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Montana on the Upswing?

But... but... but...

What exactly is wrong? As Oak pointed out, it ain't more hunters
There are a lot of good points mttw and oak have made points that it’s not all season structure. Loss of winter range and loss of habitat. CWD which I don’t see an end game to the management strategy. Maybe we are watching the end of mule deer.
 
But... but... but...

What exactly is wrong? As Oak pointed out, it ain't more hunters
I don't think habitat is the issue in SE Montana. If any thing the habitat has gotten better in the last 20 years with the large fires that have occurred. I can walk out in the winter range and the stuff deer like to eat is abundant and often untouched. There is a long list of other species that have proliferated in my 40+ years of observing wildlife. If the habitat was the issue other species would be suffering too.
 
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But... but... but...

What exactly is wrong? As Oak pointed out, it ain't more hunters
Higher hunter success rate? I'd be curious to look at the same numbers from the 80's to today, but with harvest success overlaid on it as well. Not saying it's a huge factor, but I do feel like as a whole, hunter success has increased.

I'm not sure if the entire state needs to go LE just yet- I would really like to see what would happen if we shortened the general rifle season for buck Mule Deer by three weeks and made the peak of the rut a draw/preference system. To some degree, it would probably increase the odds of 270 and the like, as people would start using their 1 or 2 points to hunt say 702 late instead of holding out for 20 years for a 270 tag. And FWP could still claim that everyone is getting loads of opportunity though having a general, 6 week archery season and 2 weeks of general rifle. To maintain the Thanksgiving family hunts and what not, Whitetail could remain general for the full length of the season, as could any B tags issued (that's a whole other can of worms though). But I'm sure there'd be a lot of whining that 8 weeks of general season just isn't enough opportunity to go hunt.
 
In SE Montana the current buck to doe ratio is not even close to objective where I have been hunting, It used to be but with the fires removing most of the trees for deer to hide and the hunting pressure high the bucks are being shot out. It needs to become a limited draw area, and I say this knowing it will make my odds of hunting there very low if it was. I called my buddy who lives there and he said he went to the same glassing spot where I saw the 28 doe with one little 3 point breeding does. He said it was up to 35 doe and the same little 3 point as I saw. If the F&G is serious about the ration they need to do something...
 
In SE Montana the current buck to doe ratio is not even close to objective where I have been hunting, It used to be but with the fires removing most of the trees for deer to hide and the hunting pressure high the bucks are being shot out. It needs to become a limited draw area, and I say this knowing it will make my odds of hunting there very low if it was. I called my buddy who lives there and he said he went to the same glassing spot where I saw the 28 doe with one little 3 point breeding does. He said it was up to 35 doe and the same little 3 point as I saw. If the F&G is serious about the ration they need to do something...
Can’t say part of me isn’t jealous of that buck though.
 
I spent about 2 days in nice powder hunting elk in gallatin canyon last weekend. Saw some deer tracks and spotted a 2X2 buck, the only animal i saw in 2 days and staying in a bivy overnight in good conditions.. Got out just in time to catch the check station (guy in truck) before he left at dark. Check station used to be a nice building with coffee, maps, and staffed to weigh, age, and check all the game that came out of the canyon on 191. Thing have changed.

I pulled up and guy asked what district i was hunting, what drainage, and if I'd seen bear, wolf, or moose sign. I said I'd seen wolf tracks.

I asked if it had been slow and he said, "Yes, you're only the 23rd person in all day. Only 3 elk, 2 from the Flying D, and one from Porcupine."

I drove off wondering what they do with all that useful data.
 

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