2023 General Season buck deer success rates

[elkfromabove]

2023 GS Buck Deer Success Rates

 

[elkassassin]

https://wildlife.utah.gov/pdf/bg/2023/2023_gs_buck_deer_hr.pdf

 

[elkassassin]

One Unit As Low As 3.3 & A Couple At 7.7!

JUDAS!

 

[elkfromabove]

https://wildlife.utah.gov/pdf/bg/2023/2023_gs_buck_deer_hr.pdf

Thanks, Bess

 

[elkassassin]

No Problem!

At First I Couldn't See The TYPO!

Then I Seen It!

 

[elkassassin]

So?

My Question Is This:

How Low Should We Let A Success Rate Get Be Fore We Do Something With The Unit?

 

[elkfromabove]

So?

My Question Is This:

How Low Should We Let A Success Rate Get Be Fore We Do Something With The Unit?

I thought "we" wanted lower success rates in order to issue MORE tags! If not, give me back my apples!

 

[Sparks Shooter]

Those numbers are actually way higher than I expected. Anything over 50% on a 'general' season is crazy high.----SS

 

[elkassassin]

Hey efa!

We'll Give You A SUP & Let You Have Your Apples Back!

I'll Agree With Sparks!

Considering As Hard As The Deer Herd Got Hit In The Winter Of 22-23 Alot Of Them Numbers Ain't Bad!

I thought "we" wanted lower success rates in order to issue MORE tags! If not, give me back my apples!

 

[woodruffhunter]

Wow, that Cache archery hunt is tempting……

 

[quest]

It’s hard to believe the success rate that high

 

[elkfromabove]

Did the bans on baiting and trail cams work?

GS Archery---2022--18.6%---10,855 hunters---1,573 bucks
---------------2023--17.8%-----8,830 hunters---2,011 bucks

GS Muzzy----2022--25.6%----14,795 hunters---3,793 bucks
---------------2023--28.8%-----9,693 hunters---2,790 bucks

GS AnyWpn--2022--52.8%----25,113 hunters--13,267 bucks
---------------2023--33.0%----21,048 hunters---6,951 bucks

That's quite a difference in the Any Weapon success rates and I'm pretty sure it wasn't because of the baiting ban! You don't need to use bait to get them in close if you're using a rifle or muzzy.

 

[BrianID]

Interesting to see the numbers. Compared the general season in Idaho, these numbers are very good. Utah doesn't have "general deer season" any more than Colorado has general seasons for deer.

It is no surprise that success was low in some of the northern units. Last winter was a tough one in many areas. At most areas are not suffering from drought conditions.

 

[Mallardsx2]

Thanks for sharing.

It appears that a lot of hunters said the hell with it.

 

[pounder]

Be nice if they also had in the survey, points per side not counting brows if successful as to gauge what percentage was 4points or more

 

[elkfromabove]

Thanks for sharing.

It appears that a lot of hunters said the hell with it.

Finally, somebody noticed!! We lost 8,502 GS hunters and that's because we lost 6,722 GS tags! (1,457 Archery, 1,526 Muzzy, 3,739 Any Weapon)

Did the bans on baiting and trail cams work?

GS Archery---2022--18.6%---10,855 hunters---1,573 bucks
---------------2023--17.8%-----8,830 hunters---2,011 bucks

GS Muzzy----2022--25.6%----14,795 hunters---3,793 bucks
---------------2023--28.8%-----9,693 hunters---2,790 bucks

GS AnyWpn--2022--52.8%----25,113 hunters--13,267 bucks
---------------2023--33.0%----21,048 hunters---6,951 bucks

That's quite a difference in the Any Weapon success rates and I'm pretty sure it wasn't because of the baiting ban! You don't need to use bait to get them in close if you're using a rifle or muzzy.

Opps! I forgot the early GS data and some of my math is wrong.
It was getting late last night and I started dozing off!
Here's how it should be as near as I can tell:

GS Archery---2022--14.5%---10,855 hunters---1,573 bucks
---------------2023--22.8%----8,830 hunters---2,011 bucks

GS Muzzy----2022--25.6%----14,795 hunters---3,793 bucks
---------------2023--28.8%------9,693 hunters--2,790 bucks

GS AnyWpn--2022--50.6%----27,937 hunters---14,144 bucks
---------------2023--32.8%----23,249 hunters---7,623 bucks

 

[Mallardsx2]

Finally, somebody noticed!! We lost 8,502 GS hunters and that's because we lost 6,722 GS tags! (1,457 Archery, 1,526 Muzzy, 3,739 Any Weapon)

Opps! I forgot the early GS data and some of my math is wrong.
It was getting late last night and I started dozing off!
Here's how it should be as near as I can tell:

GS Archery---2022--14.5%---10,855 hunters---1,573 bucks
---------------2023--22.8%----8,830 hunters---2,011 bucks

GS Muzzy----2022--25.6%----14,795 hunters---3,793 bucks
---------------2023--28.8%------9,693 hunters--2,790 bucks

GS AnyWpn--2022--50.6%----27,937 hunters---14,144 bucks
---------------2023--32.8%----23,249 hunters---7,623 bucks

I hate to be the guy and ask you but where did the 6,722 tags go? Was there major tag reduction or what?

I don't follow Utah that closely, so I don't know what you're alluding to other than maybe the fact that baiting big mule deer and 40 trail cameras over a water tank is bullshit.

 

[Tristate]

Well there is more to deer management than not killing them.

 

[elkfromabove]

I hate to be the guy and ask you but where did the 6,722 tags go? Was there major tag reduction or what?

I don't follow Utah that closely, so I don't know what you're alluding to other than maybe the fact that baiting big mule deer and 40 trail cameras over a water tank is bullshit.

It was another tag reduction! We're slowly reducing tags because we're slowly reducing the deer herds. Some of it isn't anything we can manage (weather, drought, human encroachment, disease, etc.), but those things we can manage aren't being managed scientifically. They are being managed socially (too crowded, archery vs muzzleloaders vs rifles, private land vs public land, trophies vs opportunity, etc.)

Which brings us to your next question. The philosophy now is to make it harder to kill a deer in order to issue more tags. Thus, the total banning of bait and the banning of trail cameras during the season and the weapon restrictions, shorter seasons, antler restrictions, unit realignments, unit closures, higher buck to doe ratios, etc. But there are not enough people willing to help improve the habitat. Hunting is fun, but managing the habitat is work the DWR should be doing. It's their fault that the deer herds are in poor shape now. Well, you get the idea. It's like life. 20% do 80% of the work while the other 80% do only 20% of the work.

I'm 82 years old with heart, kidney, and prostate problems (I'll have open heart surgery next month) and there isn't much physical work I can do, but I can be an advisor to some group if they organize. Meanwhile the cheatgrass keeps spreading!!