2) Dr. Alt suggested opening a pre-rut doe season to thin out populations since early doe seasons make more management sense than late ones. A more equitable number of does to breed in November and December would mean better health for bucks. And healthy bucks that lived through hunting season and winter would grow better antlers the following year. Late doe seasons meant mistaking mature bucks that had already shed their antlers for does, and worse weather for a lower doe harvest.

3) In order for bucks to gain more age before harvest and offer better antler size, point restrictions needed to be implemented. This is undoubtedly the most controversial issue for deer managers today. Dr. Alt, however, had the fearlessness and passion to face the crowd and spell out what needed to be done to turn things around. He proposed a 3-point restriction in most parts of Pennsylvania and a 4-point restriction in the western section of the state.

When Dr. Alt finished his talk, the crowd gave him a standing ovation the likes of which I will never forget. Although he is no longer with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation, his programs were implemented and have since turned things around in this state. Pennsylvania went from off the chart on the all-time list to No. 13 with B&C trophies and No. 7 with P&Y trophies on the five-year analysis (see chart). Hats off to the conservation department's very successful program!

Quality deer management is a management tool as well as a mentality, as Dr. Alt pointed out. It's also a means of creating an enhanced economy for a region. According to an estimate by the Center for Rural Pennsylvania, hunting is an annual $4.8 billion boost to the state's economy. It provides 45,000 in-state jobs per year.

To answer my earlier question, Nova Scotia is the only state or province where it is twice as likely to tag a B&C non-typical as a typical. This island-like province lies just off the coast of Maine and is about twice the size of Maryland with less than 1 million residents. It has recorded seven typicals and 14 non-typicals.

Next month, Part 2 of this feature will zero in on the top 10 B&C states and provinces and see how each manages its deer program.

(Author's Note: The B&C five-year analysis includes all recognized entries -- 160-plus inches for typicals and 185-plus inches for non-typicals. A big thanks goes to B&C's Jack Reneau and Pope & Young's Glenn Hisey for assistance on this feature. Visit both clubs' Web sites at www.boone-crockett.com and www.pope-young.com.)

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