Paul, you seem to be full of questions.
You said, "Last winter you were bashing P. C. for their land stewardship practices. You made comments refering their properties looking like "moonscape". This year you are hunting on their properties. What gives? Why would you hunt on land with such poor habitat? Why would hunt on some timber companies land that cares so little for wildlife?"
Where to start on PC and their "stewardship".
Lets see, for starters they've sold off just about all their best winter range, anything of value for cabin or home sites is history...thanks PC for helping to stop urban sprawl.
Big-game does fantastic eating log homes, asphalt, and steel siding, while at the same time wasting energy running from the Californians pack of half-huskie/wolf hybrids all winter.
On to the timber side of things, something I have just a pinch of experience with. Since your so good at questions maybe you wouldnt mind answering a couple yourself. Tell me, is it a good idea or a bad idea to liquidate timber 10 times faster than you grow it? Is it a good idea to high-grade? Is it a good idea to enter stands before rotation age? Is it a good idea to plant trees in your clearcuts, or just let the crap thats left over provide the next tree "crop"?
For Christ sake, they dont have the first clue about forestry, let alone forest health.
Now on to wildlife...
Paul, how do you suppose massive clearcuts, like those found in the Gold Creek drainage NE of Missoula (Belmont Cr., Cow Cr., Black Mtn, etc. etc.) with several miles of road per section effects elk and mule deer? Maybe its just me, but last time I checked high road density, high-powered rifles, and clearcuts for miles arent exactly secure areas for elk and mule deer. Maybe in your experience its the right recipe for producing trophy bulls and bucks, but not in mine.
As to the area I was hunting whitetails, until the last 5-6 years of road closures, the hunting was tough, although I managed to kill good bucks even when all the roads were open. Whitetails are much more adaptable to the type of "proper management" that PC provides as well as hunter pressure. Further, where I hunt, theres a pretty nice mix of FS, State, and PC land. Its not hard to know where you're at, if its slicked, its PC.
But, the one point I agree with is that it is good of PC to allow hunting...even though its a public relations stunt, and a benefit to them so they dont have to patrol their property. If you believe PC is concerned about the welfare of wildlife, you've lost your mind. Granted, thats not what they care about, but, what bothers me is you trying to defend their actions in regards to wildlife, they have no concern for wildlife.
