I have to agree with @cgasner1 on this one. Jury is still out though and I could be wrong. So I also am a little worried about pick your region. The best thing I see about pick your region is that it might prompt hunter to sharpen there pitchforks and force people to fix what is ailing western regions instead of just blowing off steam and heading east to 6&7.
What do you think would have a greater effect of pushing elk into private an October rifle season for deer where some people may bumps some elk around or the weather. Seems to me like weather would be more likely to push elk into private than an October deer season.
I feel like people keep forgetting about the spilt on whitetail. That is also gonna lift the pressure we could have a 1/3 of the people out during mule deer season just from that alone
Have you spoken to anyone in the former 900-20 archery district / Central MT about pick your district? My data is in no way scientific, just anecdotal. The many folks I know there and used to hunt with are not happy. It certainly didn't help that the FW Commission added 1500 more tags in those HDs. I think a survey of hunter satisfaction a few years after that change would be good info to have.
I highly doubt that is going to have much of an impact. The vast majority are going to 6 & 7 for muleys. I can’t see many people especially unguided NR picking Whitetail over Muleys.
Apples to orange comparison when fwp sold all the left over tags that they were not going to. That was meant to be a first choice only then when it went to left over people decided they would rather have that tag than a general. We can revisit this if you like after this season if fwp keeps their word and doesn’t sell the left overs again
You would be right if this was meant to target just nr
I understand what you’re saying. My point applies to the NR and R. It’s my belief that the overwhelming majority are not going to pick Whitetail.
It would be very interesting the first few years to see how people shift and start to strategize. I’d bet it’s 30% plus on whitetail so they can hunt closer to home in mule deer numbers are down or hunt the rut. Let’s say your right and it’s less for a couple years because guys are hunting mule deee then they start noticing these whitetail bucks have had a couple season of people not hunting them and they are starting to see more of them so they switch.
Just because that’s how it is in your corner doesn’t mean it’s like that all over I know a lot of guys that think outside the box and kill public whiteys
You think the rifle opener for deer is gonna look like your current rifle opener with this structure?
Idk why don’t you ask @The Hedgehog what corn field he shot his buck on this year
Because the 6 weeks of archery doesn’t push them there already? Also some of those ranchers may be blasting cows and pushing the herd back onto public
I know quite a few others personally that are all about the whiteys I’d bet a lot of money right now that this split would lift 30% plus of resident pressure off mule deer
It’s all about those elusive mountain whitetails.
For some people it is who am i to judge. If that’s your game this season structure would be killer
