Form a political organization and put pressure on the board or write the board members:
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[email protected]';'
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[email protected]'; '
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[email protected]'; '
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[email protected]'
This is what I wrote them this past Sunday:
Dear Mr. Bowns,
My family has been hunting and living in the South Eastern region of the state for over 30 plus years. My Dad a native to Moab Utah, born and raised.
My folks and sisters still reside in the state and I visit several times each year.
Over the course of the past 28 years I have hunted the Moab, Utah the region almost every year. I have had the pleasure of hunting the LaSals, Browns Hole, Nine Mile, Seven Mile, Fisher Mesa, Andy?s Mesa, and Fisher Valley to name a few specific areas.
Each and every year it seems as though the Deer herd is in a constant decline yet the state and wildlife management resources do little to help the herd recover. In addition the state and management resources make the hunting seasons shorter and shorter and at times deliberately make the success opportunities minimal. Most of the state?s focus seems to be on the Northern part of the state and the Wasatch region.
When will the state start to recognize the specifics needs for the south eastern portion of the state to help its Deer herd recover and prosper. In the 28 years I have hunted I have seen the state do little to help out the Deer populations. Many programs launched in other states like Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana could be studied, embraced, launched, and instituted in an effort to help the herds recover. Instead the state constantly turns a blind eye to the problem and refuses to recognize the constant state of decline.
Many of the things the state could be doing they do not embrace:
Working with local, state, and federal agencies to increase habitat, food, water sheds, and shelter.
Work with local ranchers and land owners to develop better food sources, habitat and water sheds.
Granting back sheep and cattle grazing rights. Sheep and cattle grazers help maintain the land, kill off excess predators, and make the land more habitable for Deer and Elk.
Reduce the number of professional guides and guided hunts.
Work with ranchers and land owners to open up private property for public hunting given they work with state programs to increase and make better Deer and Elk habitat.
Institute programs to help reduce natural Deer and Elk predators that tend to thrive and limit Deer Herd populations.
Additionally it would be nice to see the state resources make hunting more fun and more rewarding. During this past hunting season I hunted hard for the full 5 days of the hunt. The conditions were not good for harvesting a good trophy mule deer. The hunt was deliberately calendared during the full moon cycle. Placed in early October well before any rutting behaviors would take place. Additionally behind every rock and tree lied a hunter in wait. During my hunt I saw more hunters, campers, ATVs, and trucks than I saw Deer even in very remote places off the beaten trail. Roads are not well maintained making passage in many areas virtually impossible. When I finally did get away from the hunting brigades I did see a lot of does many carrying twin fawns. While this is encouraging news for upcoming years; I would much rather see the state follow the following guidelines:
Close areas that need time to recover.
Make areas that need additional help trophy hunts perhaps 4 points (4x4) or better.
Offer permitted management hunts to take out Deer not producing quality racks.
Limit the number of tags dramatically while increasing the likely hood for success.
Move seasons to a time when success would be optimal (weather, rut, moon). At least make the hunt enjoyable for those that are fortunate enough to draw a tag.
Work with local ranchers and land owners to increase and better habitat.
Develop and support programs to reduce natural predators.
Deploy the world?s best practices when it comes to Deer management and make Utah a state to love for its management programs as opposed to a state that all mock and make fun of for their deplorable reputation when it comes to big game management.
Regards,
Norman B Taylor Jr.