Montana Mule Deer Mismanagement

[SwaggyD]

Notice they cut the snouts out of the picture so we couldn’t see the milk on their lips.

 

[R.K.]

Looks like region 7 fwp Facebook page is on an educational campaign with mule deer mondays before our season setting. View attachment 293929
Be interesting if they are inflicting this pain on themselves or were directed to do it from Helena. Nothing like educating the people that have lived here their whole lives here and have seen the changes first hand.

I can almost guarantee they’re going to choose bucks that are an exception to the typical growth to gaslight everyone into thinking the deer are just not growing antlers now instead of not getting old enough to grow antlers.

 

[rogerthat]

I’m going to guess that even though the two bucks have similar horn sizes one buck is young and one is old. Therefore the point of the exercise is that mule deer management is not as simple as we the stupid public deems it and all the dinks we see roaming around are in fact ninja warrior trolls with their nub teeth shriveled up balls and barely able to make another winter…knockin it out the park…better than the Henry Mountains! Stay tuned for next week’s exciting conclusion!

 

[Bambistew]

The moral to the story is they have "managed" deer so well you can't distinguish a freak from a 1 yo. Good job F&G. Count me as one of the 80% who approve of your management.

 

[antlerradar]

I’m going to guess that even though the two bucks have similar horn sizes one buck is young and one is old. Therefore the point of the exercise is that mule deer management is not as simple as we the stupid public deems it and all the dinks we see roaming around are in fact ninja warrior trolls with their nub teeth shriveled up balls and barely able to make another winter…knockin it out the park…better than the Henry Mountains! Stay tuned for next week’s exciting conclusion!

I just hope for FWP's sake that they don't claim the older buck is a big deer that has gone down hill.

 

[Ought Six]

I’m going to kill the first young forky I see and call it an 8.5 year old on the downhill regression, should’ve seen him when he was 1.5!!

 

[brockel]

I’m going to kill the first young forky I see and call it an 8.5 year old on the downhill regression, should’ve seen him when he was 1.5!!

Wait till middle of November. Better neck roasts

 

[Bambistew]

He said that with the current season structure for these herds that they are sending on average 70-75% of the bucks to winter range each year. If you’re not familiar with these deer herds the area is generally Region G and Region H with a Sept 15 opener and a three week season ending early October. Although I know the terrain and accessibility plays a part in this I wonder in comparison with Montanas season structure, how many bucks do you think we are sending to winter range? Do our bios even know? I would hazard a guess it isn’t above 25% each year but I could be way off. Anyone have thoughts? Data?

This intrigued me. In order to know how many bucks you're saving, you need to know how many you start with. Those areas of WY have 35-40:100 +/- buck to doe ratios. Montana can't match that anywhere, 20% of the time the units are less than 10:100. Even the draw areas struggle to make objectives according to the study. The study also uses F&G population estimates.

What I was getting at, is if MT is saving 70% of 10 is a whole lot different than 70% of 40.



https://fwp.mt.gov/binaries/content...-buck_harvest_by_response_variable_052518.pdf

 

[R.K.]

This intrigued me. In order to know how many bucks you're saving, you need to know how many you start with. Those areas of WY have 35-40:100 +/- buck to doe ratios. Montana can't match that anywhere, 20% of the time the units are less than 10:100. Even the draw areas struggle to make objectives according to the study. The study also uses F&G population estimates.

What I was getting at, is if MT is saving 70% of 10 is a whole lot different than 70% of 40.



https://fwp.mt.gov/binaries/content...-buck_harvest_by_response_variable_052518.pdf

View attachment 293992

I’m curious how they count fawns. I seem to recall some states splitting them 50:50 as bucks and does. Which would be a bunch of that 10:100.

 

[DFS]

I’m curious how they count fawns. I seem to recall some states splitting them 50:50 as bucks and does. Which would be a bunch of that 10:100.

I was told by the wildlife manager they have to have antlers on their head to be counted as a buck.

 

[DFS]

I believe the local counts are more than likely accurate. It’s when they send the counts to helena to get put in an equation for the population estimate where they get distorted. I’m not sure how the buck to doe ratios are calculated maybe Helena has a hand in that as well. Local staff is protective of their counts I’m sure there is a reason for that.

 

[ClearCreek]

I believe the local counts are more than likely accurate. It’s when they send the counts to helena to get put in an equation for the population estimate where they get distorted. I’m not sure how the buck to doe ratios are calculated maybe Helena has a hand in that as well. Local staff is protective of their counts I’m sure there is a reason for that.

Why would the local biologists "send the counts to Helena to get put in an equation for the population estimate"? If they have the count numbers it should only take a few minutes to enter that data into a population estimate calculator that is more than likely on their office computer and the population estimate is generated.

ClearCreek

P.S. I have no dog in this fight and don't live in MT, I just ask this question because sending the data to the head shed to calculate a population estimate makes no sense when it can be done at your computer in your office.

 

[DFS]

The equation went way over my head so I don’t know the answer but someone that is smarter than me and hopefully they will chime in. I think Helena office holds some of the variables I believe the local counts will show the details but good luck getting your hands on them.

 

[Unlucky]

I think it is what it is. Bullchit

 

[Unlucky]

Obviously judging by horns both deer are young. No such thing as an old mule deer buck otc montana

 

[Unlucky]

Montana biggest embarrassment mule deer management.

 

[Unlucky]

The bigger little deer, guessing they say is older. Just based on horn characteristics. The little one ones shiny rack still rutting. Bigger uglier deer guessing sage deer still young. Big deer older deer 5 6 years old have some size to some point. Otc

 

[Unlucky]

Biggest factor in montana mule deer they not protected. Otc public land. Not managed

 

[Unlucky]

Counts they dont have a fing clue. Sell tags

 

[WanderWoman]

The equation went way over my head so I don’t know the answer but someone that is smarter than me and hopefully they will chime in. I think Helena office holds some of the variables I believe the local counts will show the details but good luck getting your hands on them.

Is this what it looks like in Helena when they’re calculating it?