Exceptional Year For Mule Deer!!

slamdunk

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Well now that the general seasons have come to an end, I have to say that I don't ever remember such a successful year for mature bucks being harvested, not even back in the 80's did I see so many great bucks taken. Even I smoked a 180" 5x5 buck without even breaking a sweat!
Now having said that, what is to blame?
Mild winters, wet spring and summer? Absolutely those three factors played a role, but I'd have to say breaking down the regions into smaller units has definitely helped.

Thought's, pokes, punches or stabs?


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Well for the last 10 years the ago old excuse of two many predators was being said and now it's there's tons of great bucks in just one year crazy how things change,one place I haven't heard much good news about is the bookcliffs this year!
 
I've seen a few pics of bookcliffs bucks, but nothing new that we haven't been seeing in the past.
Jack rabbits are booming everywhere, maybe predators are utilizing that resource more so over big game?
I did see a LOT of twin fawns this year.....


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I agree Doug,
Opt 2 IS the main reason we have more, and better bucks...

It's great to see deer hunting trending upward in Utah!

A good water/snow year WITHOUT really cold temps and
we could possibly see the best general season deer hunting ever.


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>Well now that the general seasons
>have come to an end,
>I have to say that
>I don't ever remember such
>a successful year for mature
>bucks being harvested, not even
>back in the 80's did
>I see so many great
>bucks taken. Even I smoked
>a 180" 5x5 buck without
>even breaking a sweat!
>Now having said that, what is
>to blame?
>Mild winters, wet spring and summer?
>Absolutely those three factors played
>a role, but I'd have
>to say breaking down the
>regions into smaller units has
>definitely helped.
>
>Thought's, pokes, punches or stabs?
>
>
>
avatar-1.png


Of course breaking down the regions into smaller units (along with the higher buck to doe ratios, loss of statewide archery, increased population objectives, loss of 3 or 4,000 tags) helped! When you decide to manage for trophies at the expense of opportunity, you'll get more trophies!
 
I agree that the Utah deer herd in general is doing much better as of late.

Lots of factors caused the deer to decline and an equal number of things have helped them start to come back. Hunter numbers and distribution, weather conditions, predators, etc.

One additional factor might be that more hunters are letting immature deer walk. I have not filled my Utah deer tag in over a decade, and while plenty of small bucks have been in range, none have tickled my trigger finger in recent years.

The sad thing is, one hard winter could quickly reverse the trend!
 
Is the DNR doing something right ? It has been a great year. I was in a few hunting areas almost by myself. I think the smaller units and the wet summer helped as well.
 
I can't speak for every state but as of late Idaho seems to be on a come back and there was no shortage of bucks on the premium California hunt I went on this year.Seems like the good old days are coming back! For deer ,jack rabbits and Cotton tails!
 
I am a fan of the unit break down, but it has little to do with the mule deer come back. 4 years of no winter, and decent spring summers have way more to do with it. Don't give the division more or less credit than they deserve. In the unit I hunt there has been a significant increase in hunting pressure since the unit splits, and the quality of bucks has decreased. Not saying micro units haven't helped in the majority of the units, but that's not why we are seeing an increase in mule deer populations. Take a look around, the entire West has seen an increase in mule deer populations, not just Utah. Let's hope for a few more favorable years.
 
>Option wtf is so awesome it's
>effects are spilling over into
>the surrounding states.

And, apparently, into jackrabbit and cottontail herds as well!
 
NorthEastern Unit where I Hunt is a complete JOKE!

Illegal LawBreakers Blazing even More Trails in to Closed Areas with 0 Enforcement!

A Mountain Range Pounded Clear out!

With Damn few Deer being taken!

Here's what I've been seeing since the New Deer Management Plan:

Alot of Deer Hunters know it might be 1 to 4 years before they Draw a General Buck Tag!

So their Attitude is this:(People that Drawed!)

I'm Killing a GAWD-DAMNED Deer & I don't care what size it is!

(People that didn't Draw!)

I Didn't Draw a Deer Tag so I'm Buying an Elk Tag!

Can't Blame them for wanting to still Hunt!

But GEEZUS How many Elk Hunters/Pressure do we really need?

NE Region Deer Herd SUCKS!!!

Ya I know it's Broke up in to smaller Units!

I don't Have any Deer Points!

But if you Think I'd Blow 8 to 11 Points on a Book Cliffs Deer Tag you're up in the Night!

Then the DWR supposedly counted 18 Bucks per 100 Does last Fall after all the Hunts were over with and boasted the Deer Herd was doing so Well they issued 2,000 more Permits across the South Slope,I'm Callin Bull Butter!

When Game Herds are Pressured from Mid-August through January/February I don't see any Improving changes in Local Deer Herds!

Since 1972/43 Years Now the TARDville Deer Herd is Pitiful!

That's the Best We can do in 43 GAWD-DAMNED Years?

JFP!!!



Go Ahead!

Make Me take it down!

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>I've seen a few pics of
>bookcliffs bucks, but nothing new
>that we haven't been seeing
>in the past.
>Jack rabbits are booming everywhere, maybe
>predators are utilizing that resource
>more so over big game?
>
>I did see a LOT of
>twin fawns this year.....
>
>
>
avatar-1.png


+1 on the rabbits! I've seen hundreds and hundreds here in NV and have run over at least a dozen.
 
LAST EDITED ON Oct-27-15 AT 09:06PM (MST)[p]"NE Region Deer Herd SUCKS!!!"

+1.

Orange on every hill for both elk and deer seasons. We saw a 3 two point bucks opening day, 2 of which wouldn't even have been legal. I'm sure the one that was legal was dead directly after we saw him. We hunted the next Friday and saw a whole 4 does all day, but on the plus side, orange was only on every other hill. And the last I heard, the unit we hunted meets the DWR's objectives. LOL!

I swear the DWR employees smoke something before they go counting.

And I saw more rabbits that I've ever seen before in my life!
 
For some, I'd say an exceptional year! (Just a sampler of many I've seen off the internet or hunting sites this year!) DANDIES ALL!

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And very few of those great bucks were "general season". Although I love big muleys, my post was meant for us little guys who are stuck hunting general season public land ;-)

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I believe some units are getting better because the division has changed late cow elk seasons. There is no need to be hunting anything in late november and December. I think having less pressure on the deer has help but the main reasons still have to be really light winters. If we get one more this year there will be great deer next year.
 
Option 2 has helped in that it makes it so RAC's can mangage above the set buck to doe ratios. (Don't increase tags even though units are above objective.) I'm certain the weather has helped. I see fewer coyotes which has to be good for fawns. And last but far from least, we should thank God.

I would concede to drawing every 2 and sometimes 3 years to have this quality of hunt, but not 4-5 years.
 
>Option 2 has helped in that
>it makes it so RAC's
>can mangage above the set
>buck to doe ratios.
>(Don't increase tags even though
>units are above objective.)
>I'm certain the weather has
>helped. I see fewer
>coyotes which has to be
>good for fawns. And
>last but far from least,
>we should thank God.
>
>I would concede to drawing every
>2 and sometimes 3 years
>to have this quality of
>hunt, but not 4-5 years.
>

Is this what our thinking has come to? By raising buck to doe ratios and/or allowing buck to doe ratios to remain over objectives, we think Option 2 has "helped" GENERAL DEER HUNTS/ units which are supposed to be managed for OPPORTUNITY? Are we willing to further "concede" to the demands of the trophy crowd per their appearance at RAC's, even though the deer plans call for more tags? And at what point do we say enough is enough? And, more importantly, at what point are we willing to do something about it by going to the RAC's and Wildlife Board meetings and/or emailing/calling/faxing the members of those RAC's and Wildlife Board?

I don't know about you, but I'm way past that point!
 

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