Mark I didn't mean starved to death just some very skinny deer the kind that shows all the bones on a deer. It was very sad. I have seen some but thank God it hasn't been that many.

brian

Hey mhogan sorry I did'nt get to meet you. I was there and asked a few people that were wearing UBP hats if they were you. That was a real good presentation. I was right there to the end and speaking with Dr. Alt, he said that unfortunately most of the calls that are coming into the game commission are against the program. He said that at the meetings the majority of the people are for it but they need to call the commission also and let them know they support it. This tells me that the people that are calling the commission are not the ones attending the presentations. I agree with you that all hunters should attend a presentation whether your for it or not, but do so with an open mind and nock the chip off their shoulders be fore entering the building.

God Bless & Good Hunting
LM/NAHC
Member NRA
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Member QDMA
Member Ducks Unlimited

Brian, Apollo is about 30 Miles NE of Pittsburgh. I dont get to Eastern Pa often but will let you know if I'm headed that way. We do seem to be on the same page here.
Do you hunt PA? if so what part? I hunt suburban Pittsburgh, Westmoreland county and the Allegheny National Forest. I also spend a few weeks in Pike county Illinois each year.

I just attended one of alt's meetings on the 21st at northwestern high school
in albion Pa.Some of the issues brought up after the meeting were as follows.
A non-resident asked why the doe permits couldn't be given out before a license
so they could see if they would get one before they bought a license being he hunted in erie county and without a doe license he could only shoot a buck with 4pt on one side and would it be worth it.Alt told him not to worry this year there would be plenty of permits and he should get one.So it looks like more doe permits will be alloted this year.Also someone asked if doe season could start on the sat. after thanksgiving and that way the bucks would maybe find a hiding place and A/R would not be needed.Also the butchers could have that sunday to catch up before the buck and doe season together starting that monday.
Alt's reply was he would think about it in the future,and that the butchers he talked to didn't want that.My own opinion on that is why not start doe on a sat.
more hunters out if he wants more shot.Also last year a butcher asked him to have it that way to get caught up and alt said he would think about it.Also I would like to know why is he targeting only the mature strongest bucks of the herd.I thought these were the ones he wants to breed the doe.They are not old and about to die of old age but the ones you want to send their genes to other deer.Also alt said next year the buck harvest should be around 100,000 when the average would be about 200,000 without A/R.The buck herd would then triple in one year.My question to that is if the deer herd is eating too much now why would you want to have triple the bucks running around then you had before.
I am for some of his thoughts but others if you think real hard don't always add up.Just my opinion thats all.

btbowhunter. I hunt either poconos area and around pottsville shenadoah (sp) area too. I have hunted PA for a lot of years now for about the last 10 years but didn't make it this year. Hope to see you at some show sometime.

Brian

Pete, I hung around till that final group of 12 gathered around Alt at the end in the seat area. I stood for most of it doing the PR thing with people. I'll catch you next time.

If you think about his antler restrictions they do make a bit of sense. It's a compromise. In a state like PA where almost everyone shoots every buck he sees it would be a tough sell to say something like 4 points per side with a minimum of 15 or 16 inch spread etc. With his 4 point min. you at least assure some of the 1 and half year old bucks will make it, probably a big percentage of them. Now they become 2 and a half and a whole lot smarter and reclusive. If they make it to 2 and a half a good percentage of them have a chance of becoming 3 and half. If you blast them when they're young and careless little 4 and 6 pointers a large hunting community can get a bunch of them as shown in the 90 % being killed now. If he had his wishes he'd probably have a year with NO BUCK kills. It would be an impossible "Sell" but can you imagine the results.

David well said. That is what I stated to some extent in another topic on PA deer. nicely done. I can see the results.

Brian