I agree PACKOUT. All but 2 of those things listed in the strategies section are excellent ways to improve deer herds. The only ones I'm concerned with are f and p. Maybe I'm misunderstanding something here and if I am, I am listening. I thought that most of the opposition were against tag cuts because "bucks don't have fawns". So why would we be shooting does and not bucks as a way to thin out a herd. Isn't the whole theory to a healthy deer herd based on the number of deer at this point? I would agree with that section if we had a healthy deer herd but we don't in a lot of areas. So that part needs to be modified IMO. p is also a great thing. The problem with the current DWR feeding policy is that it takes them way too long to start. By the time they figure out that our deer need supplemental feeding and go through the process of getting it approved it's too late. I would think that it's just a simple modification of the plan if the DWR is willing. I'm not exactly sure of the time frame but 10 or so years ago Heber Valley got hit with some pretty heavy snow. The deer were suffering. The community (farmers included) almost had to hold the DWR hostage to get them to feed. There were deer standing in the middle of the road that looked like a skeletal anatomy lesson. On the other hand, Colorado had that bad winter down by Montrose and it took them literally only days to start feeding deer.
Other than those 2 questions I really have liked the plan as it stood. The plan was/is great in black and white. My concern is, where is the action? You know I support the 29 unit option, simply for the reason of managing on a smaller scale. I would support a 15 unit option if that's what would do the trick. I really thought that the 5 regions were too "general". Even Anis said that the 29 units, as long as they didn't split herds, would be easier to manage (or something similar to that). What do you think? The more I think about it the more I believe that the DWR are jumping off the boat too fast with the 13,000 tag cut statement. Why cut tags at first? Why not manage with the same amount of hunters yet spread them out a little more? There's nothing wrong with NOT pounding a given area year after year is there?
It's always an adventure!!!
