A few points...

1. If the harvest number for this season stayed where it is right now (119,220), we would see a harvest decline of 3.5% (as compared to last season). Two seasons ago we were @ 120,073 and last season we ended up @ 123,664. Ups and downs occur.

2. Herd reduction. The reality is...like it or not...agree with it or not....if herd reduction is working, the harvest numbers SHOULD drop and level out @ a lower number than previous seasons. Where will that number end up? 120,000? 115,000? A bit higher? A bit lower? Somewhere in between? I guess time will tell.

3. What matters more IMO, is the makeup of the harvest, the break down of the numbers by county, and the comparison of county totals over the last few seasons. The harvest reports provide those numbers.