There will be no drop-off in the number of deer the Pennsylvania Game Commission wants killed across the state this fall and winter.

It wasn't unanimous, but the six-member board of the Pennsylvania Game Commission voted Wednesday essentially to maintain the length of buck- and doe-hunting seasons for 2007-8.

In addition, the number of antlerless deer permits to be sold statewide will increase slightly by 6,000 to 865,000.

The moves, by a series of 4-2 votes, come as many hunters and legislators clamor for the game agency to back off and not allow so many deer to be taken.

PGC president Thomas Boop warned that Wednesday's actions were "politically unwise," referring in part to the legislature's blocking of a license fee increase for the agency until changes are made in the controversial deer-management program.

But the agency said studies show that across the state, the deer population is still not in balance to create a healthy herd, a regenerating forest and tolerable deer-human conflicts.

Doe licenses will be increased in areas around Pittsburgh and in southeastern Pennsylvania. Hunting seasons also will be extended in those areas.

In Wildlife Management Unit 5B, which includes Lancaster County, there will be 53,000 antlerless deer licenses available, the same as last year.

A proposal to scale back doe season from two weeks to one week in big-woods counties where hunters have been most vocal about seeing too few deer was defeated, 4-2. Similarly, a proposal to eliminate the October muzzleloader and rifle seasons for antlerless deer was defeated.

The commissioners also agreed to extend hunting hours, except for the spring turkey season, until 30 minutes after sunset. Quitting time has long been at sunset.

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