No Doe tags until deer numbers return!

[thicketmaster]

I have been reading where deer numbers are down in the whole state especially the white river herd! Was wondering why don't the DOW take away all doe tags until the herds rebound? I would be in favor of this !was wondering what other hunters thoughts on this would be?

 

[Cohntr62]

I don't know if this is the whole right answer, but I have read comments by the DPW that indicates they are more interested in keeping buck-doe ratios high than in the total herd number. To contradict myself, I will add that they cut doe tags for the 2015 season along with an increase in buck tags due to an increase in herd numbers due to the mild winter.

 

[mntman]

yes the deer herd in CO as a whole is down but that is why there are GMU's that they can manage individually. If you look at the population objectives for a specific unit and then see that it is over by 1000 then of course they will be issuing doe tags. If the population is under objective then they will not be issuing doe tags.

Don't make any sense to have 100 units if you manage the state as 1 unit. CO is doing it right, look at the history of deer being produced from colorado compared to other states.
Actually Utah went to CO's system a couple years back, instead of having 4 regions they went to many smaller units to better manage the numbers/quality.

Mntman

"Hunting is where you prove yourself"

 

[ColoradoOak]

I agree with mntman that herds need to be managed individually. I'm guessing that most don't realize that nearly half of the deer herds west of I-25 are at or above their population objectives. I just took a look:

20 DAU (61 units) are at or above objective
24 DAU (65 units) are below objective

Four of those DAU below objective (9 units) are within 10% of objective.

In 2015 the NW region cut doe tags in all DAU below objective to the minimum allowed per hunt code (10 licenses). That accounts for about 11 of the DAU that are below objective. In 2014 there was 8,183 does and fawns killed statewide, including mule deer and whitetails in the eastern half of the state.

I understand your concern about doe harvest, and I agree that it was probable excessive in some units prior to this year. I don't think it's a serious issue at this point, however.