Photo by Kenny Bahr.

The Keystone State's "new" deer-management plan has been around long enough now that some of the initial furor is dying down.

Though this may not mean acceptance on some hunters' part, at least sportsmen are beginning to adapt to the changes.

Pennsylvania's total harvest for the 2006-07 seasons was 361,560 deer. This included 135,290 antlered deer and 226,270 antlerless deer.

The total harvest was an increase of 2 percent over the 2005-06 seasons. These numbers represent a small reversal of a declining trend over the past few years, and it was done without increasing the antlerless harvest.

License sales have been dropping, however. In 2005, general hunting license sales fell below 1 million for the first time in many years.

Sales for 2006 appear to be down about 2 percent. Unfortunately, junior hunting license sales were down steeply, to 11 percent for junior licenses and 13 percent for junior combination licenses.

Hunters have frequently asked why deer-management changes had to be made. In cooperation with university researchers, the Pennsylvania Game Commission has been conducting large-scale cutting-edge studies to help biologists make more enlightened decisions in the future and increase their understanding of white-tailed deer management.

One such project, begun in 2005, focuses on the survival rates and relative harvest vulnerability of does, hunter density and dispersal on public and private lands, and how female deer respond to hunter movements.

Initially, this study is taking place in the big woods of WMU 2B and in the ridge and valley area of WMU 4B, concentrating on state forests.

Does are captured, fitted with radio collars and released. During hunting season, hunters' movements will be tracked from the air to determine the relationship between their activity and deer movement. (Continued)

Hunters are encouraged to harvest collared or ear-tagged deer and to report them to the Pennsylvania Game Commission's Bureau of Wildlife Management by calling toll free, at 1-877-PSU-DOES.

Hunters may also report online through the Game Commission's Web site, at www.pgc.state.pa.us.

A fawn study conducted in 2000 and 2001 by Penn State graduate student Justin Vreeland tagged 218 fawns to determine fawn survival rates, major causes of fawn mortality, and when fawns are most vulnerable. This study was done in the Quehanna Wild Area in Elk, Clearfield and Cameron counties, and the Penns Valley area in eastern Centre County. Captured fawns were fitted with radio collars to track their movements.

The greatest cause of mortality -- 22 percent -- was predation, 84 percent of which occurred in the Quehanna Wild Area. Coyotes and bears were the most frequent predators.

Bobcats also ate a few fawns. Half of all predation occurred during the month of June, with declining amounts through July and August.

Other natural causes combined, including disease and starvation, were the second leading cause of mortality. Hunters harvested relatively few fawns, and vehicle collisions accounted for even fewer fawns.

In the past, management goals had been defined by deer densities. According to the PGC, the new system provides more accurate ways to measure progress toward stated goals.

Last year, the deer management plan was updated to redefine management goals, based on what's already been learned.

Management goals are now based on deer health, habitat health and deer-human conflicts. In the past, management goals had been defined by deer densities. According to the PGC, the new system provides more accurate ways to measure progress toward stated goals.

Here's a look at each management region and how things are shaping up for the 2007 deer season:

SOUTHWEST REGION
For several years, Pennsylvania's best deer hunting has been in the Southwest Region. But hunting pressure is heavy due to the human population in and around Pittsburgh.

The Southwest Region counties haven't become the destination area that the "Big Woods" of the north-central counties once were, and to a lesser extent still are. However, many hunters who live in this region are staying home.

Last winter wasn't hard on deer in this region, according to Barry Zaffuto, regional Information and Education supervisor. Going into the spring, deer were in good shape.