Utah Management Recommendation Information

[lone_hunter]

UDWR has posted information for the upcoming RAC meetings and the recommendations for permit numbers, deer unit conditions and management. http://www.wildlife.utah.gov/public_meetings/next.php.

Although I am somewhat of a personal skeptic of the reliability of the UDWR data, it is probably the most unbiased and reliable available.

You may find it usefull, or at least interesting.

 

[slamdunk]

In looking at the age objectives set by the board, can anyone answer me this question-
Why, if the average age of the bulls we are killing on the limited entry units are 7 years old, why is the "objective" age wanted by the board, 4-5 years of age? We are wacking some world class bulls every year in utah, breaking records every year in almost every unit, and they want to lower the age class of bulls to be harvested??? Personally, if i'm going to have to put in for 25 years to draw a good bull tag, i'd sure as h** want to take a 370 or better bull, not a 4 year old 320-330 class. You can draw a neighboring state every four years on average and get that!!

 

[DallanC]

"Reduction based on herd performance - never reached old
objective (unrealistically high)"


LOL so deer were never living to the objective... instead of addressing the issue they lower the objective! Hahaha

This reminds me of the superbowl advertisment where the monkeys were celebrating the rising stock graph... which was actually turned 90 degrees and was actually headed down.

Just turn the board 90 degrees and it all looks great! Lol


-DallanC

 

[justamacguy]

If you lower the average age you can justify more tags on the unit (more hunt opportunity)... that means $$$ in the pocket of DWR. Even though the age class is lowered you will still get a few that escape and make it into the older age class. The key word here is average. Some will be younger... some older.

 

[Flint]

No matter what the age objective, a lot of bulls will never reach a score of 370 in their lifetimes. Many will top out at 320 or 330 and if they aren't shot, will die of old age. And there are some bulls with good genetics that will be 370 in their fourth year.

Under the current draw system, the number of people applying for tags increases every year. People entering the system when it first began were looking at a 10 to 15-year wait to draw a tag. People entering the draw now are looking at a much longer wait.

I'm 48 and I've been waiting 10 years for a tag. Ten years ago I could have backpacked into a wilderness area to hunt. My knees are wearing out so if I have to wait another 10 years, I might be road hunting.

My youngest son is 15. I'd like for him to be able to hunt a trophy bull elk some day. If he starts applying now he could be my age before he draws.

Is the difference between a 300 bull and a 370 bull worth an extra 10 to 20 years of applying? Not to me.

Those extra permits are not going to wipe out the herds. There are plenty of hunters, like me, who would be perfectly happy with a nice, representative six-point bull. If and when I draw a tag, I will not be holding out for a booner. I personally know about a dozen people who have drawn a limited entry elk tag. The biggest bull any of them killed scored about 340 and they are all very happy with the animals they took and with their hunt experience. Had they not been shot, I doubt any of those bulls would have reached 370.

Increasing the permits and lowering the age objectives is not likely to seriously deplete the pool of extreme trophies that make it to record-class size. It will allow a few more hunters the opportunity to pursue a decent bull elk and it might reduce their wait by a year or so.

I predict that 10 or 12 years from now, the entire system will have to be revamped because there will be so many people in the draw pool that new applicants will be looking at 50 or 60-year waits or longer before they will be guarenteed a tag.
When that occurs, those who have been applying under the old system will holler and cry about the unfairness. But the reality is there simply are not enough record class animals to guarantee that everyone will get to shoot one some day.