Bigger Deer?? Hunt the rut or Not

[Blue Yummies]

I wondered if being allowed to hunt the Rut (like in MT), is worse for having

trophy deer or not. I am not a biologist and was curious on this topic.

Anybody with a legit opinion would be appreciated (GH and Nemot)

 

[----]

It definitely doesn't help, assuming you're talking about mule deer. In my area there's always a few big guys that chase does too close to a road and get shot. Even more so than the rut, I think being able hunt in snow (most years) increases the success rate for hunters.

That being said, there still is a lot of areas that don't get bothered much, even with the later season.

There's enough "trophy" bucks out there to keep me happy and entertained, and I always find sheds of bucks that live on public land that are big enough that I'm pretty sure nobody bumped into during rifle season.

Keep in mind I've never hunted another state, and my idea of a trophy (170+) is probably a lot different than some of the guys on this page.

No doubt changes could be made to the season dates that would make it easier for bucks to get older, that's just not the priority of most hunters in Montana, most guys are happier than hell with shooting a 20" 4x4 every year.

 

[Blue Yummies]

Seems like there are more record book bucks in the states that dont hunt the rut is that true

 

[Fetchitup7]

many factors to think about besides "rut"

please read below

 

[Fetchitup7]

I just wrote a long reply, and it didn't post for some reason; this is a test before i do it again.

 

[Fetchitup7]

lets try again. . .

I'm a biologist and a guide here in WA. In my opinion, hunting the rut should be considered on a site by site basis and only after many factors have been considered. Here in WA we have a few units where mule deer can be hunted during the rut and most of them are draw/special permit only. The reason it works here is because many of those units have a migratory buck population. During the rut, big bucks move down from cold/higher elevations to breed in the low land, and there are only a limited amount of tags handed out. This management keeps a turn-over of good genetic populations and a sustainable population of bucks that stay low and can be hunted in the general season (october). I guide in october and our clients consitently take some real whoppers.

That being said, in areas where there are no migrants, all the nicer bucks get killed in october leaving the small/immature bucks to breed in november, never allowing for good genetic turn-over. In those areas I have seen 30 inch, genetic 2 points and they are doing the breeding because the bucks that would have been 3 or 4 points were culled out.

Managers need to consider many factors and should listen to what local hunters have to say about populaton trends. Unfortunately, many state fish and game biologists who are responsible for the management of healthy deer populations don't have the first idea about what is going on "in the field".

There's my 2 cents

 

[Blue Yummies]

I think that everybody is going to bash on you because you are a guide

 

[Fetchitup7]

Really? Why would that be. There has to be other hunting guides who use this site. I'm not trying to promote the business I work for, I'm just stating my opinion as a guide, a Widlife Biologist, and most importantly as a hunter. My point was that hunting the rut has to be managed on a very site-specific basis; that's all.

 

[Nut]

I just wrote a long reply, and it didn't post for some reason; this is a test before i do it again.

Fetch,for some reason your post was caught in the spam filter. It was nothing on your end.

 

[Fetchitup7]

Thanks Nut; good to know!!!

 

[1_pointer]

I think it depends... Fetchit's reasons sound reasonable. In addition, if the population of big/older bucks isn't that terribly limited I don't think it'll hurt (ie there's still plenty around to do the majority of the breeding). Whitetails seem to do fine in most places with hunts during the rut. But, mule deer rut hunts due to weather and the timing of the rut have the deer concentrated enough that too many older bucks can be taken. IMO, these are better served through a drawings and or limited access.

 

[elk_hunter]

Hey Fetch...as an outfitter, do you receive any guaranteed tags? Or do you just guide guys that have already procured tags through a drawing process?

 

[Fetchitup7]

Elk hunter,

Let me clarify; I'm only a guide. I work for an Outfitter in NorthCentral WA. As far as I know, WA state does not issue "outfitter tags" like a lot of the other western states. We guide the general rifle season in Oct, the early archery/muzzleloader (sept) and late archery/muzzleloader (late Nov/early Dec). The only mule deer rifle hunts during the rut are special permit (hunter draw). We take a few whitetails, but 95% of the land we lease only hold mulies.

I'm not sure what the rules are on HT as far as "advertising" so I don't want to post the name of guide service, however if you want more information, send me a pm.

But I want to make sure that everyone reading this knows that I participate on this site because I like to share information and read peoples stories/posts. I do this as a fellow hunter and I'm not trying to plug our outfit or guide services in general. Truth told, I guide because it gives me an excuse to get into the field and spend time with other hunters (and I'm good at it). I just happen to get paid for it, but I don't do it for the money; although with the economy in shables, I'll be glad to get a little extra scratch this turkey season .

 

[Big Fin]

I think that everybody is going to bash on you because you are a guide

Yummies is talking out his ......

Welcome aboard Fetch. Everyone is welcome here.

As you said, sharing information is what it is all about. Yummie has a hard time understanding that if people disagree in a debate, that doesn't mean they are enemies.

Please hang around and give your opinions, and facts. More perspectives, the better.

The first question asked of new posters is "Got pics?"

 

[Fetchitup7]

thanks for kind words; I was wonder what his problem was.......

I've posted a few if you look up my thread on SE Whitetail and recently posted a pic on the varmint forum of a coyote i took last week that had severe sarcoptic mange; yuk...

however, let me round up a couple recent pics and make a new post!

 

[Fetchitup7]

couple pics by request

[/IMG]
I caught this fish last fall on the Columbia; my biggest to date, 52 lbs with a 33 1/4" cirumference.

[/IMG]
I took my friends boy out last spring and put him on this jake in the Blue Mts near walla walla; he made a heck of a shot on this weary bird. A few hours later I took another jake; and out of all the turkeys I've killed over the years, this was the first one I took on the wing.

[/IMG]
another look at the same chinook (from the boat)

[/IMG]

 

[Big Fin]

Those pics will do. Some serious steaks coming off those salmon.

Looks like you got the youngsters hooked already.

Congrats, and thanks for sharing.

 

[JoseCuervo]

That is an amazing "fish of a lifetime" congrats. If only we could get the government's head out of their arse so we could breach the dams and restore those runs back to where they belong.