Buck/doe ratio and Bull/cow ratio

cantkillathing · Mar 25, 2014

Why do we manage elk by population objectives and Deer to buck/doe ratio? Elk on most units are anywhere from 1 bull to 1.5 cows. and 1 bull to 10 cows. But that isn't how they are managed. The san juan unit is managed for 1000 elk, and we could care less if it has 400 bulls to 600 cows, but if it goes over 1000 head of elk we shoot the crap out of the cows.

The deer we try to manage by buck to doe ratio and not population size. If there is anything over the majical number of 17 bucks per 100 does we want to increase buck tags to shoot them back down. Why not let the bucks continue to grow, who cares if there is more bucks on a unit. why not let the buck population increase like we let the bulls increase on units?

I think the buck to doe ratio crap needs to be thrown out the window, it only should matter if the buck to doe ratio falls too low, but if it rises, let it rise. Dont increase tags on units bucause there is a few more bucks. If the unit is far below herd objective there is no need to ever increase tags until the unit is close to its herd objective and then look at giving more permits.

swbuckmaster · Mar 25, 2014

LAST EDITED ON Mar-26-14 AT 03:32AM (MST)[p]serious?

The dwr manages the elk by age objective and population objective. If the herd gets over population objective cows are killed. If the average age for bulls is set to 6 and the unit bulls average age is over 6 years old more bull tags are issued. If the average age is under 6 years old tags are cut. This is why you will see units with 1 bull to 1 cow ratios. The higher the age objective the more cows that get killed.

General deer units are not managed by age objective! They are managed by buck to doe ratios. If a unit goes over objective in deer numbers does will be killed. However there is only one unit in the state that im aware of that is over population objective.
General deer are managed for high success and high harvest. The units carry more does so the buck fawns they produce can be harvested the next year.

It really doesn't matter if you manage for buck to doe ratios or age objective because if you raise either you will get more bucks.

If we managed our general deer units like our elk it would be a OIL tag just like our elk! NO THANKS!! Id rather hunt a general unit every year and still get a decent buck then wait my whole life for a chance maybe at a tag.