1.8 Satisfaction rate for Thousand Lakes

[Freedom]

So the satisfaction rate for hunting deer on Thousand Lakes is painfully low....granted, the 1.8 is for "dedicated hunter" but for alll other deer hunts the satisfation rate is in the 2s. Additionally, the harvest total for deer on Thousand Lakes is almost the worst in the entire state of Utah.
- My questions are why did they change this unit to a general public hunting unit in 2012?
-Why did they start issuing more than 10 times the amount of deer tags than they normally would have when it was LE?
- Why did they continue to issue 100s of tags every year when the deer herd was low to begin with and on a steady yearly decline?
So, where do we go from here. The reality of hunting deer on Thousand Lakes is its a vast, beautiful area with a very low deer population. Hopefully some day the management of deer can be such, that the deer can make a comeback.

 

[Horsecorn]

The answer is the fish and game piss poor management

 

[gundog2]

I think the reason that they open it up for the “general” season was to create a loophole where people could put this unit as their first choice, not draw the tag, get another bonus point, and then use bonus points to draw just about any other unit as second choice without losing bonus points. People were not suppose to figure this out, but eventually a few people figured it out and they had to close the loophole.

 

[ridgetops]

I think the reason that they open it up for the “general” season was to create a loophole where people could put this unit as their first choice, not draw the tag, get another bonus point, and then use bonus points to draw just about any other unit as second choice without losing bonus points. People were not suppose to figure this out, but eventually a few people figured it out and they had to close the loophole.

Preference points

 

[gundog2]

Preference points

Yes, I stand corrected, preference points.

 

[ridgetops]

I just did a quick look over on that unit's management plan and it looks like a combination of the recent drought conditions and domestic range over grazing has really hurt that deer herd. They even cut the total herd objective more than half of what it was ten years ago. This is one unit I would support cutting tags by about 50 percent for the next two or three years and then see if more huntable bucks are available.

 

[elkassassin]

They Admit/Claim a 70% Loss In Game Herds!

Was Any Units/Areas Cut By 70% On The Tags?

 

[Packout]

1000 Lakes was a collateral damage unit. At the time, so many people said it was a poor quality LE. Even the conservation groups said how poor it was and supported the move to change it to general season. The Conservation Tags brought little money so no one was invested in it. Of course it was a diamond that people kept hidden. The reality was 1000 Lakes produced more 200" bucks per hunter than any other unit outside maybe the Henry Mtns. Few of us asked to keep it LE.

I hunted it as a DH the first year, and there were mature bucks everywhere. We saw a mid 220s buck that another hunter was trying to kill so we left him to go after a low 200s buck we had scouted and a mid 190s typical. My son scouted it with me and wanted me to shoot a heavy buck we had seen- I did and it was a mid 180s buck with 12" webbing and aged at 7 years old (insert SS comment here) that was with the big typical. I helped friends shoot some great bucks, one was 36" wide. Most every XL buck we scouted was killed.

Most all the tags went to LL or DH and those guys hunted hard and were good at killing bucks. So many guys went home with mature bucks that everyone thought the buck-river would never run dry. But it has, because the type of hunter on the unit was killing the best.

Now, guys go there a decade later hoping to kill the same kind of bucks as were killed years before. It doesn't meet their unrealistic expectations and they rate it lower than other comparable units.

It probably should go back to LE because it offers too few permits which will be eaten up by LLs if it rebounds to decent. Maybe make it a primitive weapon unit.

As for the satisfaction rates- many units with 50-60% success rates are only in the 3s. I guess it takes a lot to make people happy. Most of the 20-40% success rate units are in 3s too.....

 

[Themaddness]

We asked Brad Crompton that question when the unit changed, his reply. More Hunter opportunity. I drew a tag in 98 down there. Was a fantastic hunt for a 20 year old kid. I continue to spend loads of time on that unit and have picked up some decent deer sheds. Over the years and continue to find a good buck every know and then. That unit will never be a top 10 deer unit. That unit needs to close.

 

[elkassassin]

But SAD When We Destroy/Hunt A Unit Down To Closing It/Them!

We asked Brad Crompton that question when the unit changed, his reply. More Hunter opportunity. I drew a tag in 98 down there. Was a fantastic hunt for a 20 year old kid. I continue to spend loads of time on that unit and have picked up some decent deer sheds. Over the years and continue to find a good buck every know and then. That unit will never be a top 10 deer unit. That unit needs to close.

 

[MrShane]

1000 Lakes was a collateral damage unit. At the time, so many people said it was a poor quality LE. Even the conservation groups said how poor it was and supported the move to change it to general season. The Conservation Tags brought little money so no one was invested in it. Of course it was a diamond that people kept hidden. The reality was 1000 Lakes produced more 200" bucks per hunter than any other unit outside maybe the Henry Mtns. Few of us asked to keep it LE.

I hunted it as a DH the first year, and there were mature bucks everywhere. We saw a mid 220s buck that another hunter was trying to kill so we left him to go after a low 200s buck we had scouted and a mid 190s typical. My son scouted it with me and wanted me to shoot a heavy buck we had seen- I did and it was a mid 180s buck with 12" webbing and aged at 7 years old (insert SS comment here) that was with the big typical. I helped friends shoot some great bucks, one was 36" wide. Most every XL buck we scouted was killed.

Most all the tags went to LL or DH and those guys hunted hard and were good at killing bucks. So many guys went home with mature bucks that everyone thought the buck-river would never run dry. But it has, because the type of hunter on the unit was killing the best.

Now, guys go there a decade later hoping to kill the same kind of bucks as were killed years before. It doesn't meet their unrealistic expectations and they rate it lower than other comparable units.

It probably should go back to LE because it offers too few permits which will be eaten up by LLs if it rebounds to decent. Maybe make it a primitive weapon unit.

As for the satisfaction rates- many units with 50-60% success rates are only in the 3s. I guess it takes a lot to make people happy. Most of the 20-40% success rate units are in 3s too.....

LOVE the primitive weapon idea.
It let’s lots of hunters get out, herd rebounds and grows big bucks, low technology hunt keeps numbers/size on unit, even if you don’t kill big buck you still got to see him AND had opportunity to kill him.
Win/win/win!

 

[elkassassin]

That's what I Always Liked About The HAWKEN Days!

We Didn't Always Get Him!

But We Damn Sure Seen Some!

LOVE the primitive weapon idea.
It let’s lots of hunters get out, herd rebounds and grows big bucks, low technology hunt keeps numbers/size on unit, even if you don’t kill big buck you still got to see him AND had opportunity to kill him.
Win/win/win!

 

[MrShane]

That's what I Always Liked About The HAWKEN Days!

We Didn't Always Get Him!

But We Damn Sure Seen Some!

AMEN!!

 

[lostinOregon]

Just raffle off some more tags at the expo and it will be fixed. Pretty clear that in the name of opportunity the deer herd is getting pummeled in this unit. Right thing would be to reduce tags significantly.

 

[elkassassin]

You'd Have The OPPORTUNISTS BAWLING Like Babies But That's Fine,Let Em BAWL!

Just raffle off some more tags at the expo and it will be fixed. Pretty clear that in the name of opportunity the deer herd is getting pummeled in this unit. Right thing would be to reduce tags significantly.

 

[lostinOregon]

Agrees elk ass, but its clear from their own reports that the opportunity guys are not satisfied on this hunt

 

[elkassassin]

OPPOR-F'N-TUNISTS Are Never Happy!

They Want A Tag Every Year!

The DWR Wants To Sell Them A Tag Every Year!

And They Want A Trophy Handed To Them!

Well!

Hows That Working Out Just About Now?

Agrees elk ass, but its clear from their own reports that the opportunity guys are not satisfied on this hunt

 

[MrShane]

OPPOR-F'N-TUNISTS Are Never Happy!

They Want A Tag Every Year!

The DWR Wants To Sell Them A Tag Every Year!

And They Want A Trophy Handed To Them!

Well!

Hows That Working Out Just About Now?

More opportunity is not free.
You have to pay for opportunity by giving up new tech weaponry.

 

[Simpleton]

More opportunity is not free.
You have to pay for opportunity by giving up new tech weaponry.

Opportunities are not all created equal. If you eliminate so called new tech in the name of more "opportunity" and it leads to crowding of your favorite area with twice the number of hunters, or more, would that be better? The grass isn't always greener.

 

[middlefork]

I think you guys are having a hard time corelating satisfaction index's and success percentage. Carry on.

I can hardly wait until next year with 100% reporting.

 

[elkassassin]

I think you guys are having a hard time corelating satisfaction index's and success percentage. Carry on.

I can hardly wait until next year with 100% reporting.

And How Many Decades Did It take To Get Smart Enough To Do 100% Reporting?

Comes A Little Too Late!

 

[Battlewagon]

I think you guys are having a hard time corelating satisfaction index's and success percentage. Carry on.

I can hardly wait until next year with 100% reporting.

Middlefork comments are spot on! It will be interesting to see the math with 100% reporting for all big game hunts.

 

[middlefork]

And How Many Decades Did It take To Get Smart Enough To Do 100% Reporting?

Comes A Little Too Late!

My thoughts? Not going to change anything. Nobody is going to believe them anyway.
But carry on!

 

[Muley_73]

I’ve been hunting 1000 Lakes for the past 10 years. I agree with Packout….it’s not even a shell of what it was. I guess I like that it’s close to the cabin. I honestly would have had guilt pulling the trigger on my tag last year.

 

[elkassassin]

But Muley!

You And your Family Are A Rare Species When It Comes To Deer Management!

Most DRATS Would Kill A MOTL Buck Still Sucking On His Mother Just To Say:

I Filled My Tag!

I Needed The Meat!

It Was A Big Bodied Spike!

The BS List Goes On & On!

I’ve been hunting 1000 Lakes for the past 10 years. I agree with Packout….it’s not even a shell of what it was. I guess I like that it’s close to the cabin. I honestly would have had guilt pulling the trigger on my tag last year.

 

[Muley_73]

But Muley!

You And your Family Are A Rare Species When It Comes To Deer Management!

Most DRATS Would Kill A MOTL Buck Still Sucking On His Mother Just To Say:

I Filled My Tag!

I Needed The Meat!

It Was A Big Bodied Spike!

The BS List Goes On & On!

I been living in deer, elk and bison all winter…no need to harm the babies! I’m sure there’s some deer somewhere on that unit…or they would not give tags …right???

 

[elkassassin]

Right!

There's A Needle In That Haystack!

Somewhere!

I been living in deer, elk and bison all winter…no need to harm the babies! I’m sure there’s some deer somewhere on that unit…or they would not give tags …right???

 

[Muley_73]

Right!

There's A Needle In That Haystack!

Somewhere!

A 3 year old mature buck!!!!

 

[elkassassin]

Yup!

A 3 year old mature buck!!!!

 

[elkassassin]

But Hey!

When Niller & The Guys He Thinks Are The PRO'S Are Boasting DOUBLE THEM F'N TAGS I Hope They Get Just What They Deserve!

 

[elkhunter81]

But Hey!

When Niller & The Guys He Thinks Are The PRO'S Are Boasting DOUBLE THEM F'N TAGS I Hope They Get Just What They Deserve!

Nothing else has worked, so I say lets try it

 

[middlefork]

Well somebody needs to sit down with those 49 successful hunters and give them a what for!
After all there were 45 people who drew permits and were kind enough to stay home and never even hunt.
And then there were another 142 that went out and harassed the herd and let them walk.

Now I realize this is a small unit with a population estimate winter of 2022 of 760 deer but with a 18-20 buck/doe ratio there would be somewhere between 136 to 152 bucks carried over to 2023.
So it looks like those low life's who shot a buck took about 1/3 of available bucks.

If the 1/3 they took was the cream of the crop shame on them

 

[Muley_73]

Well somebody needs to sit down with those 49 successful hunters and give them a what for!
After all there were 45 people who drew permits and were kind enough to stay home and never even hunt.
And then there were another 142 that went out and harassed the herd and let them walk.

Now I realize this is a small unit with a population estimate winter of 2022 of 760 deer but with a 18-20 buck/doe ratio there would be somewhere between 136 to 152 bucks carried over to 2023.
So it looks like those low life's who shot a buck took about 1/3 of available bucks.

If the 1/3 they took was the cream of the crop shame on them

Thanks for break down...I was pretty blind to the reality of this unit...I appreciate you clearly laying it our.

 

[Prime_Beef]

I drew a rifle tag for the Thousand Lakes unit last year and spent a good two weeks up there. It's a beautiful area, but I was definitely disappointed in the low deer numbers, and the hunting experience in general.

 

[SS!]

1000 Lakes was a collateral damage unit. At the time, so many people said it was a poor quality LE. Even the conservation groups said how poor it was and supported the move to change it to general season. The Conservation Tags brought little money so no one was invested in it. Of course it was a diamond that people kept hidden. The reality was 1000 Lakes produced more 200" bucks per hunter than any other unit outside maybe the Henry Mtns. Few of us asked to keep it LE.

I hunted it as a DH the first year, and there were mature bucks everywhere. We saw a mid 220s buck that another hunter was trying to kill so we left him to go after a low 200s buck we had scouted and a mid 190s typical. My son scouted it with me and wanted me to shoot a heavy buck we had seen- I did and it was a mid 180s buck with 12" webbing and aged at 7 years old (insert SS comment here) that was with the big typical. I helped friends shoot some great bucks, one was 36" wide. Most every XL buck we scouted was killed.

Most all the tags went to LL or DH and those guys hunted hard and were good at killing bucks. So many guys went home with mature bucks that everyone thought the buck-river would never run dry. But it has, because the type of hunter on the unit was killing the best.

Now, guys go there a decade later hoping to kill the same kind of bucks as were killed years before. It doesn't meet their unrealistic expectations and they rate it lower than other comparable units.

It probably should go back to LE because it offers too few permits which will be eaten up by LLs if it rebounds to decent. Maybe make it a primitive weapon unit.

As for the satisfaction rates- many units with 50-60% success rates are only in the 3s. I guess it takes a lot to make people happy. Most of the 20-40% success rate units are in 3s too.....

Hey now I believe age Data. It’s some guy from SD that doesn’t believe it