LAST EDITED ON Mar-18-08 AT 11:27AM (MST)[p]As far as the ONE governors tag goes....how many days did they spend trying to fill that tag?....almost the whole season. 1 decent buck.
The other Governors tag holder declined to even come and hunt, because his guide, one of the toughest, most capable hunters I have ever known, failed to SEE a trophy class buck that the client would even consider taking. This was after spending 11 days and nights in cold camps in the back country. The tagholder had a five figure investment in the hunt and there was nothing to tag.
On the 18th of December, there were 2000 deer on the flats, after 3 feet of snow fell to 7000 ft., and we never even found a decent 5X5 typical buck. Should have seen 50.
Ten years ago, with only 25 tags, it was not uncommon to have 20 or more 30"+ deer tagged, take your pick, typical or non. Weather or no....the rut still takes place here.
Now we have 35 draw tags and as many as 10 auction tags. That is a lot of hunters and their crews, a lot of eyes looking for trophy deer... and you are all impressed with 1 scraggly assed buck, that 10 years ago would have been considered "ho hum", at best.
As far as the fire in July goes, what did that have to do with last years feed? The balance of the winter range is very healthy, even now, and the deer are still on it. We will have no winter kill in this zone.
Go look and take some photos of all these trophy deer you are talking about.
I have only lived in this zone for 60 years,and hunted it for 45, so maybe I just don't know where to look.
I would hope that DFG biologists would reccomend that this hunt be turned into an archery hunt, or dumped altogether.....and I don't bowhunt.