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Post by mrlongbeard on Aug 28, 2007 19:45:56 GMT -4
this subject is near and dear to my heart. after seeing what small game was like here in pa years ago i know what a blast it was. now the pgc does nothing for the small game hunter. with the exception of throwing a few stupid birds out the door. no native birds very few grouse and spotty rabbit hunting. seems now a days deer turkey and bear are all that matters to them. while rabbit hunting with the Mrs. we were spotted and checked by the pgc. the comment was made don't see many small game hunters any more. what a shame for a great sport.
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Post by archer131 on Sept 10, 2007 10:24:05 GMT -4
Other than archery....... I can't wait for Small game. This is a great time for me and my daughter. We find a nice comfortable log and I sit and watch her hunt. I love it!!!
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Post by gullythumper on Sept 10, 2007 12:37:47 GMT -4
The majority of all our hunting is done on private lands. That said, one of the main reasons you don't see the rabbit and grouse populations that we used to is that the farmlands are being used differently and the cover that used to attract and hold those is now being plowed under. Places that are still untouched from "back then" have grown into habitat not suitable for bunnies and grouse. I really believe there are still nice populations of grouse and bunnies, but they are found in different areas or in growth we aren't use to seeing them in. As for public ground, there doesn't appear to be the kind of logging and other management that there used to be, thus not having a continuous cycle of cover necessary to hold bunnies and grouse. There is still lots of cover suitable to pheasants, but since I was a pup, pheasants were primarily put-and-take and since the Game commission is raising fewer birds, there just aren't many around anymore. It is modern farming, along with less public land management that has caused a loss of habitat. Game needs food, water, and cover. Take away any of those and you have no game. It's not primarily the Game Commission's fault for the lack of small game, although they certainly are one of the factors. My biggest complaint is that in years gone by, they would have local farmers plant the game lands fields, which kept a food and cover cycle going. They don't do that much anymore and I ask WHY? Heck, it doesn't cost them anything, maintains good habitat, and keeps the soil conditioned.
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Post by mrlongbeard on Sept 10, 2007 14:09:05 GMT -4
a lot of state have the crp programs why not here. the pgc does nothing to help. they need to remember a lot more hunters got their start on small game than anything else.
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Post by gullythumper on Sept 10, 2007 15:59:24 GMT -4
MLB, I believe there is some kind of crp plan in Pa, but it deals with private landowners. I agree wholeheartedly about the PGC not doing enough. Like I said before, it wouldn't cost them a dime to have local farmers work the fields on gamelands. I believe the old method was that the farmer had to either leave 25% of the crop or pay them the equivilent, then put it back to grass after five years. Plus, they could have the farmers open more areas or at least re-claim some that have grown out of their usefulness as small game habitat.
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