PA Pennsylvania Deer Managment Controversy July 22, 2010

[WhiteFeather]

The Dormont - Mt. Lebanon Sportsmen’s Club
will host a presentation on
the Pennsylvania Deer Management Controversy
on Thursday July 22, 2010, at 8:00 pm.

John Eveland, forester, wildlife biologist, ecologist and faculty member at Penn State University will be the guest speaker. John conducted performed the first state-wide research on black bears and on Pennsylvania ’s elk herd.

John will discuss the issues related to the current status of deer management in Pennsylvania , the people and organizations involved, proposed and ongoing activities and the consequences of actions of the PA Game Commission, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Audubon Society’s involvement.



The Dormont - Mt. Lebanon Sportsmen’s Club invites all members of sportsmen’s clubs and Hunters in the region to attend this important presentation.

DORMONT-MT. LEBANON SPORTSMEN'S CLUB

Linden Road, North Strabane Twp. Washington County

Directions: Take Route 19 South to the Canonsburg exit; turn left before exit onto Linden Road, proceed 2.3 miles, sign on right at entrance. From Washington PA, take route 19 north to Canonsburg exit; pass the exit and turn right onto Linden Road, proceed 2.3 miles sign on right.

http://acslpa.org/

You can read John Eveland bio on the ACSL web site and for everyone else that is Geographically challenged to make it to Washington county in western PA.

You can listen to a recording of a similar presentation made at the ACSL banquet in 2010. You will find some of this information shocking at how hunters are being sold out by the power brokers pulling the strings of key people in leadership positions in a variety of organizations.

Also read the report is the Deer audit a con?

If hunting is important to you and you been wondering why in lots of PA deer have become hard to find Especially the big wood up in northern PA. You might want to attend meeting on July 22, 2010 or listen to audio clip (first part is missing - a recording error)

If you need more information about this event email with your questions

dmcampbell@earth-logistics.com

ABOUT JOHN EVELAND

Of the three big game mammals in Pennsylvania (white-tailed deer, black bear, and elk), John Eveland conducted the first statewide research, wrote the original state management plans, and is directly responsible for the recovery and success of two of these species -- black bears and elk. He is by profession a forester, wildlife biologist, and ecologist. His scientific experience includes studies for the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and for university, state agencies, industry, and private organizations throughout North America. John Eveland is one of the most experienced wildlife ecologists in Pennsylvania, and is a national specialist in the ecology of North America for having conducted scientific research on wildlife, forest ecology, and natural systems within over 30 states and provinces of Canada -- from the northern hardwood forests of Pennsylvania and rocky coasts of New England to the southern pine forests and sandy shores of the Carolinas and Louisiana; from the mixed oak forests of mid-America to the southwest deserts and canyonlands of Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and New Mexico; and from the Rocky Mountain states of Wyoming, Colorado, and Montana to the boreal forests of Canada and Alaska.

As a University Research Scientist

Black Bear Research. As a biologist at The Pennsylvania State University, John conducted the first statewide scientific bear research program ever in Pennsylvania. The study included live-trapping, tagging, and radio-telemetry tracking of bears in order to scientifically determine the status of the statewide bear population, and to answer critical ecological questions. He determined that there were less than 2,000 black bears in the entire state, and that the population was declining. As a result, John wrote the first statewide bear management plan for the Pennsylvania Game Commission, which was immediately implemented in 1970 by the closing of the state bear hunting season in two separate years, subsequent reductions in the length of the season from one week (with interim one-day and, then, two-day seasons) to a maximum three-day season, the issuance of bear licenses for hunters, the classification of state bear management zones, and the statewide system of bear check stations during hunting seasons. To accurately age bears, he developed the Pennsylvania microscopic method of annular (tooth-ring) analysis using premolar teeth from living bears. Dr. Gary Alt (a later black bear biologist with the Pennsylvania Game Commission) said of John in a published Focus feature article of the Pittsburgh Tribune Review:

Alt became interested in bears when he was in high school and Eveland came to the area for field studies. “He was the bear man,” Alt said of Eveland. “He was a legend, and he was bigger than life as far as I was concerned.”

Because of John’s first research and statewide bear management plan (which remains virtually in effect to this day), Pennsylvania’s bear population has experienced a remarkable recovery, and today is estimated at about 17,000 bears -- and increasing.

Elk Research. Because of his success with bear research, John was offered the opportunity to conduct the first scientific investigation of Pennsylvania’s elk herd as a member of the Penn State faculty. Elk had been native to the state until 1867, when the last eastern elk was killed. Only 46 years later in 1913, elk were reintroduced into the state. No research had been conducted from this period until John’s first research in the early 1970’s, which focused on population dynamics, range and movements, and basic ecology of the herd. Although the official State estimate of the herd's size was about 1,000 elk, after six months John had determined there to be a total range size of 200 square miles, a primary range size of 90 square miles (where about 90% of the herd resided for about 90% of the time), and a total herd size of only 63 elk. Two years later he discovered the nationally significant brain worm disease that had cut the herd by 70%, from 115 elk to only 35 animals within a 10-week period -- explaining why the elk population had not increased nor prospered for three-quarters of a century. John created a multidisciplinary team of parasitologists, immunologists, and veterinarians at Penn State to fully understand the dynamics of the brain worm disease and to develop a preventative serum and method of inoculation. He wrote the first state elk management plan for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources and the Pennsylvania Game Commission, with habitat development, brain worm mitigation, and herd maintenance techniques that included a statewide hunting lottery when the herd eclipsed 400 animals in size. Today the population is about 700 animals -- and increasing.

IF you want more deer hunting opportunities for yourself and your children and grand children to enjoy in PA in the future you better learn what it’s going to take to resolve the deer problems in PA with proven science.

Right now Politics and politicians along with special interest groups (anti-gun & anti-hunting) are making these decisions for you and guess what the deer, the wildlife habit and hunters best interest aren't a priority now.

[Dredly]

I've come to immensly respect your opinion and knowledge of whats going on, especially in the hunting realm / legal...

what is your take on this? do you believe it or is conspiracy theory /the PGC is garbage stuff?

[Mabuz]

Nevermind....guess I was still half asleep when I read this post the first time, I'll try to make it after work now...guess reading is fundamental.

[Dredly]

would be great if someone would record it and post it online, or get a transcript online

[WhiteFeather]

I've come to immensly respect your opinion and knowledge of whats going on, especially in the hunting realm / legal...

what is your take on this? do you believe it or is conspiracy theory /the PGC is garbage stuff?

That is awful kind of you to say.

In my opinion for whatever is worth in a word - YES

Unfortunately ….We live in the age of deception and misdirection where you can’t believe what anyone tells US in authority including your own mother unless you do your own research and studying to verify everything. Even then it’s trying to hit a moving target at best reduplicating someone else’s efforts. That why we try to provide the documentation for everyone to review and judge for themselves what’s true and what’s BS. Blindly trusting someone that claims to have your best interest without holding them accountable or at least watching over them is why things have deteriorated in all aspects of this country everywhere.

In this case with such a long history of a constantly going in the same general direction the results and the back ground information fits the results with their long term agenda goals. Worse when to listen to where this is going for the future, there isn’t going to be one for hunting in PA unless you are someone special.

Less opportunities at wild game + frustrated from going and not seeing too much + No hunting dogs + No young hunter = less hunting license sold = not being able to pay to keep game lands = merger = more restriction = No hunting = less gun ownership = to UK style gun ownership or worse total ban = people are divorced from having a personal relationship with the outdoors.

Hunters and people that fish was and are the first and only true conservationist that tireless worked to protect the outdoors, not like all of these wacko so called environmentalist with a personal agenda, come lately groups that are funded by big money foundation using them as front to gain control over the land.


There are some really dark forces that have plans and desires for control of all the game lands, along with all of the so called public lands in PA and they got strategies on how to gain over of this much coveted property in the future.

I also want to stress that the average WCO has no idea of what past, present, future leadership does, sometimes even leadership was just someone useful sock puppet, they just follow orders from headquarters & working towards a retirement package. Meet over the years many fine WCO (a couple jerks as well) that really liked and cared about their work / animals welfare so don't blame them for this.

You got to look at the big picture, most people don't bother or want to because it implies taking responsibility for having this knowledge and taking action

Anyway people should really try to attend July 22 2010 event and ask their hard questions of where this is going directly from this wildlife expert.

If you care about the future, you better get involved or expect some else to make the future you are forced to live with.

Also Everyone please read links from is the Deer Audit a Con?

http://acslpa.org/

instead of trusting what anyone say Judge for yourself where this is going from studying past event, you can see the results so far in the present day so it’s not hard to see where this is going from studying the first two. Read more from the ACSL web site

Is the Deer Audit a Con?

The Legislative Budget & Finance Committee has officially awarded the Pennsylvania Deer Audit contract to the Wildlife Management Institute (WMI). Will this result in a comprehensive audit to determine an accurate evaluation of PGC deer management, or is the designed intent of the Levdansky Request for Proposal (RFP) to validate the current deer management plan? We believe all indicators point to the latter.

Is WMI an unbiased outside agency? WMI was a participant in the 1999 Audubon Deer Conference, which was the kick-off to implementing the current deer management plan.

Why is the drastic reduction of the deer herd the centerpiece of this management plan? The main stipulation in granting conditional “Green Certification” to Pennsylvania state forestland was that “overabundant” deer must be killed off, or green certification will not be renewed. Without the GREEN stamp of approval, lumber from the forest cannot be sold in Europe. So in essence, Pennsylvania deer management is governed by European environmentalism.

This is a useful tool for those with other agendas.

For homegrown environmentalists, it’s a step toward the restoration of our forests to the “pristine” wilderness that existed before the arrival of Western Civilization and our hunting culture.

A drastically reduced deer herd leads to reduced hunting license sales, which leads to reduced Game Commission funds. Reduced funds lead to renewed calls for merger. It’s of coincidence that the same politician who pushed this particular RFP, has been working behind the scene for years to merge the Game & Fish Commissions with DCNR, to “build a bridge to the environmentalists.”

Of prime consideration, is 1.6 million acres of coveted gameland. A depleted deer herd and reduced license sales lead to reduced gameland use. There is a cadre of special interest groups who have been semi-patiently waiting in the wings, eager to multi-use the gamelands, relegating hunters to second class citizens on a list of stakeholders.

Why was the watered-down Levdansky RFP pushed in preference of all others? Special commendation goes to the contrarian outdoor writer John Street, who, in his article “You ain’t gonna gitcherdeer”, has shed light on the machinations behind this effort.

Since before its implementation, the ACSL has fruitlessly been asking for the science behind the deer management plan, and it appears as though we may still be asking that same exact question after the audit is complete. Are we witnessing the beginning of the end of our hunting tradition, by the guiding hand of a self-anointed hunting czar? Who or what backroom oligarchy really wrote the RFP? Surveys of deer in West Virginia show approximately 40 per square mile yet here in PA the numbers have dropped dramatically. Aerial surveys by DCNR first showed 5-10 per square mile and the second survey showed 0-5 per square mile. Where do YOU think this is headed?

[WhiteFeather]

Flier for event also attached In PDF
if you want to print it out

IF Hunting is important to you, better make the time to be informed, to study the alliance being formed to decide on the use of hunters bought & paid for game lands by so called stakeholders claiming to have a bigger say over how they are used.

Hunters!

Find out what you don’t know!

You are invited to hear a presentation on the Pennsylvania deer audit issue. Hear about the “ecosystem management philosophy” promulgated by the Pennsylvania Audubon Society the Pennsylvania Chapter of the Sierra Club, the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the PA Game Commission and Rep. David Levdansky that will have disastrous consequences on the PA deer herd.

John Eveland, noted biologist, university research scientist and ecologist will speak at the:

Where: Dormont – Mt. Lebanon Sportsmen’s Club
Linden Road, North Strabane Twp.

When: Thursday July 22, 2010
8:00 PM

[Dredly]

Do you know if this one is going to be recorded and posted as well? I'm sure a lot of us would greatly appreciate it and use an online version to spread awareness as well

[WhiteFeather]

Do you know if this one is going to be recorded and posted as well? I'm sure a lot of us would greatly appreciate it and use an online version to spread awareness as well

Working with Others on trying to get this done.

No guaranties at this point of a recording or getting it hosted


We need hunters to be exposed to this information, get personally involved so that the bigger plans are stopped by the enlighten hunters.

[Feddog82]

Do you know if this one is going to be recorded and posted as well? I'm sure a lot of us would greatly appreciate it and use an online version to spread awareness as well

+1 I would love to be able to see this presentation however it is all but impossible for me.

[WhiteFeather]

Bumped... bump... bump July 22 is right around the corner.

Did anyone listen to the past audio recording on the ACSL web site?

http://acslpa.org/

IF you did what did you think about John Evland study on PA Deer Management?