Deer902

Boo Hoo
80,000 hunters didn't shoot their spike this year. What a shame. Shoot a doe they taste the same. Don't you always say, "You can't eat the horns." It's time for the "BUCK" hunters to realize that it's not about them shooting a buck or seeing 30 deer a day. It's about the wildlife and the forest that supports them. And sure there is money and special interest groupd involved, but the bottom line is the health of the herd not the spike in some hunters garage.

jhalfhill

You are an idiot. I live in Connellsville. That IS in Fayette County. I know in Area 2C there aren't many deer at all, mainly because the large mountainous woods don't have much food for them. But 2A, the side of Fayette that I live on doesnt have near the amount of deer that the area could support. Its all farmland here and there is plenty to eat. Where exactly do you live in Fayette because I'd like to see this. Overrun with deer? Unless you live at the southern tip near WV I find this highly unlikely.

chickory

But Jhalf, some folks will ALWAYS claim they are loaded with everything. Every camp has one guy who claims wild things......its just the radical fringe.

Stick with the middle group of mainstream hunters who are much more dependable at reporting what is going on. The harvest stats back up the fact that our herd has been reduced and we have dropped from 203,000 buck harvested, efore Alt, own to 165,000 and further down to 142,000 and doooooown to propbably less than 12X,000 for 2004.

And 'mainstream' hunters are reporting they do NOT like it. They are rejecting Pa's version of so called scientific managment in droves. People are glad to see Gary Alt gone.

Deer902

I'm not happy that Alt is gone and I hope the next guy makes the nessecary changes and continues with the program. Yes, less tags need to be handed out in certain areas and smaller WMU's would help the cause. I don't care if the buck harvest drops to 0. I enjoy hunting for what it is and don't need a buck to make my year successful. If you need a 4 point buck to be an accomplished hunter, then its time to hang up your weapon.

jhalfhill

I agree with you on that. I pass up several bucks every year. I'm just saying that we don't need a very small deer population to grow big bucks. Plus just because I like to see deer when I go hunting doesnt mean that I want to shoot them all. Its just nice to see some activity from your stand rather than pass the entire day daydreaming.

Montana Bob

About 13 years ago I lived in Uniontown,Smock,California and Daisytown.
The place was loaded with deer. I also remember the depressed nature of these area's and alot of property being bought and posted. Is the hunting opportunities in these area's closing due to this? I also remember that in Fox Chapel where my former inlaws lived they had a bad deer problem and were even considering hiring pro's to come in to cull the herd.I can't believe ALL of the good hunting is gone in these area's.[]

chickory

nobody said ALL the good hunting is gone, but in 13 years you would be surprised how low the population has dropped. Harvests have dropped signifigantly as the herd has shrunk. Less deer = less deer.

In the county I hunt on a private farm which butts against SGL, they normally take about 10-12 bucks during the first week. This year they took one AR legal buck.

We used to hunt in a camp in 4d, this year out of the many camps along our state forest road 3/4ths are closed in deer season. No longer worth hunting a full week to harvest the last doe on that hill side. No one in about 12 camps this year hung a buck.

Now I know a lot of places that had great hunting 13 years ago, but today are a mere shadow of thier former selves.

Heck, even 3 years ago. But times have changed in pa and initial reports from various sources show we have cut the herd signifigantly. Our harvest of bucks has dropped by 35% in just 3 years. (we were at 203k and now we are at ??? 110k??? for 2004)

The magic is gone in Pa, now the hunting is just sort of like a job to maintain the wishes of ecoweenies and wannabes.

Nothing like 13 years ago.

Buckslayer1

I'am glad Gary Alt is retiring he was the worse thing for Pa. hunters. Does make button bucks - button bucks make horns - I hunt for horns.

skidboot77

I live in Alabama, and have read about Mr. Alt and what he has done and I wish we could do the same here. Most of the negative comments seem to be based on opinions "and we know what everybody says about opinions". His program is based upon solid game management princple. Game Management is not about what you see when you go hunting, its about promoting healthy deer numbers. Seems some of you may need to do less complaining and pick up a book and read about the issues.

chickory

hehehe....too funny! Alabama man says its just opinions.....

Uninformed at best.

Pa has watched their buck harvests drop from 203,000 when Dr. Alt took over down to 165,000, then down to 143,000 then down to this years dismal 12X,000 (and I'm being gracious).

Now whether you like or don't like it, the one thing that the harvest is not IS AN OPINION. The PGC may put some spin on thier deer program but thier harvest numbers are as good as anyones. And that means dropping buck harvests are a fact in pa.

The only subjective part whether anyone is whether bucks are any bigger, than before. Now that is subjective, but at least one Game Commissioner has gone on record as saying we are taking the same bucks we always did for the last ten years. You might not believe one hunter, but when commissioners go on the record then you might want to listen.

Oh wait, thats right all you are hearing in Alabama are opinions that you read in D&D H

Go to pa and hunt the stats don't lie. Less deer really equals less deer.

And hunters do not like it. Oops! another opinion.