3 Week season for Mule Deer

[madplume]

In today's FWP commission meeting they talked about moving to a three week mule deer season, and potential avoiding November all together. I was wondering what everyone thought of this. I know Randy has always critisized the state for how hard and liberal we hunt mule deer. I also understand long term population models depict that the species is unsteady and even going down.

 

[Art Vandeley]

I'm in favor of this idea.

 

[Nick87]

Can you imagine the results of that even after just a couple short years.

 

[Deleted member 20812]

Can you imagine the results of that even after just a couple short years.

Some units have been this way for years. It makes a difference.

 

[8andcounting]

Only in region 2

 

[Stone_Ice_1]

I started listening about halfway through the deer part. Did they confirm actual changes to a 3 week season or did they just open up the possibility of doing it? Was a little confusing for the part I heard.

I am for this and think it would help get more older mature bucks although I think poaching while people are out hunting elk will be on a significant rise.

 

[8andcounting]

I started listening about halfway through the deer part. Did they confirm actual changes to a 3 week season or did they just open up the possibility of doing it? Was a little confusing for the part I heard.

I am for this and think it would help get more older mature bucks although I think poaching while people are out hunting elk will be on a significant rise.

For region 2 yes . For the rest it’s business as usual

 

[MTHunter1321]

For region 2 yes . For the rest it’s business as usual

For select districts in region 2, not the entire region

 

[8andcounting]

For select districts in region 2, not the entire region

Yes your correct

 

[Nick87]

Some units have been this way for years. It makes a difference.

Huge difference I would imagine.

 

[Carnage2011]

Huge difference I would imagine.

Depends on the unit. 320 was this way for years and quality was no different. It actually may have been worse.

 

[Nick87]

Depends on the unit. 320 was this way for years and quality was no different. It actually may have been worse.

Wonder why?

 

[stealthy_bowman]

Would love to see a 3 week season for R7 limited to October.
Too bad that will likely not be a reality in foreseeable future.

 

[MTLabrador]

In my opinion the Breaks certainly went downhill when the CMR opened mule deer hunting in November.

I’m all about a shorter October only season for the entire state.

 

[Carnage2011]

Wonder why?

That unit is thick timber and steep. When it was only 3 weeks, I think a lot of young bucks were killed right off the roads because hunters were killing the first buck they could. Just my observations, but I can find a better buck in there now than I could 8 years ago. It’s not good by any means but I think we killed the vast majority of bucks when they were yearlings back then.

 

[huntin24/7]

It would make a big difference everywhere in the state. I know it would be a tuff sell though. I know a lot of guys get bent out of shape about it because it gets turned into a perceived “trophy hunter” idea, and to some degree that’s true. However, I think it’s hard to argue against the fact that anyone who wants to just kill any buck in MT couldn’t do that with a little bit of effort in 3 weeks in October also. It would just be harder than blasting that same buck from the road around thanksgiving when it doesn’t care about your truck.

 

[Tukudeka]

Think about it,

Unlimited Tags, tens of thousands sold
5 day season

5 tags
Year-long season

How many deer die?
What is the hunting experience like?

 

[geewhiz]

The idea of this sickens me.

Yes I have lived in Montana for more than 2 years.

 

[rogerthat]

It would make a big difference everywhere in the state. I know it would be a tuff sell though. I know a lot of guys get bent out of shape about it because it gets turned into a perceived “trophy hunter” idea, and to some degree that’s true. However, I think it’s hard to argue against the fact that anyone who wants to just kill any buck in MT couldn’t do that with a little bit of effort in 3 weeks in October also. It would just be harder than blasting that same buck from the road around thanksgiving when it doesn’t care about your truck.

Yeah the word Trophy is a giant turnoff in hunting. It's all about age class. Just trying to keep some semblance of a healthy age class on the landscape.

 

[rogerthat]

The idea of this sickens me.

Yes I have lived in Montana for more than 2 years.

The idea of a 3 week season? Or the idea of a season to minimize the rut? Please expand