Montana Mule Deer Mismanagement

[The Hedgehog]

#oldwarrior
#goingdownhill
#Montanamonster

#meathunter
#need2feedthefamiky
#trophyisintheeyeofthebeholder
#longrange
#whensthepodcast
#grinditout
#wherethephuckdoesaguydisplaythis?
#$150euro
#whocaresitslegal
#youwouldnthavefoundthetinyshedsanyway
#sausepaneuropeanproject

 

[rogerthat]

I am getting worse at this game.

Or every year it gets that much harder? That’s been my observation. Every year you got to go that much longer, farther, harder, and smarter to stay at the status quo of success. I ran out of ideas/options to take it to the next level a few years back out here in eastern montana with the landownership pattern. It’s a waiting game out here. Waiting for something to jump the fence off highly managed private onto the piss pounded public and be the lucky guy first in line at the gang bang.

 

[MTTW]

Or every year it gets that much harder? That’s been my observation. Every year you got to go that much longer, farther, harder, and smarter to stay at the status quo of success. I ran out of ideas/options to take it to the next level a few years back out here in eastern montana with the landownership pattern. It’s a waiting game out here. Waiting for something to jump the fence off highly managed private onto the piss pounded public and be the lucky guy first in line at the gang bang.

Yeah. I know places where I could see more game, but I would have to somehow get comfortable racing other hunters and shooting dinks. I have a nasty habit of hunting where I want to kill game instead of where I am more likely to kill game. Part of being a good hunter is adapting to changing conditions and while I know this, I really don't like hunting around other people.
It isn't over by a long shot. I am not the least bit discouraged and will be out there the last day of season but I am saddened by the knowledge that it will be worse next year.

 

[brockel]

That is a nice buck.
Sad story... I have been out 5 times in 4 different drainages for a total of 25 or so miles in country that I have hunted for many years and killed a batch of game in. I have seen 1 mule deer doe and spooked 1 something in the dark 1 morning before it snowed. I have not yet positively identified an elk track. I am getting worse at this game.

I saw goats 2 different days though.

Have you tried lacing them up tighter?

 

[MTTW]

Have you tried lacing them up tighter?

I was within 340 yards of 2 goats Saturday, the boots are pretty snug.

 

[FREAK]

I tracked my hunts from 2021. Put in nearly 35-45 miles in 5 days with some vert in some areas I've usually encountered a couple shooters/year and many more does and small bucks on a good winter. Since 2017 when I started taking notes, I've drastically seen less and less deer and have only killed 1 deer in the last 3 years and it was 1 of 2 that was north of 150 (not great deer). The other good deer we saw in those 3 years my buddy shot in 2020. Last year I passed up an okay deer as I've seen him 2 years in a row in the same area and would like to see if he's in there this year. I plan to start documenting the number of total deer I see in a day so I can look back 5 years from now and see the change. These areas are not known for good deer but usually hold a few nice ones if you're willing to work for them. I've seen 3 north of 175" in the last 5 years of hunting it, all 3 killed in 2017 and 18.

Tracks for 11/8/2021-11/12/2021 (forgot to track the 9th)

I have also seen multiple houses go up in winter ranges that used to hold deer in late November. Pressure has been pretty consistent but as we all know, the season remains rock solid through the rut and there has been 2 years in the last 5 that additional doe tags have been given out in the area I hunt. Less and less deer have been seen and in just 5 years it's become a place you really have to "lace them up tight" if you want the slightest chance at a 155" deer (which I personally try and avoid shooting).

Here's the only deer I've shot in 3 years and it was one of those things I cut his track and followed it for a mile and had to make a quick decision once I bumped him, otherwise I probably would have let him walk:



I'll probably spend a day or two looking for the buck I found last year to see if he's still around. Sad to see things trending the way they are..

 

[brockel]

I tracked my hunts from 2021. Put in nearly 35-45 miles in 5 days with some vert in some areas I've usually encountered a couple shooters/year and many more does and small bucks on a good winter. Since 2017 when I started taking notes, I've drastically seen less and less deer and have only killed 1 deer in the last 3 years and it was 1 of 2 that was north of 150 (not great deer). The other good deer we saw in those 3 years my buddy shot in 2020. Last year I passed up an okay deer as I've seen him 2 years in a row in the same area and would like to see if he's in there this year. I plan to start documenting the number of total deer I see in a day so I can look back 5 years from now and see the change. These areas are not known for good deer but usually hold a few nice ones if you're willing to work for them. I've seen 3 north of 175" in the last 5 years of hunting it, all 3 killed in 2017 and 18.

Tracks for 11/8/2021-11/12/2021 (forgot to track the 9th)
View attachment 299541View attachment 299540
I have also seen multiple houses go up in winter ranges that used to hold deer in late November. Pressure has been pretty consistent but as we all know, the season remains rock solid through the rut and there has been 2 years in the last 5 that additional doe tags have been given out in the area I hunt. Less and less deer have been seen and in just 5 years it's become a place you really have to "lace them up tight" if you want the slightest chance at a 155" deer (which I personally try and avoid shooting).

Here's the only deer I've shot in 3 years and it was one of those things I cut his track and followed it for a mile and had to make a quick decision once I bumped him, otherwise I probably would have let him walk:

View attachment 299543

I'll probably spend a day or two looking for the buck I found last year to see if he's still around. Sad to see things trending the way they are..

And we will never see the changes needed with cwd around. There’s areas that two mule deer bucks can be killed again this year

 

[JEL]

I did a 5 mile loop in some great habitat this morning in NC MT. Turned up 1 doe and fawn. I think at least here it isn’t lead poisoning. The deer went into last winter in poor shape because of drought. Then we had a long snowy cold winter and by the time spring finally came it was too late.

 

[Flynarrow]

Follow the MONEY! Frankly, FWP has little wiggle room to adjust license and tag sales (revenue). Their staff and overhead eat up most of their budget, which is a cumulation of many sources, but licenses and tags are a large part of it. Each time we hear FWP tout "opportunity" we can easily substitute REVENUE. There are a lot of big game harvest changes that should occur, but FWP will continue to shout "opportunity" while they justify the status quo.

 

[Art Vandeley]

Dumb social media thread or this one?

 

[The Hedgehog]

View attachment 299561
View attachment 299562


Dumb social media thread or this one?

Does his Instagram profile state "Athlete" under his name too?

 

[Art Vandeley]

Does his Instagram profile state "Athlete" under his name too?

Just a link to the YouTube channel

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Follow the MONEY! Frankly, FWP has little wiggle room to adjust license and tag sales (revenue). Their staff and overhead eat up most of their budget, which is a cumulation of many sources, but licenses and tags are a large part of it. Each time we hear FWP tout "opportunity" we can easily substitute REVENUE. There are a lot of big game harvest changes that should occur, but FWP will continue to shout "opportunity" while they justify the status quo.

That's cute that folks think they are contributing with their $16 deer tags

 

[brockel]

 

[EYJONAS!]

View attachment 299607

Where's @Schaaf When you need him with his Facebook gems.

 

[DFS]

View attachment 299607

So much I’d like to say, but after the proposals with the season settings my spirit has been broken. It is blatantly obvious what is happening and after my conversation with the manager I could tell he is not seeing it or doesn’t care. 30 more years of bad hunting in our future. After seeing the demand for a general 2 point hunt in Idaho there is no hope for hunters on the public side. Thank goodness for private landowners they are keeping a few deer on the landscape. This year will once again be the best we ever see going forward.

 

[The Hedgehog]

So much I’d like to say, but after the proposals with the season settings my spirit has been broken. It is blatantly obvious what is happening and after my conversation with the manager I could tell he is not seeing it or doesn’t care. 30 more years of bad hunting in our future. After seeing the demand for a general 2 point hunt in Idaho there is no hope for hunters on the public side. Thank goodness for private landowners they are keeping a few deer on the landscape. This year will once again be the best we ever see going forward.

Sad but likely true. I couldn’t help myself on the FB post. What a fuggin joke.

 

[easternmt]

View attachment 299561
View attachment 299562


Dumb social media thread or this one?

Looks awfully young to me just be judging it’s face

 

[brockel]

So much I’d like to say, but after the proposals with the season settings my spirit has been broken. It is blatantly obvious what is happening and after my conversation with the manager I could tell he is not seeing it or doesn’t care. 30 more years of bad hunting in our future. After seeing the demand for a general 2 point hunt in Idaho there is no hope for hunters on the public side. Thank goodness for private landowners they are keeping a few deer on the landscape. This year will once again be the best we ever see going forward.

And here I am wasting the best season I’m going to see going forward with a messed up knee from trying to turn back the clock playing basketball.

 

[brockel]

Looks awfully young to me just be judging it’s face

That’s an old warriors muzzle for sure. Likely wouldn’t have made the winter
#doingmuledeer&fwpfavors