Take it on ourselves

[msy]

i think most people on here feel like the state isn't doing enough here in Utah to help deer numbers, and that the proposed changes for 2011 won't do enough. With that in mind I was just curious as to how many people out there would be willing to just not hunt next year. Most on here say they would be ok with reducing tag numbers, and suspending hunting for a year or stuff like that, but would you be willing to take it into your own hands to help the deer numbers and just not hunt? I realize that the buck to doe ratio isnt the real issue and that this would have to happen on a large scale to have any effect. But I personally know I could go a year without, and could probably get my brothers and dad to not hunt.

I dont know, just a wierd idea. I was just thinking that if we as sportmen and hunters aren't satisfied with what the state is doing for the deer then we could step up and do it for them ourselves. Just curious to see what you all think.

 

[need4x4]

I know I read it someplace on here. But, it was suggested to buy the tag and not kill a deer.
I am not a resident and I am not an expert.

I will be getting a point and want to come back at some point in the future.

But the suggestion of buying your tag and just not killing a deer seems to be a good one.

From what I read, I don't think there will be a drastic change in how things are managed, so this would help to some extent if done by a decent number of sportsman.

Of course, it is taking a tag away from someone who would possibly use it. That is going to piss some off, but we all make our own decisions.

 

[Founder]

I like going hunting. I wouldn't want to sit out a year in hopes that when I go again I might find a buck that is a year older.

I, probably more than anyone I know, love to kill BIG bucks, but it's not everything. Actually getting out of the house and into the mountains is really what makes a hunt great.

I want to hunt every year, not once every few years. I would vote to close every road and limit hunting to a knife before I would choose to stay home in hopes of having an easier hunt in the future.

Brian Latturner
MonsterMuleys.com

 

[DM770]

I don't think a person has to go as far as not hunting, but I would say maybe set your goal (30") (170 class) or something like that. Stick to this goal regardless of the outcome, if it mean you go home empty handed then you go home empty. I see too many people throw their easly season goals out the window to avoid "eating" a tag. Try to measure success in a different manor or way than filling a tag, we are just as much to blame for the poor management both at a personal level and in our selection of individuals to run the system.

 

[southslope82]

Well said, DM770 There are alot of people that I know that start out hunting for a big one and towards then end they end up dumping a spike or "anything" they can find. Just to punch their tag. I am not saying that its wrong. But not doing this would definetley help.
I have ran into alot of people and had this same discussion and alot of people feel, that they "DWR" don't care so why should I? Others feel that this is the end of deer hunting as we know it so take what you can before its all gone. "Not going down with the ship attitude"- ya know what I mean. I think boiled down that is a very selfish way to think. I myself hunt for what I consider a mature buck if I can't connect then so what. That just means the ones I passed will be bigger to chase next year. Plus there might be a chance I can pick up his sheds ya never know.

 

[30plus]

I know I wont be hunting utah general season deer next year. If you listen to our big game coordinator you can see that he/the division is content with our currant deer situation. Maybe if 20,000 tags went unsold next year they might get the hint that a lot of us are sick of the lip service. As long as the money comes in they will not change. There are other hunts a guy can go on or just take the kids out for the weekend and show them why you aren't hunting that year it wont be hard to show them where deer should be but aren't. Then you can give them a good lesson on being a hunter/conservstionist and making a sacrifice.

 

[pookiebar]

LAST EDITED ON Nov-18-10 AT 09:15AM (MST)[p]+1 on the idea of settign a goal and being willing to go home empty handed if you have to. There is a post earlier, "Utah starts with You"

He proposed setting a goal of shooting a 3 point or better and he was totally SHOT DOWN. People totally gave him hell for that proposal. I personally think the state should apply that rule, but they never will.

So it is up to us as hunters to do it in the field.

 

[Tworay]

I'm with you 30plus; I'll be in CO with you next year.

 

[8HEAVYONE]

We r not the problem it is those killers that hunt them for 365 days out of the year come on think about it u really think the hunter hurts the deer that bad compared to one that hunts every day the predators r our real problem and that should be addressed.

 

[mojo]

We are the biggest predators. Why is it that it's always the predators at fault? Yes they do have an impact. The lions have been put on a predator managment program sence 1997. The havest objective program has made a very big impact on the lion population in the state. The coyote is rarely talked about but yet every where you go in the hills you cut their tracks. If it is as some of you think that the lions and bears are growing like weeds all over the place. Then why is it that we have increased the harvest of these animals for thirteen years and here we are with a horrible deer heard? Worse off than when the programs were interduced. Hmmmm The human is the biggest predator so maybe we ought to start controlling oursevles!!!

 

[SMELLYBUCK]

+1 Brian

 

[8HEAVYONE]

Well I hate to tell u buddy but there r more lions than u think and coyotes and bears and if they have a good lion management program going on I have yet to see it we hunted San Juan deer this year and every little group of deer had a lion right with them and we even found a fawn that he had killed also now u tell me they r not a problem you r WRONG they r the number one problem and just wait till they bring the wolves I'm sure they won't be a problem either. There will not be a single deer left control the predators all of them and u will see alot more game.

 

[travishunter3006]

I don't think that "not hunting" is the right answer. but like was mentioned above set a limit. shoot a mature buck. it doenst have to be a monster, but a mature deer. Do your best to hunt ethically and turn in those that we know or have caught poaching. i think poaching takes a bigger toll than we think. i don't have any facts though, just more of a theory. i'd like to see more deer, more tags and more hunters in the field. move things back to the way they were in 1988. 285k tags sold. 85k deer killed. thats a lot of happy people.

 

[mojo]

I have a pretty good idea of how many lions are out there being a houndsmen my feet get plenty cold and alot of hiking in the winter. The units that I spend alot of time in not only pursuing lions but also hunting big game. The lion population is from very low to mid. range. Spending time in the mountians you are eventually going to come across a lion kill or if lucky enough see the actual lion. Take in the factor that the deer tags should have been cut along time ago, drive up any canyon and count the deer hit by cars, look at all the poaching that has gone on how many poachers haven't been caught and all of the other illegal actions that poeple do. Sorry to tell you buddy maybe the San Juan unit still has lions but all the other units are etheir shot up or on their way and here we sit wondering why the deer herd is a mess. Got to start somewhere Cut the number of tags. If everybody blames it on the predators for killing what is left why should we have so many hunters afield? We are a predator to!!

 

[ADDICT]

Amen Founder.

CLOSE the roads and 90% of the bucks will make it till next year. Big bucks get big with experience and I feel that if you allow deer to make it till 3 or 4 yrs--the likely hood of them surviving is increased dramatically.

Also, I have not killed a General Utah deer since 2006 and couldve literally killed 20 20-25" 3 yr old deer in hopes that they would yield better quality in the area I hunt later on.

If you shut down roads, guys that are after a trophy will be willing to walk farther and are FAR less likely to kill any deer just to fill a tag.

I also think the dedicated hunter program hurts numbers(especially old bucks). Ive been a DH and loved the opportunity but there are too many DHs and we all seem to hammer the same remote, back country. As much as it hurts to say it, I think they should shorten the seasons, limit rifle tags, and issue more archery tags.

Lastly, get out and kill coyotes. I see them every year in the high country. Some of those Wasatch yotes are huge and no doubt affect deer numbers. Lions always will be a major problem and we need to push for more tags and to further thin them out.

If everyone was on the same page the problem could be fixed in 3 years tops.

 

[c3]

Limiting buck tags does not grow the deer herd. Increasing buck to doe ratios limits herd growth. What don't people understand about this?

By asking for more tag limits you guys are saying you want to expand LE, wealth tags and bounty hunting with no regard what-so-ever for what is good for the deer herd.

Predator control and improving winter range are our only two real solutions for increasing our deer herds.

This whole shift to a near complete trophy hunter mentality is going to be the death of our sport and our deer herds, IMHO.

 

[Gator]

last deer shot was 08 one before that 05 if I don't find one that trips my tigger I don't shoot. Passed several bucks up this year in NM keep looking for the big ones we saw in the headlights. LOL
Freezer is just about empty of Elk and Deer so I'm putting in for some cow tags next year.

"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".

 

[DougW]

good for you Gator.

I know that comparing states is complicated, but here's the deal in CO:

Despite the fact that everyone thinks there's a big buck behind every tree here, most serious hunters don't hunt deer here ever year nor every other year. I've had 2 deer tags in 7 years.

If you want to have a consistent chance at the big ones....you gotta cut down on the license numbers. I don't envision predator control to increase anywhere anytime soon, unfortunately.

Food for thought....let's get more serious deer hunters out there callin' in coyotes ?