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NeverStopHuntin
Guest
Lately i have read a lot of different information and opinions on what people believe should be done with utah's deer herd. Most all of us will agree that something needs to be done. Some people blame the elk, some think its predators, its obvious that they are being over hunted and habitat dissappears everyday. All these things and more are really hurting our deer.
I am a trophy hunter and enjoy being in the field chasing big bucks much more then killing smaller ones. I agree with many people in the idea that if we issue less tags and are willing to hunt once every five to ten years then the amount of adult bucks would increase rapidly.
There are two big problems with that proposal.
1. We all know that the fish and game isn't willing to give up a dime. If they had to cut tags they would have to cut back on many other things as well. The fish and game needs money and there is no way around that.
2. Many people are happy shooting small bucks for the enjoyment being in the field, spending time with family and the meat. These people are not willing to give up their opportunity to hunt and kill deer every year.
I, along with many others took the dwr muledeer hunting survey online. Some of their big points were: Shorter seasons, road closure, primitive weapons and less tags. Although i would support many of those i believe that many poeple will find fault in them, complain and nothing will ever be changed. Radical plans will never get passed bacause of opposition.
My suggestion is an incentive program.
Utah gives more conservation tags than any other state. Although i am not against these tags i believe that the amount of conservation tags are getting out of hand when you look at the numbers compared to other states.
My idea is that we take a handful of conservation tags and put them into a pool. Make every general season deer hunter turn in their tag after the hunt. Every unsuccessful deer tag is a lottery ticket to draw a premium tag.
I believe that this will benefit in many ways. For one we will have accurate kill statistics instead of random surveys that may or may not be accurate. I also believe that many people would take advantage of the program and decide not to harvest a deer.
Most people are cheap by nature. We want to get what we pay for. In utah residents pay 35 bucks for a deer tag. No one likes the taste of tag soup and when it comes down to the last day of the rifle hunt and john doe has a two point standing broadside at 100 yards he wants to get what he paid for. It comes down to throwing that tag in the trash or shooting a smaller buck. Would you pass on shooting a young buck if you knew you had a chance to get a san juan elk tag or henry's deer tag?
Even if the program only saved a few hundred deer that would have normally been shot that is still a step in the right direction and with the deer herds the way they are right now i think we should take every extra buck we can get.
I know guys that have put in for a special tag their whole life and still haven't drawn, these guys would do anything for another shot at the tag. If you look at how many people apply for sportsmans tags and expo tags is obvious that people are willing to spend a little cash (and maybe pass a two point) to have an extra opportunity to draw the tag they have always dreamed of.
As far as i can see its win win win. The fish and game doesn't loose any money because they aren't cutting tags. The meat hunter still gets to shoot a buck every year if he chooses. We all get to keep hunting and a lucky few will recieve the tag they have always wanted. I understand that it wont make a drastic change in the herd but it is a start. Believe me if i could hunt every five years for a good buck i would love it but i just don't think that will ever fly in this state and this could be a happy medium.
Even though the drawing odds would be terrible it is still a chance and who knows, maybe the lucky winner would be you.
I would like to know what everyone thinks. Good and bad.
Thanks
Ryan
I am a trophy hunter and enjoy being in the field chasing big bucks much more then killing smaller ones. I agree with many people in the idea that if we issue less tags and are willing to hunt once every five to ten years then the amount of adult bucks would increase rapidly.
There are two big problems with that proposal.
1. We all know that the fish and game isn't willing to give up a dime. If they had to cut tags they would have to cut back on many other things as well. The fish and game needs money and there is no way around that.
2. Many people are happy shooting small bucks for the enjoyment being in the field, spending time with family and the meat. These people are not willing to give up their opportunity to hunt and kill deer every year.
I, along with many others took the dwr muledeer hunting survey online. Some of their big points were: Shorter seasons, road closure, primitive weapons and less tags. Although i would support many of those i believe that many poeple will find fault in them, complain and nothing will ever be changed. Radical plans will never get passed bacause of opposition.
My suggestion is an incentive program.
Utah gives more conservation tags than any other state. Although i am not against these tags i believe that the amount of conservation tags are getting out of hand when you look at the numbers compared to other states.
My idea is that we take a handful of conservation tags and put them into a pool. Make every general season deer hunter turn in their tag after the hunt. Every unsuccessful deer tag is a lottery ticket to draw a premium tag.
I believe that this will benefit in many ways. For one we will have accurate kill statistics instead of random surveys that may or may not be accurate. I also believe that many people would take advantage of the program and decide not to harvest a deer.
Most people are cheap by nature. We want to get what we pay for. In utah residents pay 35 bucks for a deer tag. No one likes the taste of tag soup and when it comes down to the last day of the rifle hunt and john doe has a two point standing broadside at 100 yards he wants to get what he paid for. It comes down to throwing that tag in the trash or shooting a smaller buck. Would you pass on shooting a young buck if you knew you had a chance to get a san juan elk tag or henry's deer tag?
Even if the program only saved a few hundred deer that would have normally been shot that is still a step in the right direction and with the deer herds the way they are right now i think we should take every extra buck we can get.
I know guys that have put in for a special tag their whole life and still haven't drawn, these guys would do anything for another shot at the tag. If you look at how many people apply for sportsmans tags and expo tags is obvious that people are willing to spend a little cash (and maybe pass a two point) to have an extra opportunity to draw the tag they have always dreamed of.
As far as i can see its win win win. The fish and game doesn't loose any money because they aren't cutting tags. The meat hunter still gets to shoot a buck every year if he chooses. We all get to keep hunting and a lucky few will recieve the tag they have always wanted. I understand that it wont make a drastic change in the herd but it is a start. Believe me if i could hunt every five years for a good buck i would love it but i just don't think that will ever fly in this state and this could be a happy medium.
Even though the drawing odds would be terrible it is still a chance and who knows, maybe the lucky winner would be you.
I would like to know what everyone thinks. Good and bad.
Thanks
Ryan
