Limited Entry Mule Deer Management - UTAH

cannonball

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Here is a thought that needs consideration. On Utah's Paunsagunt unit there are way more management deer than trophy deer and I mean way more. It appears the Henry Mountain is heading that way. What I am about to write will not come from the guides who make their living on seeing enough large buck to chase for their clients. Should we be increasing the number of hunters to the point that when a large two point, a large 3X4, etc is seen, a hunter better not pass or they may not get a deer. We know from experience we cannot open the hunt up without controlling hunters. We can however include the "limited entry units" as one of the other regular units in the state varying the number of hunters from year to year in a particular unit. In other words in a bad unit, hunters would be eliminated until it became a trophy unit and visa versa in the trophy unit hunters would be increased to the point that the management type buck would desirable to shoot.

We could be ruining our trophy units by not shooting ENOUGH management type of buck. One old excellent hunter and taxidermist, who knows the Pauns well, told me that he thought we were to the point of no return. Most of genes pool there is tainted and it would be hard to get it back.

In trying to get a good thing we may be killing our chances for the future trophy hunts.
 
IMO Why can't the tag numbers alternate a bit between years. More management tags some years and fewer regular season tags.
 
I don't see anything wrong with having more "management" deer harvested (If we can show this actually works). Couldn't they run it like some of the LE elk units which are "Spike Only" except for the LE permit holders. They could easily have 40% of all tags be management tags (I'm talking about raising tags to 30 on the Henry's, and like 100 on the Pauns). I'm pretty sure they could handle it.
And I like the idea of having fluxuating tag numbers EXCEPT: tag numbers are not determined until AFTER we have all put in for tags. Might be a hard pill to swallow if you put in and they determine it to be a "down" year for tags so only half of what were allotted the year before are offered...

Not a bad point here cannonball... thanks for posting



"Therefore, wo be unto him that is at ease in Zion!" 2 Ne. 28: 24
 
I'd be in favor of more management hunts in various units. Even if they offered a small amount of management tags, that would help. Plus, I'd be more apt to burn points more frequently on these management hunts rather than hold out for 10 years or so in hopes to draw one of the "better" tags.


Steve
Derkha derkha Muhammed jihad hakha sherpha sherpha abakhala- Gary of Team America World Police
 
I hunted the Henry Management hunt last season and was amazed at the amount of "management bucks" there were. I can see the point of the gene pool going to pot due to many of these mature bucks doing the breeding. I can see where the permits could be increased and would probably do nothing but help in the overall picture of management of the unit. Most of these "management bucks" will die of old age if not enough hunters get the opportunity to hunt them. I don't know about the Paunsaguant, but have heard that there are many more "management bucks" on that unit...
It was a very enjoyable hunt and I could have taken at least 20 bucks over 25 inches wide that were mature bucks in the 4 days we spent down there.
 

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