Montana Deer Management- If I were King for a day.

[Stone_Ice_1]

My initial reaction to the fact that if you apply for a limited entry tag and don't get it you are shit out of luck was that this was bullshit. But after thinking about it a bit I think it would be a good thing. Most years I don't actually find a deer that I want to put my tag on anyway. With this season structure it would make it so when I did draw a tag the chances of finding one I want to hang my tag on would be much higher. And honest I would probably end up with more deer over time under this scenario anyway.

I also think the draw odds of the limited tags would go up. Many people would prefer to have that buck tag every year and would probably quit applying after they burned their points they had accumulated over the years. It would take a few years for the numbers of applicants to situate out because of this.

I do agree with the comment of making the antlerless season a little later. Maybe Oct 15-30?

Still putting together some of my thoughts on something like this though.

 

[bigsky2]

Often times when changing our season structure gets brought up, people will say something like "You don't want to end up with only a week to hunt like Colorado, do you?" Colorado's season structure and Montana's are on complete different ends of the spectrum, and I think if we could settle somewhere in the middle it would improve our deer situation greatly. I think most Montanans would view your proposal as being too close to a Colorado season structure.
Moving the rifle season up, shortening the season, etc. could still allow residents to get a tag every year without hammering the deer in November. I think just making a change where most of the rifle hunting would occur during October would be huge.

That being said, I'd definitely prefer this over what we currently have, and I appreciate you coming up with ideas.

 

[Mallardsx2]

I hate the way they have it set up currently. Very stupid.
If your proposal allows me to try to attempt to draw a Limited Entry tag without having to go through the general season draw nonsense, I will support it.
It's a crock of crap that I have to draw a general to be put into the hat for a LE.
I don't want to hunt a general season tag, that's why I apply for bonus points, because I only want a limited entry tag....
I don't care if I get to hunt the rut or not, I just don't want to hunt when there are 5000 people running around the place. Even if that means that my LE tag is only good for 10 days.

When I hunted "the breaks" a couple years ago there were "hunters" on 4 wheelers driving all over the place on the BLM (off trail) causing a ton of damage and they had the deer blown out of there onto the private ground. I don't care to be around to see that again if I can help it.

 

[brockel]

I’m gonna spend some time thinking about Randy’s proposal but I do find it interesting that this meeting in Miles City has now taken on a description about Mule Deer Management. View attachment 255050

It’s also gained an hour

 

[Ought Six]

I'd be very curious entertained to see this same poll on Montanica's FB page.

Someone should post it there and post the results

 

[Big Fin]

The suggestions made by @Randy11 would make demand for limited entry permits eventually go lower, as it would improve general deer hunting enough that I’d probably never apply for a LE permit with the improvement we’d see in general deer hunts. I’ve eaten my last four deer tags due to having meat in my freezer and sympathy for the deer. At this point I’m all in for drastic changes for the benefit of the deer, which in the long-term is for the benefit of deer hunters/hunting.

Part of a Trustees’ job is to protect the beneficiary from themselves. Not always popular to do that, but when you sign up to serve as a Trustee, whether elected, appointed, or employee, that’s one of your duties. That’s part of the flaws in Montana’s “management by popular opinion.”

 

[The Hedgehog]

The suggestions made by @Randy11 would make demand for limited entry permits eventually go lower, as it would improve general deer hunting enough that I’d probably never apply for a LE permit with the improvement we’d see in general deer hunts. I’ve eaten my last four deer tags due to having meat in my freezer and sympathy for the deer. At this point I’m all in for drastic changes for the benefit of the deer, which in the long-term is for the benefit of deer hunters/hunting.

Part of a Trustees’ job is to protect the beneficiary from themselves. Not always popular to do that, but when you sign up yo serve as a Trustee, whether elected, appointed, or employee, that’s one of your duties. That’s part of the flaws in Montana’s “management by popular opinion.”

When’s the next Hank Worsech interview?

 

[Big Fin]

When’s the next Hank Worsech interview?

Whenever he decides. I talked to him just after season closed and assured him the invite was open.

 

[golfer]

I don't care if I get to hunt the rut or not, I just don't want to hunt when there are 5000 people running around the place. Even if that means that my LE tag is only good for 10 days.

Interesting statement , didn’t you post on another site yesterday stating you just chuckle when you hear the complaint residents are making about pressure?

 

[Irrelevant]

Under my proposal, there will be five antlered deer seasons. The catch is, that each hunter must choose ONE season per year.

GENERAL SEASON OPTIONS-

General deer archery- September 1-20

Statewide. Tag is good in any unit with “General” designation for either species buck.

General Mule deer rifle- October 15-31

Region Specific, Hunter must designate which region they hunt at time of tag purchase. Hunter can hunt any general unit within that region for mule deer bucks during season dates.

General whitetail- November 1-30

Region Specific, Hunter must designate which region they hunt at time of purchase. Hunter can hunt any general unit within that region for whitetail bucks during season dates.

Isn't the idea here to spread the pressure out between the seasons? Who is buying that archery tag? I think you'd need to add a late season option to get any decent amount of hunters to pick it.

 

[brockel]

I’m hoping for any change even just a little bit. I think make it simple and go general season opening weekend of antelope rifle-31st Make Nov 1-30 draw. If you put in for the draw whether you draw or not you aren’t allowed a general tag. Start managing doe tags by districts. No public land doe tags unless over objective in district. Remove the traditional season and youth season. No more come home to hunt licenses, native montanan license or student licenses.

 

[TheJason]

Too early IMO. Unless you like shooting does with fawns that still have spots. ND get's this complaint with their youth tags which are very similar dates.

On the flip side, if your goal is to shoot barren does, earlier is better.

 

[TheJason]

Having X amount of hunters willfully sit out in any given year would have a lot of advantages.

Blasphemy

 

[TheJason]

For shit's sake, MT can't even separate deer seasons from elk seasons.

#sIMpLifiCATioN

 

[Nick87]

Isn't the idea here to spread the pressure out between the seasons? Who is buying that archery tag? I think you'd need to add a late season option to get any decent amount of hunters to pick it.

I'd much rather have the sept dates for archery then late season personally.

 

[Irrelevant]

I'd much h rather have the sept dates for archery then late season personally.

For mule deer?

 

[Nick87]

For mule deer?

Yah.

 

[Deleted member 48080]

Isn't the idea here to spread the pressure out between the seasons? Who is buying that archery tag? I think you'd need to add a late season option to get any decent amount of hunters to pick it.

For me, the idea is to get rid of the late season rodeo we currently have, allow more animals to reach maturity, and to still provide opportunity.

I personally know a lot of people that enjoy archery hunting deer in September. I don't see any issue with having it be a season that gets little pressure. Even if 90% of hunters choose the October rifle season instead, that season will still have less hunters than our current rifle seasons, and hunters will be more dispersed before we have snow.

 

[brocksw]

On the flip side, if your goal is to shoot barren does, earlier is better.

Perhaps, but the research going on in Wy is documenting teenage does having triplets, so I really don't know how valid the term "old dry doe" is. Lots of reasons a doe might not be seen with her fawn? I would defer to the opinions of the experts beyond that.

Yah.

You can have the early. I'll take the late.

 

[TheJason]

so I really don't know how valid the term "old dry doe" is. Lots of reasons a doe might not be seen with her fawn?

I’m not speaking to an old dry doe. I’m speaking to a barren one. And yes, there are reasons a fawn might not be with mom. Earlier in the fall they are more likely to be in close proximity IME.