Cornelius08

"If hunters were reluctant to shoot collared deer for whatever reason, it would result in lower than expected harvest mortality and as a result the study would be flawed no matter when it was conducted. "

Exactly.

BTBowhunter

And so the PGC will do it again and either get better data or dispell a myth. Either way, we all benefit from their trying to eliminate possibleflaws in the data.
I fail to see how trying to make a research project more accurate can be a bad thing unless someone with an agenda has worries as to what the outcome will do to that agenda.

bluebird2

No one said it was a bad thing that they were trying to improve the accuracy of the study. But my question is how the results will be used to improve deer management, when they claim antlerless allocations are based on herd health and forest health rather than the number of deer in each WMU or the number of deer needed to keep the herd stable?

bawanajim

You can't possibly miss the value that comes from this added knowledge.
How can you estimate the number of tags that are required to add to,reduce or maintain the herd with no idea the number of tags that are required to achieve you set goals.?[&:]

BTBowhunter

Knowing exactly how hunting fits into deer mortality will only serve to help reinforce the validity of the present system or point out the need for changes. Either way, the herd and the hunters benefit. Better information for all is never a bad thing unless ones agenda is threatened by better information.

The PGC is attempting to obtain better information. Do you agree with that or not?

explorer_Jack

For what purpose? Look at 2G. They know 2G can carry more deer yet they continue to slaughter off what they can instead of bring the deer herd up to carry capacity. So no the information don't matter to them cause they don't use it and continue on with their deer slaughter when they reach the holding capacity of deers in WMUs. So the only info they want is how to get money from taxes so they can go tell you hunters to take another flying !@#$ with your money.

bluebird2

That is absolutely not true and if it was there would be no reason for the PGC to calculate the change in DD each year based on the harvest data.

bowtruck

i see ej is still on the rsb leap kick still
bb if they get more info they may change a few things for the better maybe not

bluebird2

The PGC already knows the antlerless harvests are still reducing the herd but they still claim they are stabilizing the herd. Better doe mortality info won't change that.

bowtruck

I see your point can agree with it but hope with more info they will feel the need to lower tag allocations