RobertD
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Can agree with that. Shooting a whitetail doe instead of mule doe should be a no brainer. I'm gonna come up there for pronghorn in a few years, maybe can add a whitetail hunt to that.
Deer question montana
- Thread starter Walkalot
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Can agree with that. Shooting a whitetail doe instead of mule doe should be a no brainer. I'm gonna come up there for pronghorn in a few years, maybe can add a whitetail hunt to that.
Redside
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Unfortunately the FWP does not agree that there are not very many mule deer around. Seems like the past few years they always talk about mule deer being above the long term average ect ect. I was finally able to find this mule deer population report, linked below.
So what gives? Are they full of it? Are all the deer they are counting on private?
So what gives? Are they full of it? Are all the deer they are counting on private?
8andcounting
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I don’t think you can compare 1970 hunting to today’s hunting for one major reason . The average non landowner person , had much more options in 1970 . Saw more deer cuz more places to hunt . Things are much different now . Having said that the Fwp is doing their best to kill off the last mule deer in Montana .
8andcounting
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I’m sure there was more deer in 1970 and was better hunting , I’m just saying it’s a different era . Times have definitely changed
Redside
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May have answered my own question, while looking for that link above I also found this article from 2016 describing why the FWP does what it does. Interesting side bar about the buck harvest. Early 70's and 80's buck harvest was at all time highs, but later 70's & 80's at all time lows. In '73 they harvested 19k+ bucks, three years later 3,500.
They are talking region 7. Region 7 does not have a mule deer problem, it has a hunter problem. If you look at why mule deer are declining in other areas you will see the real problem. You will also see why mule deer hunting will never recover in western MT. and why the hunter problem in the east will never be resolved.
antlerradar
Well-known member
Times may have changed, hunting season has not.
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antlerradar
Well-known member
Over all I think FWP is right, The issue is that the bigger blocks of public are not recovering nearly as fast as the adjacent private land. As soon as deer populations on private land recovers FWP opens up doe hunting and the public herd takes another beating.
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Walkalot
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Southwest Mt is my backyard and otc public is genocide for mule deer. The only reason i buy a deer tag is to put my name in for LE permit. I bet anyone they cannot havrvest a ligitimate buck over 150 on otc public southwest mt. Bet $100 but u need to be honest.
Shangobango
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Yup next time I go to Montana after deer it will be whitetail.
PablitoPescador
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I saw two bucks in sw Montana last season that were in the 150-160 range. I was elk hunting and had already filled my tag in an LE unit or one would have been going home with me. They’re few and far between, but they do exist. Came as a surprise. I’d never seen a buck of that caliber in that area until then
T
timmy
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Meh it’s Montana Fwp’s job to manage wildlife shoot what you want. I enjoy hunting them because you can find a mature whitetail, muleys you can get lucky and find young deer with good genetics but that’s still hard. Things aren’t going to change it is what it is.
The Hedgehog
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I would not take that bet. In 33 years of hunting around here, I’ve only got one.
Shangobango
Well-known member
Yea I agree.
Luckily, I want the next buck I shoot in Montana to be mature. From what I saw while up there last season, that is more than likely going to be a whitetail since I will be on public ground.
Always a tricky balancing act for our wildlife managers.. I would really like to see implementation of LE mule statewide beginning 11/01..
FWP could be creative with clustering units.. liberal quotas and so forth to accommodate opportunity driven hunters..
I just think eventually everyone is heading toward LE.. hope we can execute a diplomatic strategy for all!
FWP could be creative with clustering units.. liberal quotas and so forth to accommodate opportunity driven hunters..
I just think eventually everyone is heading toward LE.. hope we can execute a diplomatic strategy for all!
Walkalot
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MTTW pmed u
Walkalot
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So those with more experience than I. I have none. How do we actually manage mule deer. Whether it be LE draw or season structure. Ideas. Seriously as hunters, outdoorsmen, wildlife enthusiasts. I feel that i owe it to all wildlife to try and make it better. Mule deer habitat and numbers are dismal. Habitat that exists but no deer because of management.
Those who oppose change. I would like to hear your reasons.
Those who oppose change. I would like to hear your reasons.
SAJ-99
Well-known member
In most units, if there is good habitat, you will find deer on it. And if they are not there, there is probably no single cause you can assign blame to. I am guessing a lot of what the results show (more LE draws) is people want to shoot bigger deer. Of course, they also don't want to sit at home and watch football in 2 out of 3 years. So they want both opportunity and quality, but don't want to sacrifice anything to get it. Therein lies the conundrum. Montana has always tilted toward opportunity and I have to say I enjoy it as well. Hard to get people to agree to change old habits.
Double edged sword no matter how you look at it. In most states guys wait 2 or 3 years to just to draw a tag that has no trophy potential. Those of us who love mule deer hunting will suffer. It is sad that in most places in Montana a 150" deer is a trophy. I don't know if there is a right answer. Maybe it should go to a system where you buy otc but have to declare the unit your hunting and you can only hunt mule deer there. I wish more people had a little more control over what they shoot. To shoot a immature buck "for the meat" is the most irritating thing I hear all the time. As a family we have a few 150-170" deer on the wall. Nothing huge but for the area we live in they're great deer. Wish it wasn't that way but we get every elk hunter in the country in our corner and when they aren't into elk they get bored and start shooting all of our little bucks...."for meat of course"
