May Meeting - WCSA

Executive Director of The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, Dr. Doug Austen, will attend the WCSA monthly meeting, held on the second Thursday of May starting at 7 PM. In addition, Mr. Dan Surra will also be on hand to discuss the future of the PA WILDS program. Should make for an interesting and informative meeting, so try to make it. Mark your calendar for May 14th, this will be your chance to discuss matters of importance to you concerning both fishing and the PA Wilds concept.

Special Notice: WCSA Range Rules Have Changed. Due to high costs of insurance and range maintenance THE SHOOTING RANGE IS RESTRICTED TO MEMBERS ONLY. Not a current member, no problem, just contact us and for the low cost of $15.00 you will become a member for 12 months from the date you join. Those using the range are requested to have current memberships displayed.

 

WCSA Stand on Deer Management

Deer Management
Responding to wide spread concerns voiced by hunters in North Central Pennsylvania, WCSA president, Ray Werts, in cooperation with the presidents of the Southern Clinton Sportsmen’s Association and the Sinnemahoning Sportsmen’s Association, met to coordinate a unified approach seeking an acceptable solution to hunter complaints. President Dough Desmond of Southern Clinton Sportsmen’s Association, and president Dale Woods of Sinnemahoning Sportsmen’s Association, and others, discussed a variety of concerns over current PGC-DCNR policies impacting the number of deer on state forest lands in North Central Pennsylvania. Those in attendance at this meeting were in general agreement that the deer numbers are down to the point where large numbers of hunters are justifiably concerned.

The representatives of the sportsmen’s clubs indicated that they could not speak for the deer situation in the entire state but that they certainly could speak for the situation as it impacted Wildlife Management unit 2G. All at the meeting agreed that it was time to re-evaluate the approach made by the PGC-DCNR deer management team under the leadership of Mr. Alt, who recently resigned his position.

The representatives at this meeting, speaking for several thousand dues-paying members, will approach their members, the PGC and area legislators to suggest specific changes to current PGC-DCNR policies. As of this date, Western Clinton Sportsmen’s Assn. and Sinnemahoning Sportsmen’s Assn. voted in support of the proposed changes. Southern Clinton Sportsmen’s Assn. is taking them under consideration. The clubs’ positions indicated that while they fully understood the need for a balanced approach to habitat versus deer numbers, the current policy does not have the appropriate checks or balances in place that would address the overkill of deer in many WMU’s. Following is a list of specific suggestions representatives of the various clubs would like to see implemented:

In an effort to promote youth hunting, we would like to see the youth 12-16 years of age get first chance at the doe allocations state wide. Also to get first chance should be the hunters in the military, seniors and the handicapped.

The "one size fits all" approach to Deer Management Unit 2G needs to be changed. The changes should reflect the difference between deer numbers and doe permits aimed at private lands around 2G and those numbers within Deer Management 2G’s state forestlands. We believe the majority of doe hunters in 2G are hunting state land, which is creating an overkill situation on state land and overlooking private property.

Bonus licenses for 2G should be eliminated

DMAP permits should be eliminated on state forestland, as we believe it is being abused by DCNR. The DMAP areas are being created without any real scientific proof as to what deer numbers are at any given time.

The current two week Doe Hunting Season should be reduced to a maximum of one week comprised of the second week of deer season.

The issuing of doe licenses for Deer Management 2G should be reduced by a percentage that would reflect the need to increase our deer herd.

All in attendance agreed that the PGC and DCNR should do much more to increase the quality of habitat in this region as it impacts deer and all other wildlife. DCNR manages the vast majority of land in our area and it is time they see the deer as having great economic value in our area and react with the local economy in mind. Many small business survive the winter because of deer hunting season

There was also agreement that DCNR and legislators fail to fully understand the multi-billion dollar impact hunting has on Pennsylvania’s economy in general, and the vital role hunter’s have on rural communities in particular.
Another concern voiced at the meeting was to question just how the PGC arrives at its deer statistics concerning the number of deer "they say" exist in 2G as well as Pennsylvania.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the sportsmen’s representatives urged all of their members to contact their respective legislators, the PGC, and DCNR voicing their concerns. The officers in attendance at the meeting indicated that they would use every means at their disposal to address these problems, and that meetings involving the leadership of all area sportsmen’s clubs should take place on an annual basis.