Montana General Season Structure Proposal

[The Hedgehog]

Can summarize the lions share of all the comments in 2 words.

Sniveling bitches.

 

[Forkyfinder]

Can summarize the lions share of all the comments in 2 words.

Sniveling bitches

This proposal is going to ruin road hunting. Maybe thats why some are disappointed.

 

[DFS]

Definitely some fear of an October mule deer hunt by some of the criticisms. Even though they keep their opportunity to hunt mule deer every year. I’m not sure it’s about opportunity, they want the odds stacked in their favor of a declining species.

 

[8andcounting]

I don't personally know to many folks taking off huge amounts of time to go hunting.

I disagree with this . Completely . I think lots of folks take lots of time off for hunting

 

[cgasner1]

I’m just wondering if there’s any sort of data that supports changing seasons but having the exact same amount of tags will in fact improve ‘herd health’ I’d also like to see how herd health is being defined here? Just some simple questions that I feel should be addressed before a group of citizens decides to make major season changes. I don’t think that’s too much to ask for.
I have hunted the majority of western states. Mule deer numbers are down everywhere. Have you hunted Idaho? Have you seen the non resident slaughter of one and 2 year old bucks there in October? I certainly have. Have you hunted Wyoming outside of G and H? I exclude those two regions as that’s the greatest mule deer habitat in the world and can not be compared to any where else. The Montana side of the line id argue is as good or better (not saying much) than the Wyoming side going from the absarokas to the black hills. The Beaverhead’s, centennials, bitterroot-selway, north Idaho/nw mt etc all have similarly shitty mule deer hunting despite drastic differences in season structures and are only separated by a thin line that defines states. Why is that?

Now I’m not disagreeing that things need to be done to help our mule deer herds. I don’t think the suggested changes will have the effect most hope it will and there will be many implications that haven’t been thought about. The first things that can be done is eliminate all mule deer doe harvest and require mandatory reporting. I think that is something everyone can get on board with

It’s late so I’m gonna cherry pick on your comment. While fwp will sell the same amount of tags the pressure on mule deer will not be the same do due region/species split. I think it will be quite shocking how many people hunt western Montana in October for mule deer.

 

[Shed God]

LE does the same as pick your region, pick your unit. Without changing season structure. Effecting elk. If LE was implemented fwp has actual data on hunting pressure and there best guesses of harvest data along with herd numbers. My uncle Flys for fwp. It's there guestimation.

It's your own fault if u draw an LE tag and u hunt 3 to 9 days. We, u, everyone in this forum makes fun if people drawing a tag and asking for help or in that situation once they draw. I asked randy Newberg for help on unit 410. Me and my older kids drew. Party of 3. My oldest son shot a 6x6 thanks to randy and a game warden with great knowledge. Randy missed a huge 6x6 in AZ. Why I like him. I have missed 2 big 6x6 in mt. Human error. Likeable guy.

Hedgehog I know u a great hunter but do u honestly think hunting mule deer in October changes much for public land. If fwp was honest they would shut down muley hunting in alot of districts. They don't have a huntable herd besides on private. Because private actually manages similar to LE.

Hedgehog honest opinion will hunting mule deer push more elk onto private. Don't want a joe Rogan answer. Go to another trail head.

LE

 

[Shed God]

Ya everyone and there brother, sisters cousin be out hunting deer in October. Biggest sport in mt, hunting. And not many relying on mule deer meat. But they killem, because they have a tag

 

[Shed God]

Idk anyone against hunting mule deer every year. Besides the landowners, outfitters, and non residents. Alot of conversations, talks with them.

One of the outfitters I know loves the suppressors. They don't allow people to bring or use there own gun. Have to use 1 of there's. Spook the elk with your boom stick. Wonder who was behind the push for suppressors?

 

[Shed God]

A game warden told one of my brothers a big thing coming in next 5 to 10 days. I figured October mule deer season. Who knows maybe it's something that won't effect public land hunters ability to harvest an elk.

 

[8andcounting]

A game warden told one of my brothers a big thing coming in next 5 to 10 days. I figured October mule deer season. Who knows maybe it's something that won't effect public land hunters ability to harvest an elk.

They’re going to f”ck up the b tag draw and give tags to all applicants ? That’s my guess

 

[Shed God]

From my experience shed hunting southwest mt. A little bit of Idaho. Every unit has genetics for giant elk or deer. The biggest factor is age class. The chalk old deer, elk, moose sheds my father found and salted for me and my brothers in the 80s 90s were incredible. We have found alot of the same bulls and bucks. Some biggest they get 300 to 320. 140 to 160. Like humans average 5 ft 10. Some grow to 7ft plus. Landscape over rated. Feed water there. Genetics there. My dad has a 428 inch elk shed, 269 inch deer shed ironically from same yr 1991. Numerous 375 ish chalk elk sets 200 inch deer from 80s 90s. The biggest change was hunting pressure. Killing everything.

I get a smile when people say unit whatever grows small 3rds or grows big 3pts that are 2 or 3 yrs old. Funny to me.

Age class. Management. LE. Gives everything talked about on here. Science, data, qoutas, pick your unit.

 

[Shed God]

Hopefully the elk cow elk tags only good for private land. Be a good f up.

 

[sscrano]

A game warden told one of my brothers a big thing coming in next 5 to 10 days. I figured October mule deer season. Who knows maybe it's something that won't effect public land hunters ability to harvest an elk.

Any idea what it is about? I looked at the next commission meeting agenda and don’t see anything concerning this

 

[Shed God]

I have no idea. My thought was Halloween season mule deer hunt.

 

[Shed God]

I digging

 

[xcskier_hunter]

Although not the same species, you can see significant quality differences between Northern Missouri and Southern Iowa whitetails that most hunters ascribe to the fact that Missouri has a 2 week rifle season right in the middle of November while Iowa has no gun season in November. Iowa does have a short muzzleloader season in October and shotgun seasons in December. None of these hunts are limited entry for residents (Iowa does limit non-residents but that has a greater effect on bowhunting than gun hunting since Iowa's attraction for most non-residents is November bowhunting).

Many in Missouri look at Iowa and wish Missouri would move the rifle season out of the rut as it undoubtedly makes bucks (and deer in general) easier to kill. Perhaps rut movement is a greater difference-maker for whitetails but if mule deer are bedding most of the day in October compared to rutting in November I'm fairly confident the success rate of the average rifle hunter will decrease. Obviously same end result could be achieved with LE but I don't think anyone can deny that season timing has an effect on harvest. Even if the harvest total remained the same (which I doubt would happen) I'm even more confident that moving the rifle season out of November would allow more higher potential bucks to slip through the cracks, which at a minimum would appease the contingent concerned about quality.

 

[Shed God]

Idk not disrespecting u. But all the videos I seen on mizzou and Iowa are private. Big God dam whiteys. Bigger than anything I ever seen on Kennedys sheridan mt. Kind a like pets u grow. Be carefull cwd very prevalent with private deer. Ask Kennedy but it effects everything. Why mt lost 324 my understanding. Even though not many mule deer tested positive a shit load of whitey did.

Mt public land hunting is way different than a what u are talking about. U might as well be cam Hanes. Beat me in a marathon but I would kick your ass otc mt hunt

 

[Shed God]

Otc public land. He would quit or shoot a dink

 

[xcskier_hunter]

Idk not disrespecting u. But all the videos I seen on mizzou and Iowa are private. Big God dam whiteys. Bigger than anything I ever seen on Kennedys sheridan mt. Kind a like pets u grow. Be carefull cwd very prevalent with private deer. Ask Kennedy but it effects everything. Why mt lost 324 my understanding. Even though not many mule deer tested positive a shit load of whitey did.

Mt public land hunting is way different than a what u are talking about. U might as well be cam Hanes. Beat me in a marathon but I would kick your ass otc mt hunt

I was just using that as an example of two states (particularly N MO and S IA) that share a border with the only meaningful difference being season timing. WY and ND are probably the best bet for a direct mule deer comparison to MT, with both states having much better quality than Montana in modern times.

Regarding CWD, Montana seems to have worse issues than most midwestern states (outside of WI). I agree with the posters who've brought that up as a significant hurdle to any changes. It seems like most deer biologists advocate for smaller and younger deer herds to mitigate CWD, which is the exact opposite of what most hunters want.

 

[Shed God]

North Carolina compares well with montana mule deer. On public land.

Cwd from what I have seen is a product of private land in whiteys that spread to muleys. Kingsmen deer obviously that overlap with public deer. Managed 2 ways opposite of the spectrum