AspenAdventures
Very Active Member
- Messages
- 2,889
>If the first year you hunted
>Idaho was 2015 then you
>hit it at it's peak
>and now you've seen it
>at a valley. 2015
>and 2016 were two of
>the best years in recent
>memory for hunting mule deer
>in Idaho. In fact
>the herd numbers were over
>objective by than time.
>According the state mule deer
>management plan which sets the
>criteria for how many does
>can be harvested, the population
>was at the point that
>IDFG could have allowed an
>either-sex general season.
>
>In the spring of 2016 I
>sat in 2 meetings where
>population status and doe harvest
>were discussed. The population
>was high enough to allow
>a portion of the season
>to be either-sex. IT
>was also suggested that the
>season could be extended by
>one week to a total
>of three weeks.
>
>The majority of hunters in both
>meetings I attended and across
>the region opposed both proposals.
> They didn't want the
>season to be longer because
>they thought that the older
>bucks would be too vulnerable
>during the last week of
>October. They opposed the
>either-sex season because they said
>the hunting was finally good
>again so why kill does.
> IDFG responded that the
>population was the highest it
>had been in over 20
>years and if hunters didn't
>kill more does, the next
>hard winter would kill even
>more.
>
>Despite having the scientific data to
>support both proposals IDFG did
>something that a lot of
>blowhards claim never happens, they
>did what the hunters wanted.
> The season remained two
>weeks long and doe harvest
>was only allowed for youth
>hunters. That doesn't sound
>like and agency that only
>cares about selling tags to
>me.
> Then as predicted by IDFG,
>the next winter killed 80%
>of fawns and 20% of
>does. That's a bad
>winter for you. Not
>the first time it's happened
>and it won't be the
>last.
>
>I provided you with almost 20
>years of harvest data showing
>that this cycle repeats itself
>and that the herd numbers
>will rebound with a few
>more years of mild winters.
> I also showed you
>that IDFG responded to the
>2016-2017 winter by eliminating all
>doe harvest in that unit
>and most others in the
>region.
>
>Whether or not the summer range
>is being over-grazed is a
>non issue for the mule
>deer. It is the
>winter range that determines the
>carrying capacity of the area.
>
>
>You have made up your mind
>and nothing can change it.
> So go ahead General
>Custer, this is the valley
>of the Little Bighorn and
>it's just a small village
>of women and children over
>that hill, have at 'em.
>
Good points I already agreed with. But,
1. Why hunt unlimited otc when deer are slammed?
2. Do you care about over grazing?
>Idaho was 2015 then you
>hit it at it's peak
>and now you've seen it
>at a valley. 2015
>and 2016 were two of
>the best years in recent
>memory for hunting mule deer
>in Idaho. In fact
>the herd numbers were over
>objective by than time.
>According the state mule deer
>management plan which sets the
>criteria for how many does
>can be harvested, the population
>was at the point that
>IDFG could have allowed an
>either-sex general season.
>
>In the spring of 2016 I
>sat in 2 meetings where
>population status and doe harvest
>were discussed. The population
>was high enough to allow
>a portion of the season
>to be either-sex. IT
>was also suggested that the
>season could be extended by
>one week to a total
>of three weeks.
>
>The majority of hunters in both
>meetings I attended and across
>the region opposed both proposals.
> They didn't want the
>season to be longer because
>they thought that the older
>bucks would be too vulnerable
>during the last week of
>October. They opposed the
>either-sex season because they said
>the hunting was finally good
>again so why kill does.
> IDFG responded that the
>population was the highest it
>had been in over 20
>years and if hunters didn't
>kill more does, the next
>hard winter would kill even
>more.
>
>Despite having the scientific data to
>support both proposals IDFG did
>something that a lot of
>blowhards claim never happens, they
>did what the hunters wanted.
> The season remained two
>weeks long and doe harvest
>was only allowed for youth
>hunters. That doesn't sound
>like and agency that only
>cares about selling tags to
>me.
> Then as predicted by IDFG,
>the next winter killed 80%
>of fawns and 20% of
>does. That's a bad
>winter for you. Not
>the first time it's happened
>and it won't be the
>last.
>
>I provided you with almost 20
>years of harvest data showing
>that this cycle repeats itself
>and that the herd numbers
>will rebound with a few
>more years of mild winters.
> I also showed you
>that IDFG responded to the
>2016-2017 winter by eliminating all
>doe harvest in that unit
>and most others in the
>region.
>
>Whether or not the summer range
>is being over-grazed is a
>non issue for the mule
>deer. It is the
>winter range that determines the
>carrying capacity of the area.
>
>
>You have made up your mind
>and nothing can change it.
> So go ahead General
>Custer, this is the valley
>of the Little Bighorn and
>it's just a small village
>of women and children over
>that hill, have at 'em.
>
Good points I already agreed with. But,
1. Why hunt unlimited otc when deer are slammed?
2. Do you care about over grazing?
