lost horn

By Heidi E. Ruckno, Staff Writer
04/08/2005
The Citizens Voice
http://www.citizensvoice.com/site/ne...d=455154&rfi=6

Radio talk show host Jim Slinsky was the keynote speaker at USP's conference at Luzerne County Community College on Thursday night. He disagrees with the common argument that deer destroy forests by eating all the vegetation.
Instead, Slinsky contends that deer are "nature's landscapers," and that they need to trim the forests so new vegetation can grow.

"That is their function. That is their purpose," he said.

According to Slinsky, the Pennsylvania Game Commission and the Department of Conservation of Natural Resources are responsible for that mentality. In his opinion, those agencies are trying to protect the Pennsylvania timber industry, which produces 800 million feet of lumber ever year.

"Our overall forestry paradigm is not about creating habitat for wildlife," Slinsky said. "It's about protecting trees."

According to the Penn State University College of Agriculture Web site, the timber industry is the fourth largest industry in Pennsylvania. It employs 90,000 workers at 2,500 firms, and contributes nearly $5 billion to the state's economy.

According to Slinsky, hunting equals that economic impact.

Also contributing to the declining deer population is the overhunting of buck, Slinsky said.

For every five deer, one is an antlered buck. Two are doe and two are fawns, and one out of every two fawns is male. Slinsky believes half the state's buck population was harvested during the 2004 hunting season.

During the antlerless hunting season, hunters are free to shoot doe or button (antlerless) bucks, and according to Slinsky one out of every four antlerless deer killed is a button buck.

Slinsky likes the idea of a "one and done" deer season, which is in place in Pennsylvania. There are no antler restrictions, but after a hunter gets a deer, he or she is done for the season.

The USP takes a slightly different position, according to Northeast Regional Director Chuck Beers.

Beers is advocating a return to the previous hunting setup in Pennsylvania, with a two-week buck season and a three-day antlerless season.

"It allows for button bucks and young fawns to grow up and become adults for the following season," Beers said. "If you go too long with unregulated doe, our doe population will just explode."

The last topic touched upon during Slinsky's lecture was the declining soil quality in Pennsylvania, which he believes is also contributing to the decrease in deer.

Deer are herbivores who like to eat soft brush, such as grass, shrubbery and flowers. Slinsky said they typically do not eat hardwood, the crop that dominates Pennsylvania forests.

Many make the argument that deer have eaten all the soft brush, but Slinsky disagrees. He believes those plants are not growing because of the soil damage caused by acid rain.

germain, I think Jim hits the nail on the head here, what do you think?
lost horn

MikeE51848

I heard him speak recently. He made some impressive points. I don't understand why the soil acidity issue isn't getting more play.

germain

Lost,although I'm not a USP member I do agree with most of those statements.The proplem is the DCNR flat out wants the deer herd reduced to unhuntable numbers and I'm not sure that can be changed.
Here's a thought though,the USP should sue DCNR instead of the PGC.After all one of the reasons the forests were set aside is for recreation which hunting falls under.
If anybody isn't sure what unhuntable numbers are go out this coming year and hunt the state forest with a number of 10DPSM or less and you'll have first hand knowledge what unhuntable numbers are.
Anybody trying to get their kid involved in hunting better find a place other then the state forest cause you'll have a hard time keeping a kid interested in that pathetic type of hunting.

lost horn

germain, I think you are right about the DCNR they are the ones that have been pressuring the PGC to kill the deer, as far as I can tell the DCNR thinks 1 deer is too many, I hunt Cameron Co. I dont think Cameron ever had over 15dpsm. now after years of slaughter It may have 5dpsm. or less.

BTBowhunter

The problem with Slinsky and the USP is that they've been crying wolf for way too many years. Some of what Slinsky says may now have become correct in selected areas but how can anyone be expected take him or the USP seriously even now?

DCNR seems to have gotten too extreme in their HR goals. The PGC is struggling with the huge task of trying to get control of the herd while trying to satisfy everyone in what is definitely an inexact science. Now they are faced with a budget crisis and the threat of USP lawsuits to further hamper their efforts.

Germains suggestion that the USP direct their wrath towards the DCNR is a good one. An even better one would be to dissolve the USP and let the more sensible sportsmens groups lead the charge. We have reached a point where many reasonable sportsmen are expressing concerns and almost any group will get more credibility than USP.

A stopped watch is still right twice a day, but that doesn't mean it's a good idea to count on it

lost horn

Sometime you have to check on the little boy that you think is crying wolf if you dont bad things can happen, most things that they have been talking about for a lot of years were ignored, go to the state game lands, they are more for bugs and butterflies than grouse, deer and other wild life, they have plenty of foxes and coyotes. The one thing that the USP missed was the DCNR in this case they are the bigger wolf. I just became a USP member this year and proud of it, I should of joined earlyer

AJ52

Radio Talk show host - Jim Slinsky?? What are his credentials,expertice to speak on the subject of deer management and forestry.

Seems this guy is only adding fuel to the fire of an already frustrated PA Deer Hunter. Don't forget deer hunters in other eastern states that might swallow his "opinions" hook line and sinker.

I hope he never comes to Delaware,because IMO sounds like 1/2 of what he's spouting his pure speculation and poppy cock!

lost horn

Jim Slinsky is hands on, I trust him more than some young punk streight out of some liberal antihunting, antigun college that cares more about bugs and butterflies than game animals, hunters in some of the other states should take note on what is going on in Pa.

T_in_PA3

Yep, because it's ALLLLL about whitetails and nothing else.

lost horn

Yep, it is all about whitetails for 99.9% of the hunters in Pa. If the whitetails go so do the hunters, I know for some people that would be great but I am not one of them. I guess Gary AltIII would love that.