No totally accurate method of counting deer on a large scale has ever been devised, but this is as good as it gets. FLIR generally captures 90 percent of the deer in hardwood settings but is not as accurate in dense conifer cover.

"I don't think there were any big surprises," Rosenberry said. "Some of the more interesting results are the variability of deer populations on a small scale."

Results of the FLIR survey indicated that both sides of the deer population arguments are correct to some extent. We will look at specific results when we break the state into regions.

Another bone of contention among deer hunters has been the wildlife management unit boundaries. The initial objection to a change from county units has changed to the size of the units. There is little real challenge to the fact that wildlife management units based on habitat types and other scientific-based reasoning and defined by clearly visible boundaries make more sense than using political boundaries.

Some hunters are suggesting, however, that the wildlife management units should be smaller to deal more specifically with deer populations on a smaller scale. The Game Commission has hinted at flexibility.

"I wouldn't say we'll never change management units," said Cal DuBrock, director of Wildlife Management. "I expect time will see changes."

Hunters can expect to see deer management policies tweaked in the future.

"Small changes will continue to occur in deer management," Rosenberry said. "For example, permitting DMAP hunters to receive two permits per DMAP area. In terms of big changes, we will continue working on meeting goals and objectives of the current deer management plan and this would include changes, such as pilot testing a Citizens Task Force, development of an urban deer management plan, etc.

"We don't anticipate any big changes in hunting seasons or opportunities."

NORTHCENTRAL REGION
No region of Pennsylvania is more deeply embroiled in controversy over deer than the Northcentral Region.

The majority of FLIR surveys were done in the Northcentral Region. Although deer densities discovered may have in some cases been more than the habitat can support, according to the DCNR, hunters' concerns about low densities were also confirmed.

The lowest density discovered in the FLIR surveys, 9.64 deer per square mile, was found in the Cedar Run area of the Tioga State Forest in Tioga County. Just 10.69 deer per square mile were found in the southern section of Sproul State Forest in Clinton County. In the Arnot section of the Tioga State Forest in Tioga County, the density was 10.9 deer per square mile. On the Algerine Wild Area of the Tiadaghton State Forest in Lycoming and Tioga counties, the deer density was 13.97 whitetails per square mile. All of these areas showed deer densities below the over-browsing density of 15 deer per square mile on poor habitat.

Deer density on Bald Eagle State Forest in Centre and Union counties was 14.29 deer per square mile. This is above the over-browsing density of 11 deer per square mile on what the DCNR terms "very poor" habitat. Likewise, the density of 18.2 deer per square mile in the McIntyre Wild Area-Devils Elbow Natural Area of Tiadaghton State Forest in Lycoming County was above the over-browsing density of 14 deer per square mile.

The highest concentration of deer in the surveyed areas of the Northcentral Region, 20.29 per square mile, was at the Denton Hill area of Susquehannock State Forest in Potter County.

By a huge margin, the largest reduction in antlerless license allocations this year is in the Northcentral Region. The reduction for WMU 2G is 44 percent, which should please most hunters. For WMU 2F, the reduction is 32 percent. In WMU 3A, which is the northern part of the region, the reduction is 16 percent.