bobcat,
The drop in deer numbers has wildlife biologists scratching their heads in every western state. Not just Utah. Most of their studies that I have read conclude that the problem has something to do with habitat loss, poor food sources, and a few severe winters. That is not anything that they have immediate control over.
I, like you, have seen lots of hunting seasons come and go, and I am frustrated that the good old days of mule deer hunting don't seem to be coming back like we think they should. And yes, if all they had to do is manage deer, one would think that the deer herds would turn around with good managment. But they have way more pressure on what they do than just us hunters!
I just don't think there are a lot of quick answers that the DWR has control over in order to fix the problem.
Every time they try to make changes, some group get's POed! For example:
If they were to close hunting for a few years, they would have ranchers and family hunters screaming.
If they try to limit land development, they have landowners down their throats.
And if they try to deal with a bull/cow ratio to improve elk herds, they have disgruntled hunters who want an elk tag every year on their back.
It's a thankless-no win job and I am beginning to feel that I don't want my son to have to be a part of it.
Money in any state agency, has to be a part of their decision making. Especially in Utah, because there is so little of it to go around. But to say that money drives their management decisions is way over-simplifying the issue. Without resources, they can't pay to manage anyting.
I, for one, feel like with what they have to deal with, the DWR is doing their best! And in my own simple way, I am trying to say that we need to give them a pat on the back, not a kick in the groin