I thought I heard that the RAC in the Northeast Region did not approve the DWR's recommendation to increase the general deer tags in the North East region. If this is the case, I think that is a good deal, since the buck/doe ratio is 15 (barely in the 15-20 range, which is the state objective).
I also thought that the DWR recommendation for the Central region was to keep general deer permit #'s the same as last year, since the buck/doe ratio is less than 15. Since the tags were cut in the Central region by 1,000 last year, that would mean that the DWR's proposal was to stick with the 1,000 cut in tags this year in the Central region. Which I a gree with.
As for the elk tag increases, well.......we all know the DWR is doing that to follow the elk plan, which lowered the age objectives in the LE units. We all knew that the lower age objectives in the elk plan would mean an increase of bull tags to be compliant. Maybe we ought to look at those people who are at the heart of the change in the age objectives in the LE units. Am I correct in remembering that there were a large group of hunters that cryed to the Division that they will never have the opportunity to hunt a LE elk unit? Didn't they want less quality and more opportunity? I thought I remembered a debate about this issue not too long ago and the guys that wanted more elk hunting opportunity won out. Hence, the lowered age objectives, and thus the increase in tags. I don' think the DWR is to blame on this one. It seems to me they are just following whats currently in the plan. The real issue here is getting those age objectives back up. We do that, and you'll see a decrease in tags.