LAST EDITED ON Dec-24-17 AT 12:00PM (MST)[p]>LAST EDITED ON Dec-20-17
>AT 01:34?PM (MST)
>
>OK, the issue is not pugnacious
>EWT bucks locking antlers with
>more complaisant MD bucks so
>scratch "aggressive"...but still, encroachment or
>intrusion of EWTs will have
>an adverse affect on the
>MD population b/c there's only
>so much deer chow to
>go around.
>
>I don't think I'm starting an
>argument around here when I
>say it should be pretty
>clear that nature does not
>take care of itself very
>well, and that if we
>want a good balanced environment,
>including useful wildlife populations, then
>we have a custodial responsibility
>to provide some management.
>
>I'm pretty sure that we cannot
>say in one breath that
>the MD herd needs help
>and tag numbers should be
>severely reduced, and then in
>the next breath say it's
>OK that EwTs should be
>allowed to roam willynilly across
>the state.
>
>If we really want to control
>the EWT is 100 tags
>enough?
>50 FAWTD and 45 ESWTD (youth
>only) tags in GMW-41, 42,
>57, 58, and 59 (in
>2017 thanks WFG)
>
>I'm not going to get all
>emotional and wound up about
>it, but if I had
>to choose, I would treat
>the EWT in central New
>Mexico like the Northern Pike
>in Angel Fire Lake. How's
>that for an opinion?
Looking at the deer license numbers in the units you posted, 41, 42, 57, 58 & 59. There are a total of 597 public licenses issued with the potential to kill a Whitetail. 95 of those are designated for Whitetail only, the remaining 502 are for a FAD (either specie is legal). This doesn't include any licenses that landowners can use or authorize on their private land.
Harvest report from 2016-2017 shows that 1,362 licenses were sold with an average of 72% reporting for an average success rate of 56%. Let's use the 72% that reported, of that 33 were Whitetails, that's like a 6% success rate for Whitetail deer of the overall kill.
Is it correct to believe that most of the better deer habitat is private in these units? Almost 600 public licenses seems pretty good considering the land availability. Everyone of those licenses is legal to kill a Whitetail with, including the over 100% more issued to and by private landowners.
Merry Christmas,
?Bill