Montana Mule Deer Mismanagement

[300stw]

anyone have the language about the extra tags proposed for ne part of state. i seen it was posted on a facebook page but cant find it,

something about an extra 500-1000 either sex tags, and the ability to buy up to 3 if you were drawn,

sounded like scorched earth cwd management, i know more then a handful of landowners that dont allow much hunting, if any, right now for muledeer bucks, how are these islands of deer going to get managed for cwd,,,

 

[antlerradar]

sounded like scorched earth cwd management, i know more then a handful of landowners that dont allow much hunting, if any, right now for muledeer bucks, how are these islands of deer going to get managed for cwd,,,

They won't, and scorched earth management will put more landowners in that camp.

 

[The Hedgehog]

The trophy deer European mount turned out nice and will look good on the mantle.

 

[Straight Arrow]

The trophy deer European mount turned out nice and will look good on the mantle.

View attachment 305985

Hopzone trophy four point! Rack way wider than eye sockets! SE Montana?

 

[Hunting Wife]

anyone have the language about the extra tags proposed for ne part of state. i seen it was posted on a facebook page but cant find it,

something about an extra 500-1000 either sex tags, and the ability to buy up to 3 if you were drawn,

sounded like scorched earth cwd management, i know more then a handful of landowners that dont allow much hunting, if any, right now for muledeer bucks, how are these islands of deer going to get managed for cwd,,,

That proposal has been withdrawn, for now

 

[sclancy27]

How to decimate a mule deer herd: A case study in Wyoming - WyoFile

East of the Bighorns, deer are being stressed and depressed by a dizzying array of factors, from drought to disease to energy development. Now, their numbers are plummeting.

wyofile.com

Interesting article.

 

[pyrotechnic]

I just got my annual fwp "survey" call. Chatted with the woman who called a bit about mule deer numbers looking pretty poor. She said she'd heard the same from many other people she'd called and that something needed to be done about the wolves and grizzly bears........in case anyone is wondering who the average joe is blaming for it all.

 

[JT88]

The trophy deer European mount turned out nice and will look good on the mantle.

View attachment 305985

Difficult to keep that rack from sliding down into the cook pot

 

[Elky Welky]

Per statute, all funds raised from this have to go specifically for "the substantial benefit of mule deer." That's probably one of the most important takeaways. Unlike the supertag, which directs the funds elsewhere, these funds have to be used for mule deer. There is an opportunity to give in a big way here (and win big).

https://www.themeateater.com/conser...ana-bha-is-raffling-a-statewide-mule-deer-tag

 

[Big Sky Guy]

Per statute, all funds raised from this have to go specifically for "the substantial benefit of mule deer." That's probably one of the most important takeaways. Unlike the supertag, which directs the funds elsewhere, these funds have to be used for mule deer. There is an opportunity to give in a big way here (and win big).

https://www.themeateater.com/conser...ana-bha-is-raffling-a-statewide-mule-deer-tag

"Substantial benefit," as most on here have stated, would necessitate changes to season structure/tag allocation quotas. Maybe I'm a bit of a pessimist but I don't think Montana's mule deer problem is a monetary problem. You can't buy more deer to put on the landscape. Yes you can make habitat improvements, etc. but you can't buy the survival of and the 5+ years it takes to grow mature bucks. Further, there are only a few districts my general tag isn't good. I've seen some of the bucks coming out of limited units, just not excited for mule deer in Montana anymore. Maybe just me, but the $3,600 gear package is more of a draw than a tag that will likely be hung on a 150-160" buck.

 

[cgasner1]

Hope a few of you guys got this email also

 

[Ought Six]

Per statute, all funds raised from this have to go specifically for "the substantial benefit of mule deer." That's probably one of the most important takeaways. Unlike the supertag, which directs the funds elsewhere, these funds have to be used for mule deer. There is an opportunity to give in a big way here (and win big).

https://www.themeateater.com/conser...ana-bha-is-raffling-a-statewide-mule-deer-tag

Seems like one of the best way to help them is to quit shooting them

 

[antlerradar]

Hope a few of you guys got this email also

Got it

 

[Elky Welky]

Seems like one of the best way to help them is to quit shooting them

That is the typical anti-hunter/pessimist position, sure. But as we have seen in Africa and here in the U.S., hunting a species gives that species value, and drives people to be more inclined to conserve it. This is one tag that would most likely be used in one of the limited entry districts that are not suffering from mismanagement, whereas the funds raised from this tag would then be turned around and used to assist in those very districts others here are most concerned about.

Pessimists gonna pess, I guess. I certainly expected some pushback here, but to those who do want to put their money where their mouth is, here's a great chance to do so! Also great to see others putting in for the citizen advisory council.

 

[Ought Six]

That is the typical anti-hunter/pessimist position, sure. But as we have seen in Africa and here in the U.S., hunting a species gives that species value, and drives people to be more inclined to conserve it. This is one tag that would most likely be used in one of the limited entry districts that are not suffering from mismanagement, whereas the funds raised from this tag would then be turned around and used to assist in those very districts others here are most concerned about.

Pessimists gonna pess, I guess. I certainly expected some pushback here, but to those who do want to put their money where their mouth is, here's a great chance to do so! Also great to see others putting in for the citizen advisory council.

I should have specified, we should stop shooting mule deer does on public land and bucks with high powered rifles for 6 weeks during the rut on an unlimited tag. Not being a pessimist, being a realist and practical

 

[DFS]

I should have specified, we should stop shooting mule deer does on public land and bucks with high powered rifles for 6 weeks during the rut on an unlimited tag. Not being a pessimist, being a realist and practical

I doubt BHA will ever get behind that.

 

[bigsky2]

Per statute, all funds raised from this have to go specifically for "the substantial benefit of mule deer." That's probably one of the most important takeaways. Unlike the supertag, which directs the funds elsewhere, these funds have to be used for mule deer. There is an opportunity to give in a big way here (and win big).

https://www.themeateater.com/conser...ana-bha-is-raffling-a-statewide-mule-deer-tag

I’m glad to see the tag going to someone in a raffle instead of to the highest bidder. The sad thing is, when you consider the current state of mule deer in MT, I’m not even sure the tag is something to get excited about.

 

[mtmuley]

I’m glad to see the tag going to someone in a raffle instead of to the highest bidder. The sad thing is, when you consider the current state of mule deer in MT, I’m not even sure the tag is something to get excited about.

I have near max points for le mule deer in Montana. I hunt one of the units that most auction tag winners end up hunting. Not sure I want to draw it, but not convinced things will get back to where they were either. The auction tag holder did manage to do very well the past two years though. mtmuley

 

[brocksw]

I doubt BHA will ever get behind that.

Those are tricky things to get involved with from a chapter standpoint. Anytime you get into tag allocation, R/NR allocation, any type of who gets a tag and who doesn’t, it becomes insanely difficult to get agreement. I can’t pretend to be as familiar with the MT Mule deer situation as many of the folks here, but advocating for things in this realm can be tricky. Not saying it can’t be done, but depends on the variables.

I’m on the Badlands License workgroup for ND on behalf of our chapter, to work on a similar issue (hunting pressure). I can really only advocate for a couple things. That the resource comes first, and that the process and/or change is fair and involves public opportunity to participate and give feedback.

If a change to our tag allocation system is made, and our chapter pushes hard for one system over another, and there is no real biological difference between the options(just changing social pressure) it is highly unlikely we’d have complete agreement on our own board, much less membership, or the general public.

The problem is that most can’t stop advocating for their own interests. It always comes down to, ”I want the system that gives me what I want”. The resource, fairness, etc…all go out the window.

 

[bigsky2]

I have near max points for le mule deer in Montana. I hunt one of the units that most auction tag winners end up hunting. Not sure I want to draw it, but not convinced things will get back to where they were either. The tag holder did manage to do very well the past two years though. mtmuley

I have 20 points and have probably been applying in the same unit. I’m not nearly as excited about the thought of drawing it as I was when I first started applying. It says a lot about our mule deer situation. If it was ID, WY, CO, UT, or AZ, I’d be jacked to draw a statewide mule deer tag.