This could mean that the once mighty Northcentral Region will drop to the bottom this year in total deer harvest.

NORTHEAST REGION
The highest concentration of deer detected by FLIR was in the Promised Land area of Delaware State Forest in Pike County, where the density was 23.69 deer per square mile.

The total deer harvest decline from 2003-04 to 2004-05 was about 13 percent, moderate compared to the other regions. Nonetheless, the Poconos area drew some of the harshest criticism from hunters about declining deer numbers.

The antlerless license allocation for WMU 3D, which is essentially the Poconos, declined 24 percent. Of the other Northeast Region units, WMU 3C declined 14 percent, WMU 3B declined 15 percent, while WMU 4E remained the same.

Bradford County ranked third in the state in total deer harvest last year. Next best in the region was Susquehanna County, which ranked 17th in the state.

SOUTHEAST REGION
Buoyed by large antlerless license allocations, Southeast Region hunters took 67,230 deer last year, ranking third among the six regions. Leading the way was Berks County, with a harvest of 11,100 deer, ranking fourth in the state followed by 10,400 deer from York County, which ranked sixth in the state.

2004-05 DEER SEASON TOTALS
Top Five Buck Counties
Bradford	4,300
Westmoreland	4,000
Washington	4,000
York	3,800
Indiana	3,400
Top Five Antlerless Counties*
Westmoreland	9,600
Washington	9,400
Bradford	8,400
Berks	8,000
Crawford	7,600
Top Five Combined Counties*
Westmoreland	13,600
Washington	13,400
Bradford	12,700
Berks	11,100
Crawford	10,800
Statewide Totals
Bucks	124,410
Antlerless*	284,910
Total*	409,320
*Does not include Deer Management Assistance Program harvest

Primarily because there is relatively little public land and limited access to private lands, antlerless allocations will remain the same as last year in WMUs 5C and 5D. The allocation will drop 13 percent in WMU 5B and 11 percent in WMU 4C.

SOUTHCENTRAL REGION
The Southcentral Region had a fairly modest drop in total deer harvest last year, 12 percent, but it still ranked lowest among the six regions relative to the norm. After Bedford County, which ranked ninth in the state with a harvest of 9,800 deer, and Huntingdon County, which ranked 15th with 9,000 deer, the next best was Perry County's 30th ranking.

Antlerless license allocations are dropping 19 percent in WMU 4A, 29 percent in WMU 4B and 13 percent in WMU 5A.

SOUTHWEST REGION
Once again the Southwest Region led all regions with a harvest of 90,800 deer last year. Westmoreland County led all counties with 13,600 deer, followed by 13,400 deer in Washington County. Armstrong and Indiana counties were also in the top 10.

The antlerless license allocation will remain the same in urban WMUs 2B and 2A. There will be a decline of 27 percent in mountainous WMU 2C, 9 percent in WMU 2E and a modest 3 percent in WMU 2D.

NORTHWEST REGION
The Northwest Region took a big hit last year with a 27 percent drop in overall deer harvest, including a 29 percent decline in antlerless deer and 20 percent in bucks. One reason was a decrease in antlerless licenses in part of the region, but that does not explain the serious decline in buck harvest.

Even more alarming, from a high of 108,742 total deer in 2002, the harvest declined to 70,300 last year, a 35 percent slip.

Antlerless license reductions were moderate in the northwestern agricultural region. At WMU 1B, the reduction was 18 percent and at WMU 1A, it is 17 percent. For WMU 1B, however, that there have been two consecutive years of reductions totaling 27 percent since the 2003 deer seasons. In WMU 1A, the allocation increased from 2003 to 2004, so the reduction since 2003 is just 9 percent.

Strikingly different is the situation in the eastern portion of the region in WMU 2F. Antlerless licenses were reduced 32 percent here after remaining stable for the two previous years. However, WMU 2F is primarily Allegheny National Forest, which is enrolled in DMAP, so actual antlerless license allocations are usually much higher.

For more about deer hunting in Pennsylvania, contact the Pennsylvania Game Commission, 2001 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg, PA 17110-9797; or call (717) 787-4250.

For travel information, contact the Pennsylvania Office of Tourism, Room 404, Forum Building, Harrisburg, PA 17120; or call (717) 232-8880 or (800) VISIT-PA.

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FINDING TROPHY BUCKS