how do you know this? are you taking the DCNR's statements for proof?

it seems to make sense to me also

Do some research on the deer exclosures and areas logged with no fenceing around them in areas. It's quite obvious.
Just one example.

thanks for the link and that was a good example. but i have done research when im out in the woods which is a lot.. i have been in 3 fenced in areas and they look the same in them as they do outside of them. one of my fav hunting areas was cut back in 81 they left all the mast crop trees and from 86 to 2000 it was booming. i would see 50-100 deer a day, and now i might see 1 but most of time its 0.. we do have a ton of squirrel though.. now im not saying we have no deer but there is a big lack of deer. but this area grew and still growing back w/ no problems. now my point is this area was not fenced in... so i wouldnt say its its obvious to say it will only grow back w/ a fence..

T,I have to disagree with you about regen not happening in open canopies.I know quite a few areas in 2G that have excellant white oak growth in various stages which gets plenty of light.Nearby under the closed canopy there's hardly any new growth.
Tell you what,this area I'm talking about is alittle over a mile walk but I'll make it a point this summer to take pics and post on here.You'll see some great regen of white oaks in an opening of about 200 square yards.

Also T I'll get some pics of a large fenced in area that has just as much growth outside the fence as inside the fence.The area had a fire a few years back and this area also gets sunlight.

Granted, all areas are not the same across the state. I think we will all agree on that.

Most disagreements here seem to boil down to individual experiences or localized problems of too many/too few deer. Often, the widely different situations are very close to one another......

Once again we all need to pull together and scream as loud as we can for smaller WMU's.

It will be more way complicated and more labor intensive but its the only way to do it right! In order for it to happen, we all need to get behind a serious license increase to fund it.

DMAP provides for the micro management landowners need that WMU of any size cannot provide.

I agree T but DMAP is sorely underutilized in some of the WMU's where it ought to be used heavily. It also is not feasible in and around suburbia and the areas where many properties are too small for the program but overpopulated and underhunted.

On the other hand, 9000+ DMAP tags in the very large area that is the ANF has helped contribute to the hotspot/coldspot problem there. IMHO