DOW Increases Buck Licenses

[cjoutfit]

Colorado DOW is proposing an increase of 50-75 additional buck licenses for units 3,301,4,441,11,12,211 for all rifle hunt codes.
Given the above normal winter mortality on all mule deer and age classes of deer in the Northwest do you agree with the increase?

Populations are still well below objectives and even objectives have changed over the years. The paper data would indicate that there is a 35-40 buck per doe ratio in these areas, is that unreasonable to have a higher buck/doe ratio to allow an increase in harvest with an already low deer population? Field observations do not indicate the same numbers as paper data would suggest.

What say you?

 

[ColoradoOak]

Units 3, 301, 4, 441, etc. are over 20% over objective.

Units 11, 12, 211, etc. are nearly 50% below objective. If you can get the bucks in that unit to start having fawns, I'd say you should definitely cut back on buck licenses there.

 

[elks96]

>Units 3, 301, 4, 441, etc.
>are over 20% over objective.
>
>
>Units 11, 12, 211, etc. are
>nearly 50% below objective. If
>you can get the bucks
>in that unit to start
>having fawns, I'd say you
>should definitely cut back on
>buck licenses there.


Yeah in 2913 they were more that 10% under from what I can see! So in a couple years and through a bad winter they managed to grow the herd over 20% if they did this than they are the heros of the west!

Sorry but they screwed up the counts this year! How can an area grow over 20% after a bad winter, all the thousands of road kill in the area and normal hunting?

Sorry but they are fudging the numvers for politics and not biology!

 

[Whiterock]

From all I have heard about deer and elk mortality ,I have been thinking of turning my tag back in when it comes.And now there saying there are more deer ?
Whats with that ?

 

[BenHuntn]

Where exactly did you find the info on increase tags in unit 3/301?

 

[cjoutfit]

Thank you guys,

Some more fascinating data:

In 2013 the data showed there was an estimated population of 28,370 deer in units 3,301,4,441,5,14,214 and 10% below population objectives.

Now in 2016, after an above average winter and mortality the population estimate is 47,180 and 10% over population objectives!

Nothing short of miraculous!

That would have to be the greatest mule deer recovery in history without doing anything.

There is no such thing as over population objectives - especially when we do not have over the counter tags for these areas like we used to have.

The models are only as good as the data entered into it, that could also be influenced by motives, agendas, politics, etc...
Observational evidence doesn't line up with the data numbers.

 

[thicketmaster]

I've been hunting units 3/301 for 16 years now! Had a bad winter kill in 2007 the deer have still not recovered from that IMO! I think the tag increase is all about the money! And something else I couldnt understand was if the herd numbers are down in these units or any units why offer doe tags at all? At least until the numbers return? Every year I see hunters killing a ton of does in these units.