Game Commission Questioned About Deer Problem
ARRISBURG
tuphin Co.) The
msylvania Farmers’
sedation (PFA) has
led questions about
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the PA Game Commis
sion’s System for reduc
ing the size of the
state’s deer herd.
PFA questioned deer
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herd management
efforts during a Game
Commission hearing in
Harrisburg on Sunday,
Jan. 6. PFA is a volun
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tary, statewide farm
organization which rep
resents over 23,000
families.
PFA spokesman
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Logan Bower of Blain,
Perry County, noted
that the Commission’s
antlerless deer license
allocation for last year
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Lancaster Farming, Saturday, January 12, 1991-A37
was supposed to reduce
deer populations in 51
counties, but only suc
ceeded in 24 counties.
“PFA believes that
the Commission seri
ously needs to question
the formula used to
determine how many
antlerless licenses are
required to bring about
desired results,” said
Bower who serves on
PFA’s Wildlife Dam
age Control Committee.
“We believe the system
may be flawed.”
Bower noted that
over the last five years
the number of counties
with deer herds at or
below Game Commis
sion goals has
decreased from 16 to
six. “How long will it
take before populations
of antlerless deer equal
the established goals?”
he asked. “We are told
this will happen within
five years under the cur
rent formula for reduc
tion. However, when
looking at the progress
made, or lack thereof,
over the last five years,
one has to question how
serious we are in bring
ing populations in line
with goals.”
Explaining why PFA
wants the Commis
sion’s goals reached.
Bower said, “We are
concerned because we
believe that when a
county is over goal,
there is a greater chance
for deer to move out of
the woodlands, and
cause more extensive
crop damage.”
Bower told the Com
mission that, based on a
survey of the boards of
directors in its 54 coun
ty associations, PFA
estimates deer caused
about $36.4 million
worth of crop damage
to its members last year.
“Farmers are finding
it increasingly difficult
to make a living from
fanning due to wildlife
damage they are exper
iencing,” Bower testi
fied, “The year 1991
will be even more of a
problem, as farm
income in the state is
projected to drop signif
icantly due to lower
commodity prices.”
Farms going out of
business due to low
prices is a fact of life in
a free enterprise system.
Bower indicated. But,
he added, “Farms going
out of business due to
wildlife damage is
intolerable.”
PFA believes crop
damage problems need
to be addressed on two
fronts. “First,” Bower
said, “A better job
needs to be done to
bring the deer popula
tion in line with the car
rying capacity of the
woodlands, and second,
more needs to be done
to help the individual
farmer deal with the
damage on his farm.”