Montana mule deer

[TheTone]

You can over exploit mountain whitetails.

Not possible, ask a bio in Idaho. Who cares if that % 4 pt or 5 pt in the harvest are 1-2 year old deer with good genetics…

 

[FI460]

Not possible, ask a bio in Idaho. Who cares if that % 4 pt or 5 pt in the harvest are 1-2 year old deer with good genetics…

But for some reason they shortened the season in some of those panhandle units. Hmmm...

People in 10a are still pissed that they can't hunt on Thanksgiving, because "the rut doesn't heat up until Thanksgiving", but those bucks were getting hammered.

 

[TheTone]

But for some reason they shortened the season in some of those panhandle units. Hmmm...

People in 10a are still pissed that they can't hunt on Thanksgiving, because "the rut doesn't heat up until Thanksgiving", but those bucks were getting hammered.

That change was 100% driven by a relatively small vocal group and a commissioner that bought into it. I don’t think it was a bad thing overall and kinda wish it was more units with the Nov 20 closure. I doubt it’s going to grow more big bucks though

 

[Oak]

was that because of the newly limited number of licenses? i'm sure it was a combo if disgruntled refusal to play the game and a now capped number of licenses.

i think a sentiment i hold for those that "will quit hunting if licenses go limited" is: please do. better to get those folks out of the way of management honestly.

the other interesting thing is that licenses have increased every year since 2015. which seems odd to me.

sorry to keep veering off track from montana mule deer to colorado mule deer

It was because of limited number of licenses, which was my point. I've never really heard anyone express concern about people giving up hunting altogether. Like you say, it's a bit of an empty threat if the agency is selling all available licenses. But I'm certain there are those who drop out when it's no longer available OTC.

 

[RobertD]

Don't understand why all states don't adopt the New Mexico model regarding harvest reporting. I guess the same crowd that doesn't know the difference between a permit and a license would be crying about that too though

 

[Trap]

I think the difference is when WA implemented the 3 point minimum the buck:doe ratios were way out of whack and it was hard to find 3 point or bigger at all in a lot of places. The APR and shortened season helped keep more bucks and helped shift the age class. The more open parts of the state where escapement is lower you do get some mature 2 points dominating the breeding in some pockets, but not sure it's a wide spread problem because for the most part I do still see some 3 point and bigger coming out of these areas. Granted, most are relatively small because they don't last long once they get at least 3 points.

The masses in WA consistently say they want maximum opportunity, so for rifle an OTC basically state-wide 9 day season in mid Oct. with 3 point restriction is what we get. Very few late season special permits. I think without the 3 point minimum we'd be back to killing damn near every buck out there unless we were willing to limit hunters. Do I think we'd be better off with a more limited system all together that didn't have to rely on APRs? Yep, but based on years of public input in WA, not holding my breath. I like the idea of having 2 point or smaller special permits (maybe a good youth tag) in some areas where big 2 point genetics are prevalent, but the bios I've talked to didn't think it was much of an issue, so doubt we'll see that.

I think at this point MT could still correct their situation and not get to the point where the only way to keep all the bucks from getting shot is with APRs, probably just by limiting hunting during the rut really, and splitting the NR elk/deer combo up, or raise the price so you're not just getting a cheap buck tag when you buy a pricey elk tag.

thanks for the insight on washington. I follow my kids over there to rodeo events they are in and seems like a shame there is not better mule deer hunting. A lot of the eastern and central part of the state looks like prime habitat. I know the few areas Idaho has apr it has not led to more mature bucks either. Some of these confusing restrictions(especially spread requirements) I am convinced would lead to a lot of dead deer left laying. We have people shooting moose with elk tags here so I have no confidence in apr and especially a width restriction. I am for just taking a few weeks off the end of Montana mule deer season. Idaho has lots of units like that it seems to work

 

[Trap]

Hunt talk fight card.
Main event
eyejonas vs foodismemories
Undercard
Greenhorn vs Stubaby
I’ll pay for this!
Huge win for wildlife!!

Finally a post with some commons sense. Do it for wildlife!

 

[Nick87]

I would be passing on that one.
I would still like to know how to measure how tall a deer is. I can not figure out how it is done. I hear the 30+ tall number thrown out there several times a year. Not everyone is exaggerating I would hope. I have a fairly good collection of mule deer antlers and the way I have been measuring them I have a only a few that measure 25 tall. Maybe I just don't have any real slammers.

Wife sent me this today and I couldn't help but think of this thread. Totally 30" tall bruh.....the kid that is...the deer not even close.

 

[MTLabrador]

Wife sent me this today and I couldn't help but think of this thread. Totally 30" tall bruh.....the kid that is...the deer not even close.View attachment 191751

I debated whether or not to be nice or post this. While it’s not a big bull, it’s a lot bigger than alfalfa buck. 30” to the tip of the main beam from this angle.

 

[Nick87]

I debated whether or not to be nice or post this. While it’s not a big bull, it’s a lot bigger than alfalfa buck. 30” to the tip of the main beam from this angle.

View attachment 191752

The buck is approx 30" from bottom of the mount to the top of his forehead.

 

[mtmuley]

I debated whether or not to be nice or post this. While it’s not a big bull, it’s a lot bigger than alfalfa buck. 30” to the tip of the main beam from this angle.

View attachment 191752

A yardstick? Really? Not B&C approved. mtmuley

 

[MTLabrador]

A yardstick? Really? Not B&C approved. mtmuley

I thought that was how we were measuring 30” tall bucks now.

 

[mtmuley]

I thought that was how we were measuring 30” tall bucks now.

30 inch tall bucks are about as common as a yardstick these days. mtmuley

 

[MTLabrador]

30 inch tall bucks are about as common as a yardstick these days. mtmuley

Just need to find the right public land alfalfa field bruh.

 

[Nick87]

I thought that was how we were measuring 30” tall bucks now.

Pretty sure there was no yard stick he used these to measure in this order.

 

[mtmuley]

Just need to find the right public land alfalfa field bruh.

I'll start a thread. No honey holes though. mtmuley

 

[MTLabrador]

Pretty sure there was no yard stick he used these to measure in this order.
View attachment 191753View attachment 191754

I’m trading in my swaros for those if I can glass up slammers like that with them.

 

[kwyeewyk]

thanks for the insight on washington. I follow my kids over there to rodeo events they are in and seems like a shame there is not better mule deer hunting. A lot of the eastern and central part of the state looks like prime habitat. I know the few areas Idaho has apr it has not led to more mature bucks either. Some of these confusing restrictions(especially spread requirements) I am convinced would lead to a lot of dead deer left laying. We have people shooting moose with elk tags here so I have no confidence in apr and especially a width restriction. I am for just taking a few weeks off the end of Montana mule deer season. Idaho has lots of units like that it seems to work

I have a friend who watched someone shoot a 2 point walk up to it and walk away, he called them in and got bonus points for special permits. Never found any laying dead personally but it does happen.

I did CWD surveillance sampling for WDFW in 2004 in Chelan/Douglas counties, got to see a lot of deer that year, by far typical buck was 3 or 4 point around 16 inches wide from the October general season. A few in the 20-22 range, and one 26 one 28. The November special permits produced better bucks for sure, a few real nice ones, and a friend killed a huge buck on one of those tags a few years ago. Most of those bucks hide deep in the Cascades and are really hard to find with all the cover and terrain until the weather moves them down.

107000 something deer hunters reported in Washington last season, that's our problem. I think that's more than CO? Montana says around 150000. Not much fun when deer get shot from across the canyon 12 times before you can get a good shot lined up.

 

[Carnage2011]

I love how we sit here and float around all the ideas to improve mule deer hunting in MT while our FWP director and governor are in the fast lane trying to ruin the hunting in MT completely.

We are at 14 pages right now. Hopefully everyone is this active at the meetings coming up. I don’t know if it’s going to do any good, but we better participate or our hunting is going to be the shits.

 

[huntin24/7]

Pretty sure there was no yard stick he used these to measure in this order.
View attachment 191753View attachment 191754

You’d best be ready for some bare knuckle action posting stuff like that.