> The DFG started the first
>deer plan and zone system
>in 1976. If you look
>at the proposed zone map
>for the new deer plan,
>it looks the same.There were
>ten units to start with
>in 76'. The department at
>that time said we need
>to manage the deer on
>a herd to herd basis.
>After a few years they
>did just that, making our
>present day, 44 deer units.
>The story then was "we've
>talked to the hunting public
>and they say that they
>want more bucks, and bigger
>bucks, and we (The DFG)
>know how to do it".Thirty
>nine years later what have
>we got?
>I think we've been duped! At
>least in 1976 we had
>a lot of deer in
>this state. The Round Valley
>Herd over here in Bishop
>numbered around 6000 deer, now
>it is somewhere between 900
>to 1200 animals.Probably most zones
>in the state had big
>populations back then. If we
>go back to ten units
>now and have the same
>number of tags that we
>have with our 44 units,
>theres nothing to stop the
>hunters from going to the
>best spot in the zone
>and mucking out a herd.Sure
>there might be spots that
>will have less pressure, but
>think about this,if we hurt
>the resource in one part
>of the unit, the department
>will be forced to restrict
>the number of tags. So
>there will be less hunter
>opportunity. Let me put it
>another way, in the Eastern
>Sierra there are five units
>right now, X9A,X9B,X9c,X8 and X12.
>The total number of tags
>for these five units is
>2169 for this year.
>If you put that many
>hunters in 1 unit, there's
>nothing to stop all of
>them from hunting in x12,that
>has a quota of 680
>right now. Hencefourth,if the deer
>herd in x12 is hurt,
>the department will have no
>choice but to cut the
>number of tags next year.
>If we get populations down
>any more than they are,
>it will be easy for
>the anti's to stop hunting
>all together. Call me a
>conspearicy theory kind of guy,
>but I think the new
>deer plan is part of
>the big plan to stop
>hunting an California. Most all
>of the biologists that work
>for the department aren't in
>favor of this plan. This
>has the anti hunting, DFG's
>commission name all over it.
>If you want to keep
>hunting, you better become vocal,
>and let the DFW know
>what you think.
>
>Sorry for the Rant
>
>Brownie
I actually spoke with the Deer Program Coordinator and he said, as per that hunter survey that went out, the majority of the people indicated that more opportunty was now more important than larger/older age bucks. I will post a full update on my conversation later, but all indications are that things could be changing....but HOW is still up in the air.