At the PGC meeting yesterday 4/21/08, antlerless allocations recommendations were announced.  Much to my surprise, allocations will remain unchanged in the 4 WMU's that will have a reduced antlerless season this year.

Chris Rosenberry said that he would prefer to keep all factors constant to truly evaluate the impact with a shortened seasson. Amen to that.  I was sure that allcations would be manipulating somehow in these units but I was proven wrong.

Now, all eyes will surely be on these units come fall and the numbers will not lie.

 I predict right now the harvest will go up in those units...

#1... because of 07's low numbers, all harvest numbers will increase around 10% from last years' figures

#2.. It will prove once and for all that the lenght of the season is not as important as the number of licenses issued...

I too believe that the antlerless harvest will remain about the same or rise slightly in those units.

I do worry a little about the possible unforseen increase in antlered harvest that first Saturday.  Remember some years ago when antlerless deer became legal on the last Saturday of buck and the buck kill was rather large that day.

Anyway.  Everyone will know for sure what drives the harvest numbers finally. I think it is a right move for the PGC to keep the allocations unchanged.

Not accounting the poor weather this past year, I would expect the doe harvest to drop considering  having less time to shoot a doe.  Dpms brought up a good point, there could be more pressure on the bucks the second week(and possibly the first).  
   I think that is why this little experimet is being done.  the PGC will actually get numbers to use instead of what ifs.  Wildlife management is not an exact science.   dd

Quote :

It is really hard to know what we should or shouldn't believe from the PGC.

Not sure what that means but the quote you posted just backs up what everyone from the PGC has been telling me for years.....

It's not the length of the season that controls deer (doe) harvest... its the number of licenses issued....

To keep the herd stable just look at the difference in license numbers required for a 3 day to 12 day season.....

That's why you will see that by going to a 7 day season for antlerless this fall will NOT "save" any more does than were being saved before the change.. the PGC KNOWS this... that's why they offered up the idea in the first place...

When the harvest stays the same the whiners will have nothing to whine about... the shorter season did not save deer.... the only complaint they will continue to use then is the calculations for harvest numbers are not accurate.... their favorite complaint when all else fails..

THE ONLY THING that will lower the harvest in those areas will be IF the weather is bad during the shorter season...

I agree with the fact bucks are going to get hammered the first Saturday too... this too has been done in the past with that exact result.... BUT AFTER ALL... that's what the complainers wanted...a shorter doe season....

The future of hunting deer and the habiatat is the last thing on these folks' mind..

they are only worried about one thing...

providing them with easy deer hunting and lots of deer sightings....  

--Last edited by Dr Trout on 2008-05-02 21:30:46 --

When was that press release dated?

Bear in mind that the 4 wmu changes go completely against the praise the PGC heaped on concurrent seasons in the Deer Booklet that was just published.

As far as I can tell this is a socio-political experiment and has virtually no basis in biological need.

Doc I believe harvest "could" drop due to the required second trip for many hunters.
$4 a gallon gas, camp heating fuel and cooking fuel just might keep some guys at home. Plus the second loss time from work and school if wanting to hunt the opener for buck and also then hunt doe.

It's all speculation now but I sure wouldn't make a return trip to have a one-day hunt on Saturday and then have a dead day in camp or a motel until allowed to hunt again on  Monday.
We'll see.