Part 1: What Deer Management is all About-The Blausers of Butler County PA
Bob Clark
WHAT DEER MANAGEMENT IS ALL ABOUT ON PRIVATE LAND
Although many states have been involved in trophy deer management (I do not like the term trophy management), Pennsylvania Wildlife Officials have devoted most of the past century to managing deer hunters. And, although it may take several seasons and some adjustments of their program to reach a level of
 Although there are many private hunting clubs and serious private landowners that have set antler restrictions on their property, none has combined their resources and done a better job than the Blauser family of Butler County. Their efforts and results are, in my estimation, 'exceptional'
|
|
-- Bob Clark
|
|
|
quality deer management, the goals are well thought out and more than half of our over 1 million deer hunters are looking forward to seeing and harvesting larger racked bucks in the future. For those of us that mostly hunt public lands, where considerable pressure has been place on the reduction of antlerless deer, the antler restrictions now in place start a new day for all deer hunters.
The only problem in my mind is the loss of button bucks that must contribute to the larger pool of bucks that are allowed to grow older and increase both their weight and antler size.
While all this starts to take place, mostly on public lands, there has always been a feeling that private lands offered a better opportunity to see and take larger racked bucks.
One generation of family cannot do it all, but with leaders like landowners Richard F. and Shirley, (the parents), and Richard J. (Dick), Steve and Bill; along with cousin, Paul, they all set out five years ago to improve their wildlife management for all wildlife on their property and deer management in particular.
And, although there are many private hunting clubs and serious private landowners that have set antler restrictions on their property, none has combined their resources and done a better job than the Blauser family of Butler County. Their efforts and results are, in my estimation, "exceptional". Their records and the quality of their deer herd keeps getting better and better each year and they have the buck racks to prove it.
Dick and wife, Diane, and sons Michael and Craig, and brothers Steve and Bill, respectively, live near Pittsburgh, and parents, Richard F. and Shirley, all oversee the family farm in Butler County.
For the past five years, together, they have all taken the bull (buck) by the horns, as they say, and put their land (539 acres), their money and hard work into designing a deer management program for their land.
In cooperation with other surrounding landowners and neighbors, adding an additional 1,427 acres, they now have in place one of the best and most serious deer management programs I have seen, not only in Pennsylvania, but in my travels throughout the country, especially most southern states, where public land is limited.
With increased cooperation from additional farms that have put into place antler restrictions, the total acreage of the program is now over 2,888 acres.
Deer hunting in Pennsylvania is very serious and hunters place deer hunting at the top of their list of annual hunting activities. The Tradition of deer camp, family deer hunting get togethers and more, and the closing of schools on opening day of deer hunting in Pennsylvania annually, it should not be difficult to understand the concern for a quality deer herd throughout this great Commonwealth.
Additional proof of our tradition is the fact that as soon as deer season is over, we all wait with great anticipation for the next season.
And no matter how much we individually love our turkey, bear, grouse and small game hunting, deer hunting still remains the number one species in Pennsylvania, when it gets right down to the bottom line.
What the Blauser family has accomplished is fantastic, and although unusual, any serious private landowner can learn from this article.
Son, Dick Blauser is a forestry consultant, so here we have a manager of timber resources and a manager of wildlife that cares very much about both. Their wildlife management does not just include game species, but non-game as well.
Their quality deer management techniques have proven that you can have large racked bucks, carry an amount of females and have outstanding natural regeneration and quality timber stands.
While others are striving to have the best of both worlds, the Blauser's have proven it can work, continue to improve, and produced large racked buck on their property. They limit the amount of their antlerless harvest and only take selective mature females, or positively identified yearling does, which protects the young button bucks.
Their farming practices and food plot studies show that browsing pressure on new tree growth can be balanced and lessen the damage on younger trees.
Five years ago, the Richard F. Blauser family decided to place antler restrictions on the bucks taken on their properties. Setting a 16-1/2" or better spread on bucks that can be taken by their hunters, since then three other landowners have adopted this policy, they have in this short period of time taken many larger bucks, allowing the younger bucks to live and grow. They are very selective on taking adult and yearling females, thus protecting their smaller and younger deer (button bucks in particular) to have time to increase not only their antlers, but also their weight. This effort has produced a better breeding stock and increased sightings of large racked bucks.
Thoughts or comments? Please consider posting them to the discussion forum
| 
Trophy Galleries
