WMI Deer Audit Clobbers PGC's Deer Program

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WMI Deer Audit Clobbers PGC's Deer Program

You may have heard or read by now that the Deer Audit conducted by the Wildlife Management Institute (WMI) was a complete vindication of the PGC's deer management program. Unfortunately, I can't stop anyone from rolling their own before they write a column. If you take the time to read this document, you will conclude that this is the biggest PGC embarrassment since the MAT Report.

In very professional terminology, Scot Williamson, V-P of WMI and author of this audit, literally chopped the legs right off the PGC's three-legged deer management stool. You've heard the spin; healthy deer, healthy forests and minimum human-deer conflicts. The last goal has somewhat morphed into stakeholder involvement or as we know it, Citizen Advisory Committees (CAC). Scot Williamson is a skillful writer and you must read the audit slowly and carefully.

WMI advised eliminating healthy deer as a management goal. Counting fawn fetuses pulled from dead doe has been a poorly managed program since its inception. WCO's hate doing it and it proves little. Our reproduction rate averages 1.5 now and it was 1.5 fifty years ago. Furthermore, it would take years to see a reduction in reproduction rates if we had too many deer. Actually, reproduction rates in PA are very stable indicating we have never been on the downside of the bell curve.

WMI dedicated pages to forest regeneration issues and did a rather complete analysis. It quickly becomes obvious that PA's forests suffer from a multitude of problems. WMI spoke freely about our highly acidic soils, the lack of fire and our poor forestry practices as major causes of failed regeneration. They acknowledged the mature sugar maple die-off caused by our acidic soils. WMI warned that if soil conditions don't improve our oak forests will ultimately be replaced by red maple and black birch.

Unfortunately, WMI stated that the "general consensus" in the scientific community is that deer are still the major cause of our regeneration failures. Our legislators didn't buy that remark, especially after reading Mr. Williamson's detailed analysis of our myriad of forest problems. Perhaps, Mr. Williamson isn't aware that advanced regeneration is failing up and down the entire eastern seaboard. Furthermore, we didn't pay Mr. Williamson to determine the "general consensus". He was paid to uncover the truth by gathering scientific facts.

The PGC received praise from WMI for establishing CAC's and involving the public, but not without criticism. WMI recommends utilizing more scientific survey methods to reach a broader group of stakeholders. They recommended establishing a statewide CAC.

Where the PGC took an additional major hit is their low harvest reporting rates and the resulting poor harvest estimates. It is absolutely critical to have accurate harvest numbers to plug into the deer model to estimate overall herd size. Additionally, WMI found that our deer model was inadequate to establish doe allocations. These are the exact allegations our sporting class has leveled against the Agency for decades. It is the garbage-in, garbage-out analogy in the flesh, or should I say, fur.

Furthermore, our deer model is a homemade affair, responsive to some inputs and unresponsive to others. There is no nationwide accepted deer model when antler restrictions are in place. The three-year look-back procedure necessary to establish deer densities create a complicated model subject to error and widely varying estimates. Our legislators are currently considering mandatory deer harvest reporting legislation to improve the accuracy and credibility of the PGC's deer management. WMI also suggested the publication of deer herd populations for each WMU.

While all of the above is enough to shake 2001 Elmerton Ave from its foundation, WMI did categorize the PGC's deer management as scientifically sound. During the hearing, which brought Scot Williamson of WMI before the House Game and Fisheries Committee, our legislators were astounded at how WMI could come to that conclusion. Frankly, parts of the deer audit could be categorized as masterful examples of contradictions.

You can obtain a copy of this 90-page document for your reading pleasure. Call the PA Legislative Budget and Finance Committee at 717-783-1600 for a copy. It is also available online.

There is talk of having WMI back for an explanation of their contradictory statements. Our PGC Commissioners are reviewing this audit with great interest. The PGC is currently engaged in a strategy to reverse the changes adopted at the January Commissioner meeting. There is much happening in Harrisburg. However, at this moment in PA game management history, the WMI deer audit just clobbered the PGC's deer management program.

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