Regular readers of this column know that over the past almost six years this writer has made numerous predictions about our future.  Over that same time period, a few of our PGC Commissioners joked that I must have a crystal ball that helps me predict our future.  They candidly admitted that they were archiving my columns to one-day look back and determine if my predictions were accurate.  Fortunately for me, but unfortunately for our great hunting tradition, my predictions have been dead nuts accurate.  Things are going to hell in a hand-basket very quickly.

            As I write this, our first week of the much-anticipated 2004 trophy buck season is almost over.  From all indications at this particular moment, the season has been a dismal failure.  As always, I am certain there are a few private hunting clubs and private landowners that harvested some nice bucks.  However, the emails that I have received have been from irate hunters unable to even locate one deer.  Stories of low deer sightings are prominent from all corners of the state.  Butcher shops are reporting a reduction of incoming carcasses by 50% to 75% compared to last year.  Personally, I have hunted hard everyday and seen does and fawns taken almost exclusively.  Bucks have been far and few between.

            In my circle of friends we speak of the “mop up operation” being almost complete.  We have all long realized that the Dr. Alt plan was never about improving our deer or deer hunting; it was always about herd reduction.  We further realized that the poor forest regeneration story was merely a smoke screen to try to hide the true agenda.  DCNR, driven by special interest group agendas wants the deer dead in this state.  Our hunters are now harvesting the remnants of our once great deer herd.  In the absence of trophy bucks the remaining does, fawns and button bucks are falling victim to our frustrated hunters.

            If you were paying attention, you should have realized there was trouble in paradise for some time.  When the PGC was not bragging about the archery season and pictures of trophy deer of any magnitude were missing from the newspapers were both indications that trophy deer were in short supply. 

Another big clue that the herd was way down was revealed in the recent PGC press release.  Press Secretary Jerry Feaser and Dr. Gary Alt were advising hunters to look in unusual places, not the usual places you would normally find deer.  They were indicating that due to many factors, you may not find deer because they have moved to a new area.  Unfortunately, there isn’t a shred of science in either of those statements.  We have long known deer are homebodies and will live and die on 600-800 acres.  Bucks may roam a bit during the rut, but deer always gravitate to their home territory.  We have further established scientifically that once deer are eradicated from an area it can take five years for the area to repopulate naturally.  Take our deer populations down too low and it may take 20-30 years to get back to a vibrant statewide herd.  We will all be dead by then and so will our hunting tradition.

Getting back to my crystal ball, let me tell you what I think is going to happen next.  After this season is over and a complete bust (and I truly hope it isn’t) our hunters will pressure our legislators to close the doe season next year.  The PGC will not willingly do this and will continue to claim we have a deer epidemic on our hands.  Hearings will be held.  The weather will be blamed for the poor harvest.  Even if the PGC compromises and dramatically cuts doe allocations, the guarantee in the matter is the loss of millions of dollars for the PGC.  Additionally, we will see a loss of hunter license sales next season and the loss of additional millions for the PGC. 

While all of this is unfolding the PGC will try to slip a license increase through the legislature to bail itself out. About that time the PGC civil rights lawsuits will settle costing sportsmen more money. 

At the PGC’s weakest moment merger talk will resurface with some proclaiming we have no choice, but to turn the PGC over to DCNR.

            Actually, our Commissioners have been the larger dismal failure for allowing this scenario to arrive at this point.  We need to now involve our legislators to get politics out of deer management. 

I find that reality to be just simply amazing.

Jim Slinsky is the host and producer of the “Sportsman’s Connection”, a nationally syndicated, outdoor-talk radio program.  For a station near you or to contact Jim, visit his website at

www.outdoortalknetwork.com