Kind of what I thought the general consensus was on a previous thread: Over population of deer = over browsed habitat. Fence it off and have regen. Things grow quick in the spring...Why are you shocked? Isn't that what everyone expected to happen?
That is another side of the coin.....your looking at what happens with NO deer. That is obviously isn't what anyone wants.....hopefully. But such a demonstration would certainly drive home the message to land managers as to what impact the deer herd level can have on the habitat and the need for some sort of balance between game populations and habitat health.I have seen a couple fenced enclosures the PA Game Commision has on State Game lands. Pretty obvious how much the deer eat when looking at them and how it is affecting the habitat but people still think there aren't enough deer.
Bull as I recall you stated that the state DNR is cost sharing this project with you. This is wrong on so many levels that our State DNR is using money to help you keep inflated/stock piled numbers of deer on your property. I will be emailing the appropriate DNR personal and all the Natural Resource Board members to make them aware of this waste of money.
I would have no problem with it if the study was done on public land but doing it on private land where the owner chooses to not do any thing to remedy the problem is a waste of taxpayers money. The Wisconsin's DNR budget has been cut big time to the point that important programs are being dropped. If Bull would have put in his last post that he now knows that he has too many deer and plans to do some thing about it, that would be different. Instead he says how great this is going to be for him. Take the public cost share out of the picture, it isn't a problem. Just my opinion but I bet there are other Wisconsin residents besides my self that think DNR money could be spent in a better way.This seems a little dramatic. If WE already knew what to expect, I'm sure the DNR expected the same thing. Maybe they are using this as a case study to influence future decision making. Sometimes it helps to have tangible proof even if common sense is enough for most people.