Northern UT Shed Season

[NvrEnuf]

At last nights RAC (Regional Advisory Council) meeting it was proposed that the season dates be changed to restrict shed gathering in Northern UT from December 31st through April 13th. The way I understand it they moved the date back a month from January 31st and then will allow you to pick sheds up a little earlier. It used to be May 1st and now you can start after the second weekend in April. I don't shed hunt Northern UT but wanted to make you all aware of this possible change. I guess if they are going to have a shed season they should at least get the dates right and to me these seem better than the old January 31st through May 1st dates. The recommendation passed at our RAC and I'm pretty sure it did at the others as well. Keep your eye out for the results in this year's proclamation.

I actually stood up and told them my thoughts on the whole shed season. I agree that something needs to be done about people harassing our wildlife but I don't feel that singling out shed hunters is the solution to the problem. It's fine for everyone else to hike, photograph, hunt rabbits, chase lions etc. in those same critical areas but nobody can shed hunt? The people that are out harassing the animals are already breaking a law that is currently in the books. Why would they be concerned with this new shed season law? I think they should just enforce the laws that we have in place and not throw new laws at the problem. Along with that make the fines stiff and stop this "slap on the wrist" crap. Make everyone think twice about harassing the animals during the winter months. Not just shed hunters but EVERYONE that is out and about. If certain areas need to be closed then close them to everyone, not just shed hunters. A blanket thrown on the whole Northern area, to me just seems like overkill though...

I doubt it will make much difference and my guess is the shed season is here to stay for at least another year but I tried.

I want to thank Packout for his recommendation that Antelope Island be excluded from the Northern shed gathering laws. You presented that very well and I think it will actually be looked at very seriously. Our RAC approved that they be excluded from the shed season and my guess is they will be allowed to manage things on their own next year as they see fit. Great job!!!

NvrEnuf

 

[NvrEnuf]

LAST EDITED ON Nov-14-07 AT 01:08PM (MST)[p]I'd be very interested to hear any specific reasons that each of you agree or disagree with the Northern UT shed season.

It would be nice to be better prepared next year when they revisit this so we can make changes as needed.

NvrEnuf

 

[Wantabee]

Thanks
I do not have a opinion at this time, but thanks for the information and your willingness to express your opinion at the RAC.
Thanks again

 

[Ungulate]

I think that what they had going in 2005 was already perfect. Competely close the WMA's to all human presence and regulate the harrassment of protected wildlife on public lands. With the shed antler collection restriction people are still able to drive their atv's into the deapths of the national forests and BLM land and gather antlers into a pile and harvest them on the opener.

 

[Longun]

Thats what has to be done like NvrEnuf did last night--get out there and voice your opinion, doing it on here doesn't do any good.
They tried that shed season thing here in Wyoming a few years back and after all the public showing up and voicing their opinion it was dropped like a hot rock.

 

[HNTBIGBULLS]

To me the law is a joke.
There is already a law in
affect to stop wildlife
harrasment, and they can't
enforce that.

All it does is hurt the honest
people while the cheeters get
there pick.

I seen it happen for 3 or 4 years
in Idaho, and they finally threw
it out.

There are not enough CO,s in areas
to regulate it.

Also how do you tell a private
landowner that he can't pick
up sheds on his own land?

 

[Ungulate]

when's the next RAC meeting? I'll be there...

 

[YELUM]

Very good Shawn. I plan on going to the Northern Rac on monday in Brigham City. I also plan on proposing that they make it East of I-15, as West of I-15 is not criticle winter range. I'd also like to see them lift the private property ban.

Is a joke exclude shed hunting but allow all other activities, which only punishes the law abiders.

Yelum

 

[HNTBIGBULLS]

The biggest problem I noticed
in southeast Idaho, was that
some of the best wintering
ground was in the mouths of
several winter recreation
canyons with lots of activity,
snowmobiling, snowshoeing,
skiing.

So if they can't stop everyone
from recreating then they
shouldnt exclude shed hunters.

I totally agree WMA should be shut
down, and they should show close
attention to those areas.

Idaho has several areas that are
closed to all human activity,
yes there are still law breakers
but they police these areas better.

 

[everbrownshed]

LAST EDITED ON Nov-17-07 AT 06:00PM (MST)[p]I agree with all you guys, why punish the shed hunter when there are yote and rabbit hunters out there. Not to mention snow-mobilers and atvs. What does walking and picking up a shed do to harass big game? Has anyone heard if they're going to try and make it statewide?

 

[Packout]

Nva- Thanks for the support. There is no reason the UDWR should be limiting Antelope Island State in its' management.

My personal opinion is that the shed law would be great IF everyone obeyed. The problem is a great number of people do not obey this regulation. I am so sick of people driving the sage, pushing the animals, babysitting them until a piece of bone falls. I think the law is a joke, until they can get a handle on the other infractions; ie. harrassing wildlife, driving off-road, etc.

I started shed hunting over 20 years ago. We would wait until April, when the bulk of the deer were off the winter range. No animals harassed, no one drove an ATV cross country.

The next (and last) RAC is in the Northern Region in the next couple days. People need to go to the DWR web site and find out when it is.

-------------------------
www.sagebasin.com
-------------------------

 

[YELUM]

MC
The Northern RAC meeting is today, Monday the 20th, at 6:00, at the community center in Brigham City. 24 N. 300 W.

Yelum

 

[huntingislife]

I am not sure if i understand you. You think that the blame is being put on the shed hunters, but that most of the blame for harassing wildlife should be pointed at cougar hunters and others in the area.
If you think that closing down an area will help, rethink this.
If houndman can't hunt cougars in cerain areas, and if I understand you right theses areas are areas were animals are,deer,elk. Then no cougars will be killed.
Cougars follow there food source, mostly deer and some elk. If you close down these areas then you wil only find dead bucks, not sheds.
There are penalties for anyone harrassing wildlife, not just horn hunters.
But some horn hunters are about the only one's who see an elk around march and have to chase it to see if it has antlers or if it will knock them off. I shed hunt a ton and see this happening all the time. I will take pictures and GPS and get a license plate of anyone harrassing wildlife and turn it into the DWR. This is the only way we can ensure that our rights as sportman are protected.
But I feel that a season on horn hunting is a double negative for the animals and sportman. In order for a violation to occur the officer has to see a person carying out an antler. Most people will go out and find them, hide them and gps them for the future.
Closing down an area is not a solution. We are out there, if we see something be amn and turn them in.

 

[Clyde Hollinger]

huntingislife,
I don't think that is what NvrEnuf is saying at all. I was there with him the night he stood up and voiced his thoughts. It was never to single out a certain group, or individual(s). The point he was making, was to make it fair accross the board. He was never saying stop lion hunters, or stop day hikers, or stop snowmobilers. All he was saying was that it's not fair to discriminate against a certain group of individuals. Because, in fact, that's what's happening. What's the difference if someone is out lion hunting, or hiking, and inadvertantly bumps some deer. No harm, no foul right?? Granted there are some bad apples that can spoil it for everyone. And if someone is deliberately harassing animals then they need to be delt with accordingly. For the most part shed hunter's aren't out there to harm the animals. And, so for them to single out a certain group isn't right. That's what Nvr was saying. Hope this helps!

Elk

 

[BigBucksNBulls]

NvrEnuf is right! "A slap on the wrist" is B.S. Especially for those on their 4-wheelers out riding around off road looking for sheds! I Shed hunt a lot and saw TONS of 4-wheeler tracks riding ALL OVER!!! It's very Frustrating. My brother caught a guy doing this... except he was chasing the elk in his truck. He later then poached an elk. My brother went and looked at the elk right after it was poached. Still warm... still glossy eyes. He called fish and game and they came out and the guy told them that he didn't even see the elk laying out there... even though his truck tires were 80 yards from the elk... out on a flat with not very much grass. I wish i had the pictures to show you what it looked like. This guy didn't get into trouble. The fish and game were supposed to call my brother if the guy got convicted and my brother would be able to get a tag for that area for free. But guess what... No call. Probably just one of those "Slap on the wrist" punishments. They need to get out there and stop the 4-wheelers. Bigger punishments are needed. Also just the regular shed hunters that get out there, and hike their butts off, and don't bother the deer Don't need to be punished. Winter kills are not just from shed hunters! From a lot of other things. They just need people out there watching and taking out the bad ones. The people that chase the deer on there 4-wheelers and people that chase deer on foot. Its really not that hard to leave deer and elk alone. Whats the point of running them off the land somewhere you don't know when you can easily leave them alone and you will know exactly where they are when they shed? If you do that then wait for the deer or elk to move out of the area before you gather their sheds. I agree with All of you guys!!! You all have excellent points!!!

 

[NvrEnuf]

huntingislife, let me try to answer your questions and reply to your comments.

You said, "I am not sure if i understand you. You think that the blame is being put on the shed hunters, but that most of the blame for harassing wildlife should be pointed at cougar hunters and others in the area. If you think that closing down an area will help, rethink this. If houndman can't hunt cougars in cerain areas, and if I understand you right theses areas are areas were animals are,deer,elk. Then no cougars will be killed.
Cougars follow there food source, mostly deer and some elk. If you close down these areas then you wil only find dead bucks, not sheds."

You're probably right. I do think that most of the blame is being put on the shed hunters, even though they are not necessarily the ones that deserve most of the blame. I do know for certain they are the only ones being punished for the harassment problem. Everyone else is fine to run around and do as they please. I've called in various wildlife harassment violations and never once had a game and fish officer show up here in UT. I've seen them show up and chew some butts in other states before though. One time it was a guy chasing deer on a 4 wheeler through the sagebrush here in UT on the winter range. I went over and talked to the ding bat and when I asked him what the he11 he was doing he looked at me as if he wondered why I would be upset. He said, "I was just trying to see how close I could get to those deer." Now I guess I can see why they call us Utards...

I don't think the blame should be put on cougar hunters or any other group of people. Singling out an entire group and punishing them is just plane stupid! There are idiot shed hunters just like there are idiot lion hunters, idiot photographers, idiot coyote hunters, idiot hikers, idiot snowmobilers, idiot ATV riders and so on. I believe they are the exception for the most part and should be dealt with as such by enforcing current laws that are already in the books! Don't punish those that are already following the law by making a new one which will most likely never be inforced either. I'm not sure where you're from but the winter range that I frequent doesn't have hardly any lions. Lots of coyotes but basically no lions.

"There are penalties for anyone harassing wildlife, not just horn hunters. But some horn hunters are about the only one's who see an elk around march and have to chase it to see if it has antlers or if it will knock them off."

See paragraph above about ATV rider. Typically shed hunters are on foot and would have a pretty hard time chasing an elk very far.

"I shed hunt a ton and see this happening all the time. I will take pictures and GPS and get a license plate of anyone harassing wildlife and turn it into the DWR. This is the only way we can ensure that our rights as sportman are protected."

I agree with you on turning them in and we all do need to help. I just wish the game and fish were able to respond more promptly and then act accordingly and enforce the laws that we already have in the books when a violation occurs.

"But I feel that a season on horn hunting is a double negative for the animals and sportman. In order for a violation to occur the officer has to see a person carying out an antler. Most people will go out and find them, hide them and gps them for the future. Closing down an area is not a solution. We are out there, if we see something be amn and turn them in."

I agree that a shed season is just plain BS for so many reasons. I'm going to guess that you are from UT, right. I am but I spend lots of time in other states watching mule deer and can tell you that completely closing an area to human presence during the critical wintering months is NOT a bad thing and it DOES help more deer survive. It also helps keep the does stay in better shape so they will carry their fawns full term and not abort in order to survive themselves. I don't think that all of Northern Utah falls into this category but a few specific critical areas might? I've never even shed hunted Northern UT and I don't plan on it so I won't pretend to know what areas need attention and which ones don't. I've seen enough here in UT to know though that this shed season is completely pointless.

NvrEnuf