Environmental impacts & small game in PA
- Thread starter Padraic
- Start date
flyfishermanj
Active member
- Joined
- Sep 13, 2006
- Messages
- 1,149
Pad,
Another good post/article. Thanks.
Finally got see in writting what has been said by fellow hunters and friends all along, Are State Forests are getting too old! Old growth forest contains less habitat for wildlife.
As for the urban sprawl issue, that's a lost cause, the only fix is to have more state land and forests. Which takes $$ that the State doesn't have. Supporting groups like the Western Pa Conservatory helps.
The mild winter is not helping with the Snowshoe's fate, but loss of habitat has to be the biggest reason for it's decline. With most of their habitat being on State Gamelands, it doesn't look good until some logging or severe storms wipe out some of that "Old Growth" and red maples. As for the Red Oaks, it's my understanding that there 1st few years are spent on the roots system while the maples and other plants shoot up. Controled fires are the best way to keep the other plants from crowding out the oaks, but good luck on convincing your neighbor with that one.
The waning youth/small game hunting is another topic for another day. :-(
JH
Another good post/article. Thanks.
Finally got see in writting what has been said by fellow hunters and friends all along, Are State Forests are getting too old! Old growth forest contains less habitat for wildlife.
As for the urban sprawl issue, that's a lost cause, the only fix is to have more state land and forests. Which takes $$ that the State doesn't have. Supporting groups like the Western Pa Conservatory helps.
The mild winter is not helping with the Snowshoe's fate, but loss of habitat has to be the biggest reason for it's decline. With most of their habitat being on State Gamelands, it doesn't look good until some logging or severe storms wipe out some of that "Old Growth" and red maples. As for the Red Oaks, it's my understanding that there 1st few years are spent on the roots system while the maples and other plants shoot up. Controled fires are the best way to keep the other plants from crowding out the oaks, but good luck on convincing your neighbor with that one.
The waning youth/small game hunting is another topic for another day. :-(
JH
