Bluetick
04-22-2007, 11:22 PM
Beginning 2001 the Pennsylvania Game Commission implemented a new Deer Management Program. This program challenged many long held traditions of deer hunters. Chief among these traditions was that an antlerless deer (doe) was not to be considered a consolation prize if a buck could not be harvested. Rather, that antlerless deer harvests were to be the primary means to bring the deer herd back in balance with the habitat.
In the years since it's inception, the program has been attacked and those in charge of it vilified. Just last year the Unified Sportsmen Of Pennsylvania (USP) filed a lawsuit against the Game Commission in an attempt to halt the program. The suit was dismissed on its lack of merit. However, they did not go quitely away. The USP is alive and well and continuing to attack the Game Commission and its deer program any way possible.
The grilling by the House Game and Fisheries Committee Members of Game Commission Executive Director Carl Roe received wide press coverage. This three hour attack on the Game Commission was televised on PCN during its coverage of the Game Commissions Annual Report to the House Game and Fisheries Committee. For three hours the members asked questions and made statements about one thing - deer. None of the other four hundred sixty-seven animals or birds was hardly mentioned other than by Executive Director Roe.
Last week the Game Commission held its April Meeting. This meeting holds prominence as the coming seasons dates and bag limits are set. Additionally, the antlerless allocations are set; doe tags. On Tuesday, public comment was taken. Representative Sam Rohrer, Minority Chairman, House Game and Fisheries Committee, testified. He announced that he polled the minority (Republican) members of the committee and they were all in agreement about the deer program. It had to change. His reasoning was the amount of complaints they were getting on the decimated deer herd.
His proposal to the Game Commission Board of Directors was to halt the two week concurrent rifle deer season. This season allows the hunting of buck and does at the same time. Instead, he testified that he wanted the commission to eliminate concurrent buck and doe rifle hunting seasons temporarily across most of the state. That is he wanted antlerless season to be canceled for this coming season. He reasoned this would allow time for the commission to improve how it estimates the state's deer population. He also suggested that an audit of the deer program be performed to verify the data, methodology, and program recommendations. This is also a long term goal of the USP.
The fact that the habitat, deer health, and deer/human conflicts are the primary measures seemed not important. Nor did the fact that the number of deer within the state has never really been known, nor is it important with the current measures.
Later in the week Representative Dan Moul (R-Adams/Franklin) also proposed pending legislation. Again, with consultation with other members of the House Game and Fisheries Committee. From his press release:
Citizen Advisory Boards (CAB), made up of members of local sportsman's and agricultural organizations, as well as game officials, would be established within each Wildlife Management Unit (WMU) for the purpose of determining the maximum number of antlerless deer licenses that should be sold within the management unit.
Lost on Representative Moul is the Game Commission is already doing this. The commission has implemented Citizen Advisory Committees (CAC). These committees have a far broader participation of all stakeholders in the deer population debate. So far there have been five CAC's. The inital one was last year. This past winter four more were conducted. These broadly based, stakeholder inclusive committees seek input from other citizens on their needs ands wants concerning deer. All twenty-two Wildlife management Units are scheduled for a CAC to be conducted by 2011.
It should also be mentioned that even the CAC's conducted by the commission are under attack by the legislature. Representative Godshall has introduced a bill to make them open to the public. This if passed into the law would severely diminish the effectiveness of the CAC's.
Both pieces of legislation are right out of the USP play book. Even the name, " Citizen Advisory Board" and the manner of it appointment and composition are posted on the USP website. The USP main contention over the commissions program being it is so inclusive of other, non-hunting stakeholders.
Failing at the court challenge, the USP has mounted an all out assault on getting legislative relief as explained above. Fine, this is the way our governmental system works. However, the down side is if successful, the Game Commissions hands will be tied. They will no longer be able to manage the herd scientifically with all animals taken into consideration. Rather, management of deer, and the damage they cause to the habitat of other animals and birds will be beholden to an excess of deer. Worse it could be in untrained hands and the myopic vision of the deer first crowd.
I ask that you contact your legislators about meddling in the deer program. Ask them to let the management of this wonderful, but habitat depleting animal in the hands of the commission. Also ask that they immediately authorize the long overdue license increase. Better yet demand that the Game Commissions budget be augmented with general fund money.
To let this assault on the Game commission succeed would be a travesty for the future of hunting. Not lost to me are the continuing the harmful effects deer cause to the habitat of birds and other small animals. The decreased numbers of birds, song, game, and predator can be directly linked to the browsing habits of the white-tailed deer. Deer eat the very plants and small trees necessary for their nesting, concealment and food sources.
The Game Commission Board of Directors did their part Wednesday. They held true to the deer program for the greater good of the habitat of all wildlife. They didn't cave to the political pressure being excreted. But they can not resist the pressure alone. They need your support in letters to your legislators, and those on the Game and Fisheries Committee.
Please write your legislators. Make a few calls of support for the deer program to remain the solely within the commissions professional management. Then get your friends to do so as well. Demand that the habitat come before all else for the sake of all wildlife. Rabbits, grouse, turkeys, and so many other game and non-game animals depend on it.
Bluetick
--------------------
Hunting - more than just buying a license. Get involved!
In the years since it's inception, the program has been attacked and those in charge of it vilified. Just last year the Unified Sportsmen Of Pennsylvania (USP) filed a lawsuit against the Game Commission in an attempt to halt the program. The suit was dismissed on its lack of merit. However, they did not go quitely away. The USP is alive and well and continuing to attack the Game Commission and its deer program any way possible.
The grilling by the House Game and Fisheries Committee Members of Game Commission Executive Director Carl Roe received wide press coverage. This three hour attack on the Game Commission was televised on PCN during its coverage of the Game Commissions Annual Report to the House Game and Fisheries Committee. For three hours the members asked questions and made statements about one thing - deer. None of the other four hundred sixty-seven animals or birds was hardly mentioned other than by Executive Director Roe.
Last week the Game Commission held its April Meeting. This meeting holds prominence as the coming seasons dates and bag limits are set. Additionally, the antlerless allocations are set; doe tags. On Tuesday, public comment was taken. Representative Sam Rohrer, Minority Chairman, House Game and Fisheries Committee, testified. He announced that he polled the minority (Republican) members of the committee and they were all in agreement about the deer program. It had to change. His reasoning was the amount of complaints they were getting on the decimated deer herd.
His proposal to the Game Commission Board of Directors was to halt the two week concurrent rifle deer season. This season allows the hunting of buck and does at the same time. Instead, he testified that he wanted the commission to eliminate concurrent buck and doe rifle hunting seasons temporarily across most of the state. That is he wanted antlerless season to be canceled for this coming season. He reasoned this would allow time for the commission to improve how it estimates the state's deer population. He also suggested that an audit of the deer program be performed to verify the data, methodology, and program recommendations. This is also a long term goal of the USP.
The fact that the habitat, deer health, and deer/human conflicts are the primary measures seemed not important. Nor did the fact that the number of deer within the state has never really been known, nor is it important with the current measures.
Later in the week Representative Dan Moul (R-Adams/Franklin) also proposed pending legislation. Again, with consultation with other members of the House Game and Fisheries Committee. From his press release:
Citizen Advisory Boards (CAB), made up of members of local sportsman's and agricultural organizations, as well as game officials, would be established within each Wildlife Management Unit (WMU) for the purpose of determining the maximum number of antlerless deer licenses that should be sold within the management unit.
Lost on Representative Moul is the Game Commission is already doing this. The commission has implemented Citizen Advisory Committees (CAC). These committees have a far broader participation of all stakeholders in the deer population debate. So far there have been five CAC's. The inital one was last year. This past winter four more were conducted. These broadly based, stakeholder inclusive committees seek input from other citizens on their needs ands wants concerning deer. All twenty-two Wildlife management Units are scheduled for a CAC to be conducted by 2011.
It should also be mentioned that even the CAC's conducted by the commission are under attack by the legislature. Representative Godshall has introduced a bill to make them open to the public. This if passed into the law would severely diminish the effectiveness of the CAC's.
Both pieces of legislation are right out of the USP play book. Even the name, " Citizen Advisory Board" and the manner of it appointment and composition are posted on the USP website. The USP main contention over the commissions program being it is so inclusive of other, non-hunting stakeholders.
Failing at the court challenge, the USP has mounted an all out assault on getting legislative relief as explained above. Fine, this is the way our governmental system works. However, the down side is if successful, the Game Commissions hands will be tied. They will no longer be able to manage the herd scientifically with all animals taken into consideration. Rather, management of deer, and the damage they cause to the habitat of other animals and birds will be beholden to an excess of deer. Worse it could be in untrained hands and the myopic vision of the deer first crowd.
I ask that you contact your legislators about meddling in the deer program. Ask them to let the management of this wonderful, but habitat depleting animal in the hands of the commission. Also ask that they immediately authorize the long overdue license increase. Better yet demand that the Game Commissions budget be augmented with general fund money.
To let this assault on the Game commission succeed would be a travesty for the future of hunting. Not lost to me are the continuing the harmful effects deer cause to the habitat of birds and other small animals. The decreased numbers of birds, song, game, and predator can be directly linked to the browsing habits of the white-tailed deer. Deer eat the very plants and small trees necessary for their nesting, concealment and food sources.
The Game Commission Board of Directors did their part Wednesday. They held true to the deer program for the greater good of the habitat of all wildlife. They didn't cave to the political pressure being excreted. But they can not resist the pressure alone. They need your support in letters to your legislators, and those on the Game and Fisheries Committee.
Please write your legislators. Make a few calls of support for the deer program to remain the solely within the commissions professional management. Then get your friends to do so as well. Demand that the habitat come before all else for the sake of all wildlife. Rabbits, grouse, turkeys, and so many other game and non-game animals depend on it.
Bluetick
--------------------
Hunting - more than just buying a license. Get involved!