I would have to say again. This is not better hunting and I do not like the current plan. Its not worth a few more bushes, at least not to me.

Yes, please to post anything you can find that shows Alt's plan is a success. I'll bet it will be a very short post.

All the deer were legal deer that were harvested in complete compliance with all regulations. Two were harvested during the heavy snow storm on the first Sat. That makes them good enough for me and if they don't meet your standards ,that is your problem ,not mine.

First of all, Buckshot.....cool your jets!

I live in NC and 10 years ago, they decided we had too many deer and needed to take more does. One doe for every buck, they advised... So they opened doe season the entire 3 1/2 months of our deer season. It was like a slaughter![:@]

We have several thousand acres of land that we lease to hunt clubs. The only club that is even seeing any deer during season is the one that we restricted on the doe killing due to lack of habitat.

The other clubs seemed to have gotten a little too trigger happy and now they complaing that they are seeing no deer???? Hello???