Utah closes shed antler hunting until May 1st

The only thing that bugs me about shed closures is when it’s only closed to shed hunting and not all human presence. It’s not about the fact that a person can’t shed hunt, I don’t care about that. If an area needs a shed closure, which many places do, it should be closed to all human presence. No dog walkers, no rabbit hunters…just close the area.
 
bullbugle307 said:
The only thing that bugs me about shed closures is when it’s only closed to shed hunting and not all human presence. It’s not about the fact that a person can’t shed hunt, I don’t care about that. If an area needs a shed closure, which many places do, it should be closed to all human presence. No dog walkers, no rabbit hunters…just close the area.
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'Don't know about Utah, but USFS areas in Montana near Yellowstone and elsewhere are closed to everything until May 15.
 
On certain winter ranges, yeah, I’m all for it. And like someone else mentioned, we already close a lot of critical winter ranges to all human presence, so this isn’t a novel concept. I think this is the preferable way to do things, but it gets messier on public lands in those “closed to shed hunting areas” that aren’t critical wintering habitat. I don’t have a problem with the activities you mentioned continuing to occur in areas that aren’t critical, but you could then argue that shed hunting doesn’t need to be closed there if it’s ok to run dogs and target shoot, for example.

Obviously, you bring up a good point though. Logistically, it’s a lot easier for managers to just say no shed hunting in x large area until x date. I don’t really care because I’m not clamoring to shed hunt before May 1st, but I can understand why some people have a gripe in certain instances.

But, I largely think people need to get over this gripe if they care about the resource. And, I think the non shed hunters need to voluntarily exercise restraint and common sense too. But if people could do that we wouldn’t even have this discussion.
 
I'm ok with select game ranges being closed completely. That is better than having large closure seasons like Utah is doing. Small area total closures are at least somewhat enforable. Maybe 5% of deer and elk are on wma's and game ranges that can easily be closed. The other 95% are not you just redistribute the pressure to them.
 
Yeah, it got me thinking earlier about how winter range is defined. There are obviously some areas that are used pretty extensively year in and year out, with the animals making elevation adjustments based on snow and adjustments based on available feed. These areas are easier to define and protect. Outside of that, winter range is wherever the animals are at in a given winter on a given day. If you get a big snow year, people might need to voluntarily exercise restraint if the animals get pushed much lower than they traditionally do, for example.
 
bullbugle307 said:
Yeah, it got me thinking earlier about how winter range is defined. There are obviously some areas that are used pretty extensively year in and year out, with the animals making elevation adjustments based on snow and adjustments based on available feed. These areas are easier to define and protect. Outside of that, winter range is wherever the animals are at in a given winter on a given day. If you get a big snow year, people might need to voluntarily exercise restraint if the animals get pushed much lower than they traditionally do, for example.
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It ends up being complex. Honestly its a motor vehicle problem here its not really a problem of guys on foot. I see way to much animal harassment and cross country travel. I confront multiple people per year. For it. We need to enforce the laws on the books and up penalties.
If guys would loose their utvs and swaro's when convected that shit would stop.
 
so who is going to seize the helicopters of the rabbit cops, if winter disturbance is the thing to be eradicated?
 
Should we start a GoFundMe account for all the "influencers" that won't be able to produce YouTube content for the next three months in Utah?
 
bullbugle307 said:
On certain winter ranges, yeah, I’m all for it. And like someone else mentioned, we already close a lot of critical winter ranges to all human presence, so this isn’t a novel concept. I think this is the preferable way to do things, but it gets messier on public lands in those “closed to shed hunting areas” that aren’t critical wintering habitat. I don’t have a problem with the activities you mentioned continuing to occur in areas that aren’t critical, but you could then argue that shed hunting doesn’t need to be closed there if it’s ok to run dogs and target shoot,
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I think closing it to just shed hunting is reactionary to the focused intent and magnitude of the amount of people who flood the winter ranges purely for shed hunting. Should they close it to everyone, probably. But I’m guessing in most areas shed hunters are the biggest problem hence the reaction.

Seriously people who shed hunt the winter range in the winter piss me off. Total disregard for the resource.
 
If I were in charge shed hunting would be closed everywhere until April 15. Easy to close area WMAs, game ranges, critical range, etc entirely to access.

Yes a total closure would be difficult to enforce for the real dirtbags, but so is poaching. Eventually you’d get them.

Glad to hear somebody was thinking in Utah and closed the season.
 
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Whats worst bumping bulls in late april or cows calving in may? Stop closing areas i bear hunt!
 
oldbutnotdead said:
Exactly....If you could work for just a few weeks a year and make $60k CASH...of course you would do it.
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and not a horn hunter alive does that... unless they monetise it on the back end such as video sales to idiots. The issue is complex enough without straw dogs thrown in for good measure.
 
I don't think the answer is to close all areas, there is quite a bit of hunting going on during the winter. But they are not going and running the deer and elk out of an area. Loins are eating deer so would think loin hunters bump a few deer but would think they are more likely hunt the edges. I do think there are places that need to be closed to all activity. By now game and fish in the west knows where they are going to want to be.
 
You guys got it all wrong. What we really need is all shed hunting to go limited entry. Every year you don't draw you get a preference point. Those with the most points will be given preference in the following year's draw and have a greater chance of being able to go shed hunting the next year. I think this sounds like a great idea!
 
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