I hunt both NY and PA every year for 45 yrs . I can tell you in my experience populations in both states are way down. I still managed to harvest a deer every year but it has been my observation during these hunts less deer are seen. Both states have drastically increased harvest opportunities with new and lengthened seasons. Pressure from insurance company lobbyists has put pressure on legislators to push for this. Also predation has taken its share on overall numbers. Hunters also have more tools at their disposal (gps, trail cams, better weapons ect. ) that allows better penetration and increased duration of time hunters spend in woods. Also let’s not forget the reality that state agency’s that manage deer populations also have large expenses that need revenue. More license sales in particular doe permits equal revenue. Heards are not manage for hunters they are foremost manage for Forest Health, heard health ,farmer crop damage, vehicle deer collisions reductions and revenue. Hunter satisfaction does not fit in with these objectives but we are merely a tool to obtain goal objectives. I you think deer density for hunter satisfaction is an objective you would be mistaken.

The best thing hunters can do I these two states is be thoughtful and not over harvest . Just because doe permits are available does not mean you should clear out a heard of deer in any given area. I see it happen all the time over the last 10-20 yrs . A group of guys will over hunt an are till the deer population is null one year come back the next year and complain they see no deer. Deer do not drop from the sky and repopulate overnight. It takes years for a decimated heard to repopulate.

Lots of hunters don’t want to here this. They figure if doe permits are issued than it’s a green light to be a glutton . Do not rely on government agency harvest goals to determine how many deer are acceptable to harvest in your area. If you see deer population dwindling in your area than back off and don’t take multiple deer in a single year. We have to manage the herds in the areas we hunt ourselves.

Last edited by yar; 01/14/22.