DEER & FORESTS:
CONFLICT VS. COOPERATION

Where have all the deer gone?

That question dominated a two-hour public forum in Coudersport last week, aired live across the state on Pennsylvania Cable Network (PCN).

About 200 people, most of them deer hunters, were on hand to hear explanations of wildlife management and forestry, while offering their own opinions during a lively dialogue.

PCN, channel 22 on the Zito Media lineup, will air the program again on Saturday at 7 p.m.

While a majority of those in the audience raised their hands when asked if they believed there were too few deer in the region, a sizable number said they were satisfied with the size of the deer herd and seemingly supportive of the Pa. Game Commission's deer management strategy.

The critics' position was championed by Jack Krafft, owner of First Fork Lodge in Costello, who lamented the impact a smaller deer herd has had on tourist-based businesses. He was outnumbered on the panel by two Pa. Game Commission officials, as well as representatives of the Bureau of Forestry and the U.S. Forest Service.

Following are summaries of each speaker's major points:

Bret Wallingford, Deer Biologist

Pa. Game Commission

Our goal is to balance deer with habitat -- for healthy deer, for healthy forests, and to minimize deer and human conflicts.

It is very difficult to please everyone. Whenever we make a move, there's somebody who likes it and somebody who doesn't. We're doing what we think is the best thing for our deer and for our forests on a sustainable basis.

The three biggest reasons people are dropping out of hunting are all related to time. We are trying to address that by providing more opportunities.

We've expanded junior opportunities. Hunting has a hard time competing with the instant action you get with video games and television.

As far as Management Area 2G, even with the increase of 6,000 antlerless licenses, the kill will average out to only about one-third of a deer more per square mile.

Jack Krafft, Owner, First Fork Lodge, Costello

Most business people in the area tell me their business is down anywhere from 25 to 35 percent. Ask them why and they'll say, 'No deer.'

In my 15 years of business, it's the lowest that it's ever been.

I didn't have an archery hunter last year or this year. Gun season is not much different. Last season, I was down to 13 hunters with zero deer harvested.

Not long ago, there were 15 businesses for sale in Potter County. Now there are between 40 and 50 businesses for sale. My own business is for sale, as well.

The deer hunters who come here create a big ripple effect in terms of economics. We need to manage thing differently.

Are the foresters in the tree farm business, the timber business, or are they really the stewards of our forests?

Dennis Dusza Northcentral Regional Director

Pa. Game Commission

Times have changed. When you look at the faces in the crowd here, it's a reflection of where hunting is today. The average age of a hunter today is 50.

The habitat for deer is no different than this 20-ounce bottle. You're only going to get 20 ounces of water in it. If you try to get more than that, you have a mess and, unfortunately, that's what we have now.

Still, the future of hunting in Pennsylvania is great. Bear hunting is great; turkey hunting is great. One the problems we seem to have is that everyone is hung up on deer

Susan Stout, Research forester

USDA Forest Service

When there were too many deer for the habitat in the big woods, plants that deer don't like to eat at all - plants which prevent the forest from renewing itself - became prominent. So deer numbers went down because the habitat quality went down. And it can rebound as the habitat improves.

For too long, foresters and hunters have fought each other. Today, the rural way of life in Pennsylvania is really challenged. If we fight with each other through the 21st century like we have fought through the 20th, neither the future of forests nor the future of hunting will be good.

We need healthy hunting, we need healthy forests, and our communities will continue to deteriorate unless we listen to one another and define that future.

Seth Cassel Communications Director Pa. Bureau of Forestry

Our woods face serious threats -- from second home development and reduced hunting access to invasion by bugs, diseases and plants. Hunters can help make or break a forest landowner's decision to keep a forest intact and available for public hunting, or sell it for development.

You can take kids in to the woods with you and help prevent what some people are now calling nature deficit disorder.

Seth Cassel Communications Director

Pa. Bureau of Forestry

Hunters in Pennsylvania provide a significant ecological service. Without hunters we could not accomplish our forest management goals.

Deer have the ability, when out of balance with their habitat, to profoundly impact the establishment of a forest. There are still many areas, especially in northcentral Pennsylvania, where this capacity for renewal remains severely impaired.

However, as a result of more balanced deer populations in recent years, we are seeing localized surges in forest regeneration and habitat health. As habitat improves, hunting opportunities will improve.

Brian Lockman (right) from Pennsylvania Cable Network moderated last week's two-hour panel discussion on the future of hunting and forest management.

We have to go by what the habitat is - we can't just wish that we had more deer. It's all based off what the forest ecosystem can support.

Our goal is a diverse assemblage of age classes across the landscape. Right now we don't have that. Unfortunately throughout much of the history of our management we have not been able to establish the number of young forests we have wanted because of the deer imbalance.

What we're looking for is striking a balance. The best legacy that we can leave for future generations is that of a healthy, vibrant forest.