The Game Commission formed in 1895 primarily to save what was left of the states wildlife. Prior to that time there were no enforced game laws and people could shoot deer year round with relative impunity. By 1900, deer were so scarce that the mere sight of a deer made the headlines in the local newspapers.
Deer were re-introduced into Pennsylvania in 1906. Most of the state had been clear-cut by that time and the regrowth was ideal deer habitat. The herd grew quickly and an occasional doe season had to be implemented to reduce the herd. What happened in the next few decades of deer management is too involved, but it quickly became evident that does had to be harvested every year instead of just occasionally. Convincing hunters, however, that an annual doe season was necessary didn't come until the 1950's. Since 1957 we have had a two-week buck season followed by a 2-3 day doe or anterless deer season, but the deer herd continued to grow. Deer expanded out of their over-browsed mountain range into the rest of the counties in the state. By the early 1980's the pre-hunting season estimate was 900,000 and this past year it was 1.6 million. By 2000 the entire state was over-browsed and suffering substantial ecological damage. The two-week buck and 2-3 day doe season was not working.
There were other problems inherent in the two-week buck/2-3 day doe season system. About 85-90% of the antlered bucks were taken every year and the short doe season included a harvest of 23% button bucks. The buck/doe ratio was so out of balance that there weren't enough bucks to breed all the does during the regular rut in November. That might sound good in an oversized herd, but the unbred does continued to go into heat until February, which means some fawns were being born as late as August and September. It is a cruel fact that deer entering the winter that young usually perish before spring. The majority of does, however, do get bred by mid-December, which means that most of the does getting shot in the anterless deer season are pregnant. That may sound good, but it renders the breeding season a waste of good genes, a point to be discussed later.
Also, in a balanced herd, the strongest bucks would keep the weaker bucks from breeding, but in an unbalanced herd where there are so many does even the weakest bucks can breed. This is not good genetics for a wild population.
Antler growth never reached full potential under this system. Antler growth is dependent on genetics, age and food supply. Given sound genetics and food, bucks will grow their largest antlers between ages 4 to 8, but under the 2-week buck/3-day doe season system, less than one buck in a hundred would live to see his 4th year. Trophy deer were scarce since the vast majority of bucks were shot at age 18 months.
Reforms were in order and long overdue. In 2001 the first two-week doe season ran concurrently with the two-week buck season giving hunters with the anterless license nine more days to take a doe. In 2002 the taking of bucks was restricted to 3-4 points on at least one antler, giving the younger bucks the chance to live longer and grow a larger rack. That 2-week buck/doe season with the antler restriction continued through 2003, but the herd still continues to grow.
More drastic measures are needed. The Game Commission is considering a doe season prior to the rut in either September or October. This would correct several problems. First, by removing does from the herd before the rut the bucks would not be wasting energy breeding does that would only be shot later in the season. Secondly, with fewer does entering the rut period there would be less does to go around and the bucks would have to battle and compete for the does. Genetically speaking, this is good and the main reason for trying to increase rack size. Only the strongest healthiest bucks should breed to pass on the best genes. Third, removing the does in September or October would also save the forest from three to six weeks of browsing before the rutting season making more food available to the other deer. Fourth, the hunters would have more time to hunt doe bringing the buck/doe ration back into balance. Finally, although this is not a strong point, hunters taking doe in the early season might not be as strongly motivated to shoot a buck during the regular season. This would help reduce the buck kill thus allowing the bucks to live longer and grow larger antlers. Do not get the idea that the main goal of deer management is larger antlers, but larger antlers means healthier bucks that must compete with other bucks to pass on their superior genes. The biggest bucks with the largest antlers are the only ones you want to do the breeding. For the last 50+ years, that wasn't happening.
But early or extra doe seasons will not be enough unless the anterless license allocation is sufficient to reduce the herd size. With less deer, the vegetation will recover, the environment will support other forms of animal life, there will be more food available, which in turn means the deer themselves will be healthier and will not have to work so hard to find food. There will also be less damage to agriculture and fewer auto/deer collisions to raise insurance rates. Everyone will be a winner.
Someone at the Harrisburg Deer Conference asked why it wouldn't be prudent in the suburbs to legalize archers to hunt over salt bait. This violates the concept of sport, but in the suburbs we are not talking about sport hunting, we are talking about control. Because of the few limited places where deer can be taken, using salt bait might lure deer away from the sanctuary of other havens in the suburbs.
Another issue came up that I didn't fully approve of - Sunday deer hunting. Yes, this would give the hunters extra time to hunt deer. But I am against it and so are a lot of other hunters for the following reasons. We feel there has to be one day out of the week when the deer get a break from the pursuit. The public also needs a day of the week when they can travel in the outdoors without having to wear blaze orange as a safety precaution. Finally, people in country churches have the right not to hear gun shots during their Sunday morning services. I would only approve Sunday hunting for archers in the suburbs where noise is not a factor and because of the range of a bow, people could pursue other forms of recreation without worrying too much about being mistaken for game.
These two proposals - legalized salt bait and Sunday hunting in the suburbs has an inherent problem. The suburbs have to be defined. In this day the boundary between city and suburb and suburb and country is often indistinct. Maps with municipal boundary lines would have to be made available.
Several states have laws where the hunter must take a doe before becoming eligible to buy a buck license. There is a place in New Jersey where a hunter must prove he has taken two doe in order to purchase a buck license. I have heard of no such proposal for Pennsylvania, but it might not be a bad idea in special areas.
A future column will discuss the economic factors of an out of balance herd and what success Fox Chapel has had controlling a deer herd that became over five times the recommended carrying capacity.
