Montana mule deer rant

[Nick87]

Hunter recruitment is not an issue for western hunting.

I don't understand how recruitment is an issue anywhere I've seen. I understand numbers are what they are but it just doesn't make sense looking around.

 

[golfer]

I don’t think it really matters to them if you know your district if it’s a general tag that’s good for almost the entire state considering we don’t adjust for districts anyways

I get that, I’d just think they’d want the specific unit more as a CYA for instances where they might get asked on harvest numbers instead of saying we aren’t sure?

 

[MTLabrador]

That was me, sorry. Tangental to this discussion IMO.

1. Manditory electronic deer registration upon harvest.

2. Stop shooting antlerless on public.

3. Allow transferable landowner tags, helps with population problems on private (real or just an excuse for bitching). Economic benefit to resident landowners and state economy.

4. Shorter rifle season, not during rut.

The end.

I’m good with all of those except number 3. Absolutely no transferable tags under any circumstances. The last thing we need is more commercialization of wildlife.

 

[SAJ-99]

Isn’t the hunter supposed to know where they are at? I’d think they’d want to write down the district/unit number for better records. I would also think things could be drastically different from Baker to Colstrip to Terry?

Agree, but some of those lines don't make sense. I shot a deer on BM that straddled the 704,705 boundary. I couldn't remember the exact spot when they called. I told them put it in 705.

I don’t think it really matters to them if you know your district if it’s a general tag that’s good for almost the entire state considering we don’t adjust for districts anyways

Then why did they ask? Why do they publish different harvest stats for those districts? I don't want to assume anything on the collection of data, because I just don't know. I do agree they need to fine-tune management by district and change tag number more often, so any new collection system should be by unit, at the very least.

 

[EYJONAS!]

That was me, sorry. Tangental to this discussion IMO.

1. Mandatory electronic deer registration upon harvest.

2. Stop shooting antlerless on public.

3. Allow transferable landowner tags, helps with population problems on private (real or just an excuse for bitching). Economic benefit to resident landowners and state economy.

4. Shorter rifle season, not during rut.

The end.

We're full..... no more shenanigans.

 

[brockel]

Agree, but some of those lines don't make sense. I shot a deer on BM that straddled the 704,705 boundary. I couldn't remember the exact spot when they called. I told them put it in 705.

Then why did they ask? Why do they publish different harvest stats for those districts? I don't want to assume anything on the collection of data, because I just don't know. I do agree they need to fine-tune management by district and change tag number more often, so any new collection system should be by unit, at the very least.

I mean a lot of people do know the district so I assume that’s why they ask. But then you get people that when asked where they hunted. “I hunted northwest of baker up towards Terry”. “So was that in 703 or 704?” “Boy I’m not real sure”. So a district either gets picked or it gets filed under region 7. That happens more than you think. If my wife would be called on it she wouldn’t have any idea what district we hunted in. She’d know region 7. There’s no reason for her to know which district on a cold call from a 3rd party when her tag is good for any of them.

 

[375H&H]

Please provide data. It seems you think this is "common knowledge". The chart below only goes back 20 yrs and my reaction to the change is 'meh'. There seems to be a significant decline since the 90s and even bigger since the 40s. But does that surprise. The reason is simply cheaper trees from Canada. I just think this claim is nothing more than one piece of a complex puzzle.

View attachment 252856


Out of control predators- this is silly. They have to be eating something, right?. In some areas they are a problem, but the whole state? I don't like the management approach I have seen, but it is easy to argue against it. Seems WFW and hunters aren't really prepared for debate.
Hunting pressured Urban sprawl- I think we have a winner!!!

Start a new thread and spend more than 15 minutes in Washington if you want some elaboration. On second thought, don’t bother, I doubt your opinion will change.

 

[SAJ-99]

Start a new thread and spend more than 15 minutes in Washington if you want some elaboration. On second thought, don’t bother, I doubt your opinion will change.

 

[DFS]

It’s increasingly clear to me why Washington has the issues they do and Montana is headed the same way. Humans will be the demise of mule deer. Screwing up a deer factory like southeast Montana is truly a monumental task. At least I got to watch it I guess.

 

[Saltydalty]

I know I’ve done enough ranting about Montana mule deer but man it has gotten bad. Decided for some reason to take my rifle for a walk this morning through some amazing mule deer country because it was a nice cool morning with little wind. Not really looking for anything to shoot but I just love the country. If you could build your own prime mule deer habitat this would be it. I have hunted this spot for over 20 years and hiked it longer than that and know it like the back of my hand as I grew up just a few miles away from it. I laced them up super tight and still did not turn up a single mule deer. This country use to hold a ton of deer. The landscape has not changed in my lifetime and the amount of grazing done on it hasn’t changed. Something needs to be done as it’s sickening to see what eastern Montana mule deer have become.


Ok my rant is over. Here’s some pictures of the area
View attachment 245827
View attachment 245828

I’d love to hunt in montana! Even local here in AZ. New to the area!

 

[Saltydalty]

It’s increasingly clear to me why Washington has the issues they do and Montana is headed the same way. Humans will be the demise of mule deer. Screwing up a deer factory like southeast Montana is truly a monumental task. At least I got to watch it I guess.

I’ve got a cabin and a great spot for Muleys in WA! No complaints here!

 

[ShootsManyBullets]

I’ve got a cabin and a great spot for Muleys in WA! No complaints here!

Is it Gatlinburg? And do you have an Uncle Rick?



For those unfamiliar with the reference:
Chevy Silverado Parody

 

[ShootsManyBullets]

So back to the actual topic -
I propose every one of these clowns that set the seasons, etc. has to go out and hunt public for a week before they set anymore quotas and seasons. I'll adopt one for a week and take him/her/they/them/Starlord out to some beautiful public completely devoid of deer and elk.

It'll be like a master hunter/apprentice program where they can see how amazing the hunting is on public with a guided hunt with an expert.

 

[DFS]

So back to the actual topic -
I propose every one of these clowns that set the seasons, etc. has to go out and hunt public for a week before they set anymore quotas and seasons. I'll adopt one for a week and take him/her/they/them/Starlord out to some beautiful public completely devoid of deer and elk.

It'll be like a master hunter/apprentice program where they can see how amazing the hunting is on public with a guided hunt with an expert.

You would more likely be told “if you don’t like seeing what hunting is like on public I encourage you to find private access where it will be better”.

 

[Nick87]

Is it Gatlinburg? And do you have an Uncle Rick?



For those unfamiliar with the reference:
Chevy Silverado Parody

I got it without the reference lol.

 

[WanderWoman]

Would like to see zero public land mule deer doe tags or severely restricted unless over objective.

I don’t think fwp will ever go for a draw for mule deer unless it gets far worse and non resident tags go unsold so I’d settle for general tag October 1-31. Possibly a limited draw November rifle hunt or possibly make it a limited draw muzzleloader hunt. Get rid of the traditional season stuff in December.

I’d like to eliminate all the come home to hunt, native Montanan, I believe there’s a college student tag as well. To many people wanting their piece of the pie and that pie isn’t getting any bigger

I’d like to see mandatory harvest reporting or loss of license the following year. This data would be huge for future management (hopefully) decisions. Could be made extremely simple to do on fwp website. We already have mandatory reporting for 11 other species why not have it for fwps biggest money makers?

Quick clarification: general season mule deer hunting statewide, Oct 1-31? Overlapping elk archery? Or changes there, too? Just curious.. saw a couple other October comments on here as well.

 

[brockel]

Quick clarification: general season mule deer hunting statewide, Oct 1-31? Overlapping elk archery? Or changes there, too? Just curious.. saw a couple other October comments on here as well.

I’d make archery elk and deer September. Rifle elk and deer October. Maybe if we quit chasing elk for 6 months straight they will spend more time on public and not on the hay fields. Use damage hunts to deal with the hay field residents and get rid of the shoulder seasons

 

[ShootsManyBullets]

I’d make archery elk and deer September. Rifle elk and deer October. Maybe if we quit chasing elk for 6 months straight they will spend more time on public and not on the hay fields. Use damage hunts to deal with the hay field residents and get rid of the shoulder seasons

That's just crazy talk. Once they get hooked on the good stuff they ain't goin back to top ramen.

I like it though.

 

[DFS]

Cut opportunity? We can’t keep doing the same things over and over again and expect different results. The unlimited opportunity for everyone wasn’t working and throwing more opportunity at it didn’t work. Hmmm wonder what we should do to help wildlife that are struggling and displaced by hunting pressure. It’s almost like the answer is right in front us.

 

[Tlrussell]

I am sitting on my couch.
Listening to Steely Dan
I remember when New York was fun
It is at this moment I know what it must have been like when Montana was fun.