2lumpy
Long Time Member
- Messages
- 8,456
Hallelujah
After 40 years, Utah may finally be getting serious about its declining mule deer population.Nothing like waiting until they have dang near destroyed the entire lifestyle. It may actually be too late already. A couple of back to back harsh winter, from where we are at now might be the final bell toll for our mule deer, I sincerely hope not.
Regardless, if they are finally going to try some things, in spite of my animosity and frustration with the agency, I wish them well and hope they learn things that will grow our mule deer population. I wish they would add one more unit with one more cause and effect treatment. Something that has never been tried and studied. That would be closing a large, previously productive unit, such as the Manti, Fish Lake, Monroe, Pahvant or one of the others, and keep it closed for 5 years. Aggressively kill and pressure the predator population throughout the five year period, ………study, count and record not only the increase in the buck population but also determine why the female population explodes as well, and why it does. I say a large perviously productive unit because in the past only smaller, desert non-productive units with limited mule deer habitat, have been closed for any period of time. How would a productive unit respond? These previously high productive units are where the majority of our lost numbers have come from and if there is ever a significant repopulation, it’s these large, highly productive units that need the prescription treatment. Or it seems so to me.
I’ll be watching from the shallows….. hoping for the best.
Utah seeks to implement, study deer hunt changes in 2024 as deer populations struggle
Utah wildlife officials want to test and study hunting changes in five units next year, to see if the changes can improve deer populations.
www.ksl.com