Deer management in PA
01-04-2005, 07:52 AM
#21
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: May 2004
Location:
Posts: 1,188
RE: Deer management in PA
ORIGINAL: deaddeer
If we continue to loose more hunters the PGC will never be able to control the herd. Even with 1 M hunters they only sold around 550K anterless tags on the first round ,which shows many hunters don't want to harvest anterless deer. While fewer hunter may in fact result in better hunting for the remaining hunters , it will also result in a population explosion and a repeat of the same problems Alt tried to correct.
If we continue to loose more hunters the PGC will never be able to control the herd. Even with 1 M hunters they only sold around 550K anterless tags on the first round ,which shows many hunters don't want to harvest anterless deer. While fewer hunter may in fact result in better hunting for the remaining hunters , it will also result in a population explosion and a repeat of the same problems Alt tried to correct.
01-04-2005, 08:13 AM
#22
Join Date: May 2004
Location:
Posts: 255
RE: Deer management in PA
I think hunters dropping out will help the hunters who remain. Pa had too many hunters for what deer we have. But it costs the sport as a whole. Nobody will miss 2 or three hunters gone from my woods, but thier license dollars are only part of the equation. With less hunters, the sport loses clout, loses revenue, and loses overall.
Those that are left will have more to go around, but will come with a cost...
Those that are left will have more to go around, but will come with a cost...
01-04-2005, 08:24 AM
#23
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location:
Posts: 205
RE: Deer management in PA
One really large item that seems to be ignored on most threads is hunter numbers ten years ago vs numbers today. They are on the decline. One would tend to think the PGC would be willing to try most anything to keep hunter numbers stable.
With less hunters less deer are controlled.
With less and less access to hunting land hunters give up the sport forcing deer management into an impossible goal, short of sharpshooters eliminating deer. Only so many deer can be killed regardless of how many tags a single holds. Very few hunters are able or will kill enough deer to make up for the decline of other hunters. Add that to more hunters flocking to public land as their one time private land is now posted or sold off. What you get is more deer being killed where hunters have access to them and less where they don't.
The PGC should place more resources into enrollment of private land holders to keep their lands open to hunting. Rather than improving trails for hikers,joggers,bikers,etc.. This could be accomplished easily with revamping the current 1960 enrollment procedures and bringing them up to date. ex. I own a store that sells outdoor equipment clothes, ammo fishing rods bait etc. 15 years ago I had only other small shops to vie with for sportsmean's dollars. Today I have a Cabelas and a Bass Pro shop within easy driving distance of my shop. If I still advertised and offered the same quality of service I did 15 years ago my doors would be shut in 2 months.
The PGC still uses the same programs today they did for years for farm enrollment.
With less hunters less deer are controlled.
With less and less access to hunting land hunters give up the sport forcing deer management into an impossible goal, short of sharpshooters eliminating deer. Only so many deer can be killed regardless of how many tags a single holds. Very few hunters are able or will kill enough deer to make up for the decline of other hunters. Add that to more hunters flocking to public land as their one time private land is now posted or sold off. What you get is more deer being killed where hunters have access to them and less where they don't.
The PGC should place more resources into enrollment of private land holders to keep their lands open to hunting. Rather than improving trails for hikers,joggers,bikers,etc.. This could be accomplished easily with revamping the current 1960 enrollment procedures and bringing them up to date. ex. I own a store that sells outdoor equipment clothes, ammo fishing rods bait etc. 15 years ago I had only other small shops to vie with for sportsmean's dollars. Today I have a Cabelas and a Bass Pro shop within easy driving distance of my shop. If I still advertised and offered the same quality of service I did 15 years ago my doors would be shut in 2 months.
The PGC still uses the same programs today they did for years for farm enrollment.
01-04-2005, 08:52 AM
#24
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 491
RE: Deer management in PA
[quoteI think hunters dropping out will help the hunters who remain. Pa had too many hunters for what deer we have.][/quote]
Don't you mean we have to many buck hunters and not enough anterless hunters? The herd couldn't have increased like it did if we had too many doe hunters.
Don't you mean we have to many buck hunters and not enough anterless hunters? The herd couldn't have increased like it did if we had too many doe hunters.
01-04-2005, 12:13 PM
#25
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Pittsburgh PA
Posts: 947
RE: Deer management in PA
Even with 1 M hunters they only sold around 550K anterless tags on the first round ,which shows many hunters don't want to harvest anterless deer
I guess only having a couple thousand tags left out of 1M shows that nobody wants to shoot doe too. Or the fact that over 300k doe were shot in each of the past 2 years. Yeah, not many hunters want to harvest a doe.
01-04-2005, 12:20 PM
#26
Join Date: May 2004
Location:
Posts: 255
RE: Deer management in PA
Yes, DD you are absolutley correct. I should have said too many buck hunters.
those are the ones who are dropping out as harvests drop. As for doe, there will always be an increasing load put on them as the hunter base drops. In a few years, in the smaller hunter base, those who remain will propbably be under a earn a buck system. where they must shoot doe(s) before being allowed a buck tag.
With fewer hunters everyone will get mulitple tags, if they plan to reduce, then stabilize the herd ar the PGC goal of 12dpsm.
I'm not to worried about long term, if the PGC does not improve as a result of this, I will have plenty of "other" things to do.
those are the ones who are dropping out as harvests drop. As for doe, there will always be an increasing load put on them as the hunter base drops. In a few years, in the smaller hunter base, those who remain will propbably be under a earn a buck system. where they must shoot doe(s) before being allowed a buck tag.
With fewer hunters everyone will get mulitple tags, if they plan to reduce, then stabilize the herd ar the PGC goal of 12dpsm.
I'm not to worried about long term, if the PGC does not improve as a result of this, I will have plenty of "other" things to do.
01-04-2005, 12:29 PM
#27
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: SW PA USA
Posts: 7,220
RE: Deer management in PA
Yes, DD you are absolutley correct. I should have said too many buck hunters.
those are the ones who are dropping out as harvests drop.
those are the ones who are dropping out as harvests drop.
01-04-2005, 12:36 PM
#28
Fork Horn
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location:
Posts: 377
RE: Deer management in PA
Bt you sure you aren't an anti hunter in sheep's clothing? Making statements like that? EVERY hunter is important even the horn boys soon as #s drop the Rendell flower sniffers have the upper hand.