Montana Mule Deer Mismanagement

[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.

I was digging through my MT regulations recently dating back to 2002. Something that is never mentioned is the absolute slaughter of does that was going on in the most popular unit of the State right in the height of it's heyday. The doe killing is front and center as far as Eastern Montana, but not the only place it was going on. mtmuley

 

[rogerthat]

I was digging through my MT regulations recently dating back to 2002. Something that is never mentioned is the absolute slaughter of does that was going on in the most popular unit of the State right in the height of it's heyday. The doe killing is front and center as far as Eastern Montana, but not the only place it was going on. mtmuley

Doe licenses and harvest is a great management tool in the right scenarios and can increase herd health. It can even lead to bigger bucks. It however does need to be carefully and correctly applied.

 

[mtmuley]

Doe licenses and harvest is a great management tool in the right scenarios and can increase herd health. It can even lead to bigger bucks. It however does need to be carefully and correctly applied.

I can send you the numbers. Pretty sure it wasn't helping. Buck permits were higher then also. Is that why these units are where they are today? Makes me wonder. mtmuley

 

[rogerthat]

I can send you the numbers. Pretty sure it wasn't helping. Buck permits were higher then also. Is that why these units are where they are today? Makes me wonder. mtmuley

I agree. It would be interesting to know what their objective was for the high doe harvest. Pure speculation but the word “opportunity” comes to mind.

 

[MTTW]

I had the much-coveted tag in 2006 and have never applied again because I figured I could find good deer in other otc places. Today I have zero mule deer points and would get pretty excited about that tag. If I win it and hang my tag on a 150-160 buck, I will kiss someone's ass, just point them out.

If it sucks as bad as people let on, then what exactly are we wishing for in the rest of Montana? We need to stop and think for a minute. Think of one place on earth that allows mule deer buck hunting through November, even restricted, that grows as big of bucks 20 years later as it used to.

 

[bigsky2]

I had the much-coveted tag in 2006 and have never applied again because I figured I could find good deer in other otc places. Today I have zero mule deer points and would get pretty excited about that tag. If I win it and hang my tag on a 150-160 buck, I will kiss someone's ass, just point them out.

If it sucks as bad as people let on, then what exactly are we wishing for in the rest of Montana? We need to stop and think for a minute. Think of one place on earth that allows mule deer buck hunting through November, even restricted, that grows as big of bucks 20 years later as it used to.

To be fair, I haven’t even stepped foot in that country. I’m totally basing my opinion off of talking to hunters that have had the tag in recent years. I’m guessing that valley has changed a lot in the last 20 years through development though. It seems like back in the early 2000’s, I was seeing pictures of giant bucks killed over there every year, and that was before social media and cell phones. I just don’t seem to see the bucks coming out of there like I used to.

I know there’s some locals on here that would have more insight as to what has changed.

 

[mtmuley]

I know there’s some locals on here that would have more insight as to what has changed.

Local all my life pretty much. I don't think development is an issue. Something is happening. For LE areas to nosedive is head scratching for sure. I will say I don't have much faith in the regions biologist. mtmuley

 

[Ought Six]

Local all my life pretty much. I don't think development is an issue. Something is happening. For LE areas to nosedive is head scratching for sure. I will say I don't have much faith in the regions biologist. mtmuley

When I was living in Sheridan MT, there was a lot of talk about NRs going into the special deer areas hunting general elk, shooting mule deer bucks unknowingly or knowingly of the special regs, tossing them under the truck cap or tonneau cover, and heading home. Don’t know how true it was, but that was some of the local gossip.

 

[DFS]

Local all my life pretty much. I don't think development is an issue. Something is happening. For LE areas to nosedive is head scratching for sure. I will say I don't have much faith in the regions biologist. mtmuley

If anything I think this shows that LE isn’t going to fix the problem.

 

[mtmuley]

When I was living in Sheridan MT, there was a lot of talk about NRs going into the special deer areas hunting general elk, shooting mule deer bucks unknowingly or knowingly of the special regs, tossing them under the truck cap or tonneau cover, and heading home. Don’t know how true it was, but that was some of the local gossip.

Caught residents doing it. I turned them all in. One guy his son and his brother killed three bucks that all met the trophy criteria. I do think poaching is an issue. And maybe after over 20 years of permit only, some are still ignorant of the regulations. mtmuley

 

[mtmuley]

If anything I think this shows that LE isn’t going to fix the problem.

It did for awhile. Mule deer hunting was spectacular here for quite a few years. Without it, we would be back to the shitty days. mtmuley

 

[DFS]

It did for awhile. Mule deer hunting was spectacular here for quite a few years. Without it, we would be back to the shitty days. mtmuley

Wasn’t LE implemented right at the time of a big burn?

 

[mtmuley]

Wasn’t LE implemented right at the time of a big burn?

Burn where? PM if you want. We might blow up a mule deer unit. mtmuley

 

[DFS]

I was digging through my MT regulations recently dating back to 2002. Something that is never mentioned is the absolute slaughter of does that was going on in the most popular unit of the State right in the height of it's heyday. The doe killing is front and center as far as Eastern Montana, but not the only place it was going on. mtmuley

In region 7 the harvest stats aren’t showing that the doe harvest is significant enough to matter. Anecdotally I have seen otherwise on public land. It is telling that the local office didn’t support private land only doe tags, that seemed like an easy one.

 

[DFS]

Just got my fwp survey call. Did you hunt Turkey this year? Me: no
Fwp surveyor: ok that concludes the survey you were drawn for.

Maybe the surveys are becoming OIL. Patiently waiting for my deer survey.

 

[mtmiller]

Got a FWP call yesterday while at lunch.

I had to laugh since I used an e-tag for my pronghorn b tag.

"Did you hunt antelope this year?" yes
"Did you harvest a pronghorn?" yes
"How many days did you hunt?" one
"Your district was xxx, did you hunt in this district?" yes
"You had an antelope b tag, did you harvest a doe or a buck?" I harvested a doe

"Thank you for your time". OK

 

[Ought Six]

Just got my fwp survey call. Did you hunt Turkey this year? Me: no
Fwp surveyor: ok that concludes the survey you were drawn for.

Maybe the surveys are becoming OIL. Patiently waiting for my deer survey.

I got a mule deer call two weeks ago. Felt bad for the lady because I know she’s just getting paid to cold call people and doesn’t have any say in anything nor probably cares about the state of mule deer in Montana, but I gave her the spiel about how bad things are on public land and how we need to reduce opportunity and implement mandatory harvest surveys for everyone and how my results will be misleading to the overall results and the general public. I’m sure she hung up, wrote down 1 day hunted and the details of the buck, and went on with her business…

 

[DFS]

I got a mule deer call two weeks ago. Felt bad for the lady because I know she’s just getting paid to cold call people and doesn’t have any say in anything nor probably cares about the state of mule deer in Montana, but I gave her the spiel about how bad things are on public land and how we need to reduce opportunity and implement mandatory harvest surveys for everyone and how my results will be misleading to the overall results and the general public. I’m sure she hung up, wrote down 1 day hunted and the details of the buck, and went on with her business…

I will make up for your 1 day hunted and no buck harvested.

Hope I’m lucky enough to get drawn for a survey.

 

[Bambistew]

Got a FWP call yesterday while at lunch.

I had to laugh since I used an e-tag for my pronghorn b tag.

"Did you hunt antelope this year?" yes
"Did you harvest a pronghorn?" yes
"How many days did you hunt?" one
"Your district was xxx, did you hunt in this district?" yes
"You had an antelope b tag, did you harvest a doe or a buck?" I harvested a doe

"Thank you for your time". OK

But and electronic system isn't effective.

 

[rogerthat]

Just got my fwp survey call. Did you hunt Turkey this year? Me: no
Fwp surveyor: ok that concludes the survey you were drawn for.

Maybe the surveys are becoming OIL. Patiently waiting for my deer survey.

That was your deer survey. It’s part of the formula. [Turkeys x (roll the dice)^24]=satisfied deer hunter

Thanks for your input!