Deer question montana

[MTTW]

Funny thing about Montana is we are the only western state where mule deer hunters have no self control.

 

[Western Traveler1]

Funny thing about Montana is we are the only western state where mule deer hunters have no self control.

I nearly missed your Sarcasm!

 

[Walkalot]

Well sprtdrk u are the winner. Double or nothing this yr.

 

[Walkalot]

My point is ya very few good bucks otc general units southwest mt, public land. Not many out there. Things need to change

 

[sprtdrk]

My point is ya very few good bucks otc general units southwest mt, public land. Not many out there. Things need to change

I agree. Could be way better if managed right. The sad thing is if more hunters were real conservationists they would let those 3 and 4 year old bucks live and the hunting would be better for everyone

 

[stealthy_bowman]

I find it funny that some assume that because we want better deer quality/hunting that we must not be killing anything, or that we need to get farther from the truck. You are missing the point...we’d like there to be a quality population of mature animals running around for our generation and the future. I do not want the state to go full LE, but I’d be open to ideas on shortening the season or shifting it so it didn’t encompass the rut.

The most impactful change would be to can the rut segment of the season. It’s just plain stupid to have it...wouldn’t hurt to also cut the doe tag allocation by half at least... just my simple 2 cents

 

[antlerradar]

I agree. Could be way better if managed right. The sad thing is if more hunters were real conservationists they would let those 3 and 4 year old bucks live and the hunting would be better for everyone

People are seeing 3 and 4 year old bucks in western Montana! I would be keeping that quiet. Soon western Montana will be flooded with 3, 14 and a bunch of other plates that you have to look up on the cheater card when you see them.

 

[sprtdrk]

People are seeing 3 and 4 year old bucks in western Montana. I would be keeping that quiet. Soon western Montana will be flooded with 3, 14 and a bunch of other plates that you have to look up on the cheater card when you see them.

Lol....well they're not a dime a dozen but those are the bucks refered to as "big". Thats the sad part. Just let them grow up a little more and see the benefits. I guess to each their own. It all goes back to all those 2 year old "meat bucks " everyone kills then complian about never finding the big bucks. Smh!

 

[Walkalot]

So lets do something about it

 

[sprtdrk]

So lets do something about it

I'd love to. Seems to me though that fwp holds public hearing comments just as a formality. Nothing is ever done in the eyes of what the public wants though. They just end up doing what they're going to do. Another issue is what they're doing to the elk hunting in the breaks. Pretty soon there won't be anywhere in the state that you can count on harvesting a trophy bull as well as trophy mule deer.

 

[RobertD]

From an outsider's perspective, it seems like the one idea with nearly unanimous support on this site is to cut down on rifle hunting mule deer during the rut. I wonder how Montanans outside of this internet forum would respond to such a proposal.

 

[mtmuley]

From an outsider's perspective, it seems like the one idea with nearly unanimous support on this site is to cut down on rifle hunting mule deer during the rut. I wonder how Montanans outside of this internet forum would respond to such a proposal.

jaxen-ijs-2012-v18-n1-4-abstracts-tws-lewsi-kujala-gude-pp67.pdf Found this with a quick search. I remember taking the survey, but can't find the results. This gives an idea of an ac average Montana deer hunters mindset. Dang. Didn't post as a link. I'll try again. mtmuley

 

[mtmuley]

https://myfwp.mt.gov/getRepositoryFile?objectID=53311 mtmuley

 

[RobertD]

Thanks @mtmuley

Looks like a 2 to 1 ratio in favor of the status quo, roughly speaking. And Montanans are more concerned about access than deer "quality," roughly speaking which is understandable in a way.

I think, from reviewing that document, most hunters would be opposed to restricting the rut rifle hunt. Maybe a moderate change, like cutting it down to just a few weeks, would go over a little better.

Thanks again to mtmuley for providing that link

 

[Walkalot]

Idk alot of people i know want change, if its season structure or all le. I think its gonna take alot of pissed off hunters, conservationist, and a few privileged ranchers. Yes the breaks are the modern day Yellowstone units. If we let them they will run that too. Really there has to be a good solution. How bout just do what is best for the wildlife.

 

[Walkalot]

Mt muley. I dont think we can rely on fwp data. I know way too many people that want change. A change for mule deer in montana. The problem is what to do season structure, limited entry, seasons like colorado. If i were king i would make it limited entry for bucks, does would not be hunted for 5yrs and revisited. I have never shot a deer, let alone a mule deer. People that say they shoot a meat buck or doe for meat primarily are full of $hit. There are many people that allow whitetail and cow elk hunting. Easy meat. Admit i am a trophy hunter lol. But have never shot a deer maybe that make me a conservationist. Hell let biology and science judge how many deer should be in each unit not counting cattle grazing

 

[Walkalot]

So what does it take. 100,000 signatures. The state can and will make there money. If its LE everybody still has to buy a tag every yr. If its season structure every body buys a tag. If its colorado type structure everybody buys a tag. If its landowners wanting more, i think its up for discussion. Say 640 acres gaurenteed a tag. Out of staters your in the draw. Like everybody else. Just seems to me that landowners and out of state money talks and the rest of us are hosed. The reality. The landowners and the money screw us. So in my mind its gonna take alot of resident public land hunters and non res public land hunters to change it.

 

[SAJ-99]

Mt muley. I dont think we can rely on fwp data. I know way too many people that want change.

Why don't you think FWP data is better than your own observations?

 

[antlerradar]

Why don't you think FWP data is better than your own observations?

It would also be interesting to have a repeat on the survey to see how much opinions have changed in the last 10 years.

 

[timmy]

I believe it was a relatively small sample size as well. That is going off memory talking to the biologist at a check station. Nobody I know got the survey.