>
LAST EDITED ON Dec-02-19
>AT 12:34?PM (MST)
>
>It is extremely obvious that deer
>numbers are down. The
>DWR and hunters are all
>very divided on "what changes"
>need to be made to
>increase the deer populations.
>I am willing to wait
>3-4 years for a deer
>tag "IF" the trophy potential
>is there for a mature
>buck. However, there are
>many hunters that strongly disagree
>with long waiting periods because
>they want the opportunity to
>hunt every season. I
>still think it is possible
>to have more frequent opportunities
>to hunt, if a 4pt
>or better restriction is put
>in place for some or
>all units. This will
>help the younger bucks mature.
> If hunters continue to
>harvest younger bucks, how can
>we expect more mature deer?
> Here is what I
>propose:
>
>1. 4pt or better harvest restriction
>(This includes limited entry units
>with the exception of a
>few management deer hunts.
>Why harvest a 2pt on
>a limited entry unit just
>to "fill" your tag.
>I have seen hunters do
>this)
>
>2. No more hunting does
>
>3. Significantly decrease deer permits in
>units that are not meeting
>the buck to doe objective
>
>
>4. Maintain/sustain buck to doe
>ratios for each unit.
>For example, this means if
>there is a harsh winter
>and deer survival is down,
>again, reduce the tags.
>
>Bottom line, we need young deer
>to mature in order to
>see deer populations increase.
>That is my personal opinion.
> If the hunting community
>recognizes the deer numbers are
>down, they will need to
>understand that harvesting young bucks
>all over the state will
>not help increase the herd
>numbers. Nor will harvesting
>does.
>
>On a side note, my wife
>had the opportunity to hunt
>a cow elk on a
>CWMU this fall. This
>CWMU is near the public
>area I hunt deer on.
> The public land has
>some mature bucks, but not
>in as great of number
>as 10 years ago.
>I used to see several
>4pts on this general unit
>each season, but now it
>is much harder to find
>a mature 4pt. The
>same is true with the
>younger deer, I have witnessed
>when I am out hunting
>the younger buck numbers are
>declining. Now, the CWMU
>on the other hand has
>many young bucks all over
>the property. If these
>young deer were on public
>land I have no doubt
>most of them would be
>harvested during the general hunts.
> We saw several shooter
>bucks during this cow hunt.
> I asked the CWMU
>operator how many mule deer
>tags they are issued and
>it is not many.
>I believe there are 2
>public mule deer hunters and
>then 18 private tags (something
>around those numbers). The
>point is this CWMU understands
>you cannot harvest all the
>small deer if you want
>to harvest a mature deer.
> The amount of tags
>issued comes in to play
>as well.
>
>I really want to witness our
>deer herds increase on public
>lands, but we as
>hunters will need to make
>some sacrifices in order to
>increase those numbers. I
>do not have all the
>answers, but I firmly believe
>you need to let the
>young bucks mature and stop
>harvesting does. Decreasing tags
>is the difficult part to
>accept for many opportunity hunters,
>but that is the reality
>at this time.
PISS On the Failed Buck to Doe Management!
Total Herd Numbers are way more important!
With your 4 Point or Better Rule You Won't have to worry about Buck to Doe Ratio's!
I know so many people in so many places
They make allot of money but they got sad faces
It Ain't Easy being Me!