Region 6&7 mulie doe tag reduction thread

[Pucky Freak]

As the 2024 MT general deer season winds down, have you observed more mule deer does and fawns on the landscape compared to 2023 and 2022? FWP will inevitably continue to publish population graphs, which are only as reliable as their spotty data, so I am far more interested in anecdotal observations.

Many new mulie b-tag changes were concurrently in effect this year:
-tag quotas reduced by 90%
-NR’s restricted to 1 deer b-tag, or 2 if they also hold a deer combo
-valid on private land only

Other questions for the next 12-18 months:
-How does the fawn crop look in summer 2025?
-If/when mulie population expands on private land, how long until ranchers push for more liberal mulie b-tags again?

For my lone personal reference point, I enjoyed viewing many mulie does and fawns walking around, relatively unharassed, on BMA’s in region 6 early Nov this year, rather than as a stack of carcasses in a pickup bed.

 

[nordeast]

Mule Deer B licenses were valid on BMAs, being as they’re still private land.

Did not observe more deer this year than in 2022-2023, though there were was a fair amount of fawns around as a percentage of what I saw. At least where I was hunting in E MT. Anecdotal observation, take it for whatever it’s worth.

 

[antlerradar]

Not very many deer even on the private land this past year. Some of my friends saw an up tic on public land. The private land only doe tags could be working. In years past those does would have been gut piles or moved to private land after the first week.

 

[Ought Six]

Prefer not to say.

 

[brockel]

Didn’t observe much of a change in deer numbers from last year. Hoping for an easy winter for them and lots of spring rains.

I’m assuming this was 3 mule deer does that didn’t survive the thanksgiving weekend.

 

[Hammsolo]

As the 2024 MT general deer season winds down, have you observed more mule deer does and fawns on the landscape compared to 2023 and 2022? FWP will inevitably continue to publish population graphs, which are only as reliable as their spotty data, so I am far more interested in anecdotal observations.

Many new mulie b-tag changes were concurrently in effect this year:
-tag quotas reduced by 90%
-NR’s restricted to 1 deer b-tag, or 2 if they also hold a deer combo
-valid on private land only

Other questions for the next 12-18 months:
-How does the fawn crop look in summer 2025?
-If/when mulie population expands on private land, how long until ranchers push for more liberal mulie b-tags again?

For my lone personal reference point, I enjoyed viewing many mulie does and fawns walking around, relatively unharassed, on BMA’s in region 6 early Nov this year, rather than as a stack of carcasses in a pickup bed.

We saw increased does and fawns. We saw lots of twin fawns and they were all looking healthy. It was very exciting. The ranchers we talked to have seen the same.

We need to prevent the swing in a year or two. Protect those Moms!

Note. My brother and I are lucky to hunt a mix of private and public land. The public is hard to access, and we did notice the classic tale. Harder access = more deer.

 

[sclancy27]

I noticed more does and more twin fawns this year. I also saw a ton of forkies, which indicates good recruitment from last year. Now, how many of those little buggers make it....

 

[FREAK]

I noticed more does and more twin fawns this year. I also saw a ton of forkies, which indicates good recruitment from last year. Now, how many of those little buggers make it....

Based on my discussion with 4 of my coworkers after the thanksgiving break, I'd guess not too many made it through. I suggested they all bring in their trophies and we have an annual "best forky" competition. I think that last 4 days is brutal on them.

Every story is the same. "last day, needed to get some meat, wanted some trigger time, big bodied, etc. etc." Hopefully a mild winter will get us a nice new batch of forkies for next year.

 

[DFS]

There are pockets of deer. I definitely think the no doe tags on public was helpful. A lot of habitat that used to have deer I’m not sure what it would take for them to come back.

 

[sclancy27]

Based on my discussion with 4 of my coworkers after the thanksgiving break, I'd guess not too many made it through. I suggested they all bring in their trophies and we have an annual "best forky" competition. I think that last 4 days is brutal on them.

Every story is the same. "last day, needed to get some meat, wanted some trigger time, big bodied, etc. etc." Hopefully a mild winter will get us a nice new batch of forkies for next year.

I mean, I guess they taste pretty good. I haven't eaten forky since my youngest brother was 10 yrs old, like 2009.

 

[antlerradar]

I noticed more does and more twin fawns this year. I also saw a ton of forkies, which indicates good recruitment from last year. Now, how many of those little buggers make it....

I think this is accurate, last winter and this summer were good for deer in 7. It is nice to have a bit of optimism for the next few years. The Montana on the upswing thread however is a good example of how optimism can be crushed with just one tough winter or dry summer.
I don't get too worked up on the short term direction the population is going, What worries me is the trend long term. I would gladly go back in time and hunt the the worst years of the 80's and 90's over the best years of the last 20 and there were some tough years in the 80's and 90's and some real good years in the last twenty.

 

[ID Hunter 22]

Definitely saw more mule deer than last year but still no where near the numbers we saw ten years ago.

As the 2024 MT general deer season winds down, have you observed more mule deer does and fawns on the landscape compared to 2023 and 2022? FWP will inevitably continue to publish population graphs, which are only as reliable as their spotty data, so I am far more interested in anecdotal observations.

Many new mulie b-tag changes were concurrently in effect this year:
-tag quotas reduced by 90%
-NR’s restricted to 1 deer b-tag, or 2 if they also hold a deer combo
-valid on private land only

Other questions for the next 12-18 months:
-How does the fawn crop look in summer 2025?
-If/when mulie population expands on private land, how long until ranchers push for more liberal mulie b-tags again?

For my lone personal reference point, I enjoyed viewing many mulie does and fawns walking around, relatively unharassed, on BMA’s in region 6 early Nov this year, rather than as a stack of carcasses in a pickup bed.

 

[TheJason]

A lot of habitat that used to have deer I’m not sure what it would take for them to come back.

Time, without killing them all.

 

[Ought Six]

I think this is accurate, last winter and this summer were good for deer in 7. It is nice to have a bit of optimism for the next few years. The Montana on the upswing thread however is a good example of how optimism can be crushed with just one tough winter or dry summer.
I don't get too worked up on the short term direction the population is going, What worries me is the trend long term. I would gladly go back in time and hunt the the worst years of the 80's and 90's over the best years of the last 20 and there were some tough years in the 80's and 90's and some real good years in the last twenty.

This is why I prefer not to comment. I don’t want any FWPers creeping on this thread to think things are great and start allowing mule deer doe tags on public again.

A mule deer doe should not be shot on public land ever again IMO, at the very least not by adults.

Good to see a couple more does, fawns, and forkys on the landscape this year..

 

[antlerradar]

A mule deer doe should not be shot on public land ever again IMO, at the very least not by adults.

I agree, I didn't think that way when public land doe tags were first issued back in the 90's. I was wrong.
Biologists will likely be able to justify shooting does on public when numbers rebound, but this is an issue that they can not win no matter how good they make the numbers look.
The political cost is just too great.

 

[cgasner1]

I agree, I didn't think that way when public land doe tags were first issued back in the 90's. I was wrong.
Biologists will likely be able to justify shooting does on public when numbers rebound, but this is an issue that they can not win no matter how good they make the numbers look.
The political cost is just too great.

I hope your right

 

[sclancy27]

This is why I prefer not to comment. I don’t want any FWPers creeping on this thread to think things are great and start allowing mule deer doe tags on public again.

A mule deer doe should not be shot on public land ever again IMO, at the very least not by adults.

Good to see a couple more does, fawns, and forkys on the landscape this year..

I won't go as far as "ever again". I think doe harvest is fine, under the right circumstances. Unfortunately, FWP doesn't have a reputation for being tactical in harvest.

On a side note, the 2024 MD population estimates are out. R6 down 25% from last year, R7 holding steading at -37% from LTA.

 

[antlerradar]

I hope your right

Just look at recent history. FWP and doe hunting is taking a lot of the blame for low deer numbers for what is largely caused by two years of drought. Low deer numbers on public land could be dew to many things including doe tags. Hunters are going to focus on the doe tags every time. Just look at the increase in NR hunting and the uproar that has caused. A big part of that increase is NR doe tags. Public land doe tags are just not good PR for FWP.

 

[Eric Albus]

The drought certainly hurt recruitment, but large groups of NR’s holding 50-100 antlerless license did a ton of damage in R6.

. Hopefully we see some of the working group’s suggestions @Ben Lamb put forth gain traction. I also think we need to return to NR license numbers to what they were 10 yrs ago.

 

[Eric Albus]

After thinking for 10 seconds, maybe return to 1980 NR tag numbers.