R
RKenSparc
Guest
Having hunted all my life in Utah, and I know there are large bucks to be found in the open hunting regions ? but in general, the average buck in the 5 open regions is nothing to write home about. I would love to see more ?mature buck? (For argument sake lets call mature bucks anything over 2 years old) in Utah?s open hunting areas, but it seems the only way to get mature bucks is significantly limit the number of hunters. I've been trying to think of a way that would 1- Increase the number of mature bucks, and 2- Not limit the general hunting opportunities in Utah. I've had an idea that I thought I would throw out and see what others think and point out it's short comings. I'm biased, but it seems like a good idea to me.
The only way to have mature bucks is for yearling bucks to survive their first hunt, but it seems most hunters would rather fill their tags with a small buck rather than no buck. Ask most hunters prior to the hunt and their ego will tell you that they don't shoot small bucks, but the moment that little spikes steps into the crosshairs the hunt is over. So?.what if, the DWR offered two different deer licenses? One license for mature bucks (for arguments sake we'll say a 3-point or better) and one license for any buck (this one is would be equivalent to Utah?s current license). Now to encourage hunters to buy the mature buck license you offer it at $15.00 to $20.00 less than the any buck license, and possibly even extend the mature buck hunt by a few days. Betweens egos (I'm not shooting a small buck!), saving a buck (pardon the pun) and getting a couple of extra days to hunt (sorry bosses & wives), I think the DWR could make the mature buck license very attractive to a lot of hunters. If this works, and there is an increase in mature bucks, as time goes on the mature buck license will become even more attractive, resulting in even fewer yearlings being harvested. For those hunters who still want to be able to take a yearling the opportunity is still there, let youth and seniors have the ?any buck? permit at a discount. As I see it ? everyone still gets to hunt, but assuming a significant number of hunter opt for the mature buck permit than more yearlings will survive for next year. Granted this system won't make the general hunt equivalent to a limited entry area, but I believe it would increase the average age class of bucks taken outside of the limited entry areas.
One possible variation to this system would be a 3 tiered system where a hunter could purchase a 4-point or better, 3-point or better, or an 1- point or better license making each progressively more expensive, and with shorter seasons.
A beneficial side effect would be with more mature bucks the rut would become more competitive and the stronger healthier bucks would be the ones to pass on their genes, improving the overall health of the herds.
Anyway just thought I'd throw this out there and see what everyone else has to say about it.
Check out my black powder site at:
www.angelfire.com/home/oldguns
The only way to have mature bucks is for yearling bucks to survive their first hunt, but it seems most hunters would rather fill their tags with a small buck rather than no buck. Ask most hunters prior to the hunt and their ego will tell you that they don't shoot small bucks, but the moment that little spikes steps into the crosshairs the hunt is over. So?.what if, the DWR offered two different deer licenses? One license for mature bucks (for arguments sake we'll say a 3-point or better) and one license for any buck (this one is would be equivalent to Utah?s current license). Now to encourage hunters to buy the mature buck license you offer it at $15.00 to $20.00 less than the any buck license, and possibly even extend the mature buck hunt by a few days. Betweens egos (I'm not shooting a small buck!), saving a buck (pardon the pun) and getting a couple of extra days to hunt (sorry bosses & wives), I think the DWR could make the mature buck license very attractive to a lot of hunters. If this works, and there is an increase in mature bucks, as time goes on the mature buck license will become even more attractive, resulting in even fewer yearlings being harvested. For those hunters who still want to be able to take a yearling the opportunity is still there, let youth and seniors have the ?any buck? permit at a discount. As I see it ? everyone still gets to hunt, but assuming a significant number of hunter opt for the mature buck permit than more yearlings will survive for next year. Granted this system won't make the general hunt equivalent to a limited entry area, but I believe it would increase the average age class of bucks taken outside of the limited entry areas.
One possible variation to this system would be a 3 tiered system where a hunter could purchase a 4-point or better, 3-point or better, or an 1- point or better license making each progressively more expensive, and with shorter seasons.
A beneficial side effect would be with more mature bucks the rut would become more competitive and the stronger healthier bucks would be the ones to pass on their genes, improving the overall health of the herds.
Anyway just thought I'd throw this out there and see what everyone else has to say about it.
Check out my black powder site at:
www.angelfire.com/home/oldguns