PA DEER HUNTERS???????????

[Earl Jeff]

I finally have something positive to report. I went out this morning and has the entire SGL 326 to myself not another vehicle in the parking lot. Not when I went in at 5:30 and when I came out at lunch time. I thought there would be a few hunters around since Bear season opened again today ? OH yea didn't see any deer today.

[danseitz]

In my opinion Alt and the rest of the pgc folks have completely divorced themselves from the sport of deer hunting in Pa. They are in bed with all the other groups that want to achieve a "balance" in Pa outdoor activities. They see themselves as the elite. They know what's best for us. They did not make an error in the deer eradification factor of their program. They achieved exactly what they set out to do.

Without the Pa deer herd in huntable numbers now, the forests can come back to a pristine state like before the dreaded deer came into the picture.

[Hoser1268]

I agree with you guys that things are not what they were but I have to admit this (and I hate it) but I heard more shooting this opening day then I have ever heard in the 10 years I've been hunting in PA. Between 6:30am and 10am I heard over 60 shots. I killed a 6 pt in the morning and my buddy killed a 9 point in the afternoon.  My other friend miss a big buck today that was with a smaller buck.  I hunted archery season and there was nothing around and I had very little hope for gun season but this was one of the best opening days we have seen in the 10 years I've been hunting there.  The only thing I don't like is that in the last 3 days we only saw 3 does. We saw a lot of bucks but no does.

[wollelybugger]

Hunted three days and saw two deer that I kicked out walking in the first day. Only saw two other hunters and no deer after that. Only 750,000 hunters and I bet only 500,000 hunting the first day. The numbers will keep going down as the deer numbers go down. I predict there will be no PGC in another five years, why bother, combine them with the Fish wardens. They should also do away with the Deputies, no way you should have untrained personal running around armed arresting people. Most of them wanted to be police and couldn't make it. Dangerous situation.

[Tioga]

I dunno what's happening to me. I used to really enjoy thumping a deer. Of course, there was always the feeling of sorrow after the kill. But after this year, I just can't seem to get a good feeling about possibly laying one out. I actually would feel guilty about it.

This really, really stinks.   :(  Maybe I need to go talk to Dr Alt for another indoctrination session.  

[Jerry Jeffer]

We had 11 guys hunting 600 acres so far this week. No deer seen, BUT we have had a Mt Lion on the property all week. Hmmmmm another way to get rid of deer.

[danseitz]

I wish someone would shoot a mountain lion and mail it to the pgc. Just a joke. They don't exist in Pa. Everyone knows that.

[hawkeye n pa]

Hunted in Somerset county:  Monday behind camp from a tree stand from 6am until 5 pm.  Tuesday over at Bacock State Forest, Wednesday at State Game Lands 228. Total deer seen 0.   Did see some sign but never found a rub on a tree larger than 2 inches, but seen plenty of old rubs on bigger trees.

 Tioga send me that "new" school info, First time I have not seen a deer in 40 years also.  Thanks in advance.

[Earl Jeff]

PROBABLY BE ANOTHER RECORD KILL THIS YEAR  

[RC]

Wow!!!  I read this thread from page one and I feel for you fellas.I hunt 95% public land in south Ga. where I live and can tell you its paradise compared to what you guys describe.

  My Buddy chris "landshark 160 " and myself have combined for around 25 deer and pigs this year on public land. We are not great hunters we just have great opportunities. I will say I have heard gun hunters complain about the "lack" of game on the same WMA`s we hunt. We both will hunt MILES from the truck ...that could help. I hope you fellas get some deer back. But for the record if I lived there I would scout and hunt hard but would be chasing tree rats and them grouse George was talking about. If they legal. Good hunting ,RC.

[Tioga]

But for the record if I lived there I would scout and hunt hard but would be chasing tree rats and them grouse George was talking about.

If I posted the track logs from my GPS of the ground I covered since August, your feet would blister and your calves would cramp just from looking at them.

Looks like Wisconsin is up in arms to. BTW....didn't the same guy by the name of Marret Grund.....the same guy that produced the faulty population model in Pa during the early 2000s....move and become a deer biologist in Wisconsin?

 http://www.channel3000.com/news/21802804/detail.html

   

Madison, WI Breaking NewsAssociated Press - December 3, 2009 3:45 PM ET

MADISON, Wis. (AP) - A powerful state senator wants conservation officials to fire anyone involved with deer management after hunters killed the fewest deer during Wisconsin's traditional November gun season in years.

Senate Majority Leader Russ Decker, a Weston Democrat, says the Department of Natural Resources' draconian herd control policies have devastated Wisconsin's deer population and left too many hunters empty-handed. He says he's tired of the DNR's deer experts "jerking" hunters around.

According to preliminary figures, hunters killed about 195,000 deer during the 9-day season that ended Sunday. That's down 29 percent from last year.
DNR officials had no immediate comment.  

[Tioga]

My mistake. Grund went on to Minnesota.

   

October 2001 GRUND JOINS GAME COMMISSION'S DEER MANAGEMENT TEAM
Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Vern Ross today announced that Dr. Marrett Grund will join the agency's Deer Management Section in mid-October. Grund will be the fourth and newest member of the management team led by Dr. Gary Alt.

Grund will serve as field research leader for studies in western Pennsylvania; lead a review of the state's deer population estimation and modeling programs; coordinate the development of a statewide deer management plan; coordinate deer hunter and other public opinion surveys; and lead the development of deer management landowner assistance programs.

"We truly are privileged to have someone of Dr. Grund's caliber and credentials join the Game Commission at this critical evolutionary point in Pennsylvania's deer management program," Ross said. "Working with our deer hunters, and with the support of our Board of Game Commissioners, Dr. Alt and the agency's Deer Management Section have made great strides toward better deer management, and we plan to continue that progress in future seasons. I believe that Dr. Grund will be an outstanding addition to that effort."

"There is no question that the Deer Management Section will benefit from Dr. Grund's research experience, which has focused on data needs for deer population modeling, and deer ecology and management in urban landscapes," Alt said. "He has conducted extensive field research that included capturing and handling deer and tracking deer using radio-telemetry. He also has coordinated deer aging and harvest data collection at check stations in a 10-county area in Illinois for the last three years."

A native of southern Minnesota, Grund currently is employed at the Southern Illinois University Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory. He was responsible for conducting research activities for a population modeling study in Minnesota, including studying survival data from radio-collared white-tailed deer in central Minnesota and productivity data collected throughout the state. While at Southern Illinois University, he also worked in the Zoology Department, where he prepared laboratory exercises, assisted with lectures and laboratory activities, and presented lectures on population ecology, harvest management and home-range/habitat analysis.

Prior to joining Southern Illinois University staff, Grund worked for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources from 1998 to 2000, and for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources from 1992 to 1998. In both states, Grund was an important part of the deer management program, deer research and public outreach efforts.

Grund earned a bachelor's degree in biology from Minnesota State University; a master's degree in fisheries and wildlife with an emphasis in wildlife biology from the University of Missouri; and will receive his doctorate in zoology with an emphasis in wildlife ecology from Southern Illinois University in December.

"I am incredibly excited about the changes going on in Pennsylvania's deer management program, and I look forward to be a part of the team," Grund said. "From all I've learned, I truly believe that Pennsylvania is headed in the right direction, and it will be the program that other states will look to as a model in the years to come."

Over the last decade, Grund has written more than a dozen professional and popular articles and technical reports on various aspects of deer ecology and management. He is a member of The Wildlife Society.

At 29 years of age, Grund has hunted deer with rifle, shotgun and bow, and is an avid grouse hunter. He and his wife, Melanie, and their one-year-old daughter, Cameron, plan to reside in southern Butler County.

 

[danseitz]

I wish we had some legislaters with knowledge, conviction and cajonies that would turn this lying game commission out on their posteriors. At one time the pgc saw it's mission as continuing the great tradition of deer hunting in Pa. They were generally respected througout the state. That is not the case anymore. They are generally despised now and they earned this stature. I don't know anyone who has a kind word to say about any of them.

[Tioga]

I have always had the greatest amount of respect for the people with their feet on the ground and still do. They do a thankless job and many times put their lives on the line doing so. Our WCOs and DWCOs in Potter and Tioga do one heckuva fantastic job. If it wasn't for the inordinate amount of time that they have to spend dealing with bear control, they'd be doing even better.

But as far as I'm concerned, Elmerton Avenue needs to be cleaned out, locked down and rebuilt from the ground floor up. The arrogance displayed in that building is unbelievable.

[hawkeye n pa]

I'm working in the garage today.  But there is 17 vehicles down the road with in a mile.  I've heard two shots so far.......

[Earl Jeff]

The neighbors just came home with a big doe the only deer I think they saw all week.

[Tioga]

I chose not to hunt yesterday. Instead, I drove around the Tioga State Forest during the morning in 2G to check out the pressure on the first day of doe season. I just couldn't believe my eyes...NO HUNTERS! Outside of one gang that was driving deer, I seen 2 vehicles parked. I put on 118 miles. The gang of drivers that I talked to in the morning were on their 3rd drive and hadn't put out a deer. I talked to them later in the afternoon, and they still hadn't seen a deer.

Last year the pressure was pretty heavy in 2G on the doe opener. I'm wondering if the camps won't be filling up today for the rest of the week?   :confused:

[Littlejake]

Two 15 passenger vans,and a pickup full of Amish
put on a big drive in the north mountain yesterday 18 does and 4 bucks killed..Wonder why there are no deer around?

[Big Ed]

If it is not the orange army it's the black army. They have the brown its down creed. Boy do they irritate me. They think they can hunt where ever they want. Acting as if they are above the law. I am not speaking of all of them , but there is a large number of them around here that think in this manner. They think for the most part like most off the PGC. Sorry for venting,Ed

[Dave Bulla]

"Two 15 passenger vans,and a pickup full of Amish put on a big drive in the north mountain yesterday 18 does and 4 bucks killed..Wonder why there are no deer around? "

That's pretty much what I was talking about as far as big drives go.  The fact that the hunters mentioned were Amish is to me, irrelevant.  In my experience, the Amish are very honest, good people.  There aren't many Amish around where I grew up but there were certainly truckloads of other hunters going to the big drives.