Corn fields make up very little of Fallon county’s mule deer country. And some of the best mule deer habitat in Fallon county has not been touched yet holds very little mule deer. Not like it did 20 years ago.
Montana mule deer rant
- Thread starter brockel
- Start date
Corn fields make up very little of Fallon county’s mule deer country. And some of the best mule deer habitat in Fallon county has not been touched yet holds very little mule deer. Not like it did 20 years ago.
The public ground is hammered so hard that’s the best place for them to escape being the corn is private
SAJ-99
Well-known member
I agree with you that pressure affects deer. But my point is all these small changes might not seem like much individually but all affect mule deer. They are not as adaptable as white tails. But like WTs they eat corn because it is high carb and builds fat, not just because it is private. You can plant some corn on State land and let me know the result.
Anecdotal observation, I didn’t see that many hunters in the field compared to previous years. And I’m the type of guy who spends 5min looking at who has signed into the BM before me. The one place we found deer hadn’t had a participant in almost 10days. So your point is spot on.
SAJ-99
Well-known member
Look at a satellite photo of SE corner of Washington and you will see the problem. All that traditional MD habitat is now wheat.
Drove through there in august. I felt a little out of place
SwaggyD
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SAJ-99
Well-known member
Please provide data. It seems you think this is "common knowledge". The chart below only goes back 20 yrs and my reaction to the change is 'meh'. There seems to be a significant decline since the 90s and even bigger since the 40s. But does that surprise. The reason is simply cheaper trees from Canada. I just think this claim is nothing more than one piece of a complex puzzle.
Out of control predators- this is silly. They have to be eating something, right?. In some areas they are a problem, but the whole state? I don't like the management approach I have seen, but it is easy to argue against it. Seems WFW and hunters aren't really prepared for debate.
Hunting pressured Urban sprawl- I think we have a winner!!!
Skiller
Member
Reading all of this mule deer "rant" is tough to take. I have hunted SE MT since about 1970 and a good hunting partner has since 1964. We hunted the Chalk Buttes SW of Ekalaka the most. In the 1970s and 1980s there were still a few ranchers / farmers with grain and alfalfa down on the lower ground. You could set up on the draws leading back into the timber and see 40 to 100 deer work back to their beds, with 20+ bucks easily. The prevalence of mule deer to whitetails gradually shifted from 65% mule deer to predominantly whitetails. There were still lots of deer on public land. The access roads into the area we hunted were terrible and kept many hunters from driving in. Now you can drive a passenger car on many if not most roads in the Chalk Buttes, Long Pines, and Ekalaka Hills. Public land is pounded mercilessly. The few deer left hide out on the private land bordering public. EHD has driven numbers down badly as well.
My friend loves the area so much....to much... that he and his son came out with 3 doe tags (2 mule deer does, 1 WT) and hunted hard. Because they had tags. I can't believe he really felt they had to take a deer, but they did take 1 WT and 1 muley doe. That area is beautiful country, lots of history with native people and the 7th cavalry, and early settlers. Montana needs to limit doe tags to private land in that area and hope block management spreads the pressure around. Brockel and Antler Radar know what they are talking about. MT FWP has got to start listening to hunters and give the resource a chance.
Nick87
Well-known member
Better Than being hot but I'm in the minority.
West Sloper
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Good Luck, maybe time to do some predator mgt?
You know I use to think that but each winter working outside in it I start to wonder what hunting is like in the southern states this time of the year. Though I’d have a tough time giving up hunting our furred up coyotes.
Nick87
Well-known member
Imagine summers down there. No way jose.
antlerradar
Well-known member
Judging by the number of Washington plates I saw this past fall, This is 100% true.
Also does not say much for the deer hunting in western Montana if people are willing to drive an extra 1000 miles to kill a three point.
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300stw
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i spoke with couple wardens, a biologist, habitat technician, and couple block management workers,
there collective opinon, WE HAVE LOTS of deer, no need to chg a thing, and we do not want to shorten season, kids in college and only time family can get together,
no sign of changes coming that i can sort out
there collective opinon, WE HAVE LOTS of deer, no need to chg a thing, and we do not want to shorten season, kids in college and only time family can get together,
no sign of changes coming that i can sort out
EYJONAS!
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Tlrussell
Active member
Does anyone on here want to help me?
Hold FWP accountable to animals and the public.
1. Require non resident licenses truly be capped at 17,000.
2. Mandatory harvest reporting as part of the tag process.
3. Engage the hunting population in annual online surveys to direct policy.
Hold FWP accountable to animals and the public.
1. Require non resident licenses truly be capped at 17,000.
2. Mandatory harvest reporting as part of the tag process.
3. Engage the hunting population in annual online surveys to direct policy.
SAJ-99
Well-known member
Welcome to Hunt Talk.
Tlrussell
Active member
I wondered if it was just a bunch of bitchy bitches
SAJ-99
Well-known member
It is. But it is also people who don't fill out their profile so we have no idea where they are from but come asking for help. Yeah, basically those two groups.
Tlrussell
Active member
My mistake. Picture updated. Location and bio updated.
