Montana Regional Caps and Limited Entry for Mule Deer.

[Gerald Martin]

You could do it that way with end of season counts from the previous year. Though it would still be tough to have much control over which species is getting thumped on harder during the rut. Truthfully breaking it out into a mule deer tag and another being a whitetail tag would be better to manage and come up with a number for each but that’s more restrictive than I think would pass through.

CWD would be a major factor into the biologists numbers as well

@sclancy27, identified that R hunters harvest mule deer and whitetail at almost an even ratio relative to mule deer to whitetail populations . Out of total deer populations in MT mule deer make up @60% and whitetail make up @40%.

R hunters harvest their deer at just about that rate. 60% mule deer, 40% white tail.

NR harvest of deer is slanted sharply towards mule deer at a rate of @ 80% mule deer to 20% whitetail.

Keeping the bulk of NR mule deer harvest opportunity in Oct. and limiting NR to 10% of late season LE permits might help mule deer.

Since R harvest proportional to the species distribution and R will make up 90% of the LE hunt, setting the permit numbers by including both whitetail and mule deer numbers combined probably will not lead to a disproportionate number of mule deer bucks being shot. It might help improve whitetail age class as well.

 

[Gerald Martin]

If there’s a LE late season permit it needs to require it to be applied as first and only choice and use up bonus points if drawn. That could definitely help with the difficulty of drawing districts that are already LE for mule deer.

 

[brockel]

If there’s a LE late season permit it needs to require it to be applied as first and only choice and use up bonus points if drawn. That could definitely help with the difficulty of drawing districts that are already LE for mule deer.

Would move the piled up bonus points for sure. Would sell more resident bonus points I bet too

 

[Carnage2011]

Does anyone remember large changes to management after a state changed to mandatory reporting?

 

[bigsky2]

Make the general tag unlimited but “first and only choice”. That would mean if you applied for the LE November permit and didn’t draw, you wouldn’t be able to rifle hunt for mule deer. That would save some MD bucks.

 

[Treeshark]

Make the general tag unlimited but “first and only choice”. That would mean if you applied for the LE November permit and didn’t draw, you wouldn’t be able to rifle hunt for mule deer. That would save some MD bucks.

I would support that, but do you think in reality that would ever fly with Montana residents?

 

[antlerradar]

The moga endorsed proposal does nothing to limit future damage.

What proposal is the moga endorsed proposal?

 

[antlerradar]

I wouldn't be totally against it. As for numbers, that would depend on your goals. If you just want a little less pressure during the rut you could set the numbers fairly high. If you want bigger deer you would have to reduce numbers dramatically. If there is one thing CO has taught us in the past few years it is that Rut hunting is hard on big deer even if it is limited.
If tags are limited you are going to have revenue issues.

Edit: That is more than 8 weeks of rifle. Unless the Nov. LE is very limited on both mule deer and whitetail you are going to run into the landowner tolerance issues. Plus you also will piss off the archers with a four week season.

 

[brockel]

Edit: That is more than 8 weeks of rifle. Unless the Nov. LE is very limited on both mule deer and whitetail you are going to run into the landowner tolerance issues. Plus you also will piss off the archers with a four week season.

Might help landowner tolerance though if there is a 1/3rd or whatever less people running around in October because I’m betting a lot apply for the November hunt. If it’s limited you are going to have a lot less running around in October. That thanksgiving knock at the door or phone ringing might be almost gone too. Also might not deal with the road buck action happening near as much

As far as the archery hunters you could start it in august like your guys 3.0 proposal

 

[cgasner1]

Might help landowner tolerance though if there is a 1/3rd or whatever less people running around in October because I’m betting a lot apply for the November hunt. If it’s limited you are going to have a lot less running around in October. That thanksgiving knock at the door or phone ringing might be almost gone too. Also might not deal with the road buck action happening near as much

As far as the archery hunters you could start it in august like your guys 3.0 proposal

They are throwing a fit about moving it one week and keeping the 6 week structure. It’s a prime example of everyone else needs to give something up.

 

[Forkyfinder]

They are throwing a fit about moving it one week and keeping the 6 week structure. It’s a prime example of everyone else needs to give something up.

Most of the comments/heard ive seen are about season start - not length

 

[antlerradar]

As far as the archery hunters you could start it in august like your guys 3.0 proposal

Still only five weeks, I'm good with that, but MBA sure as hell is not.

 

[brockel]

They are throwing a fit about moving it one week and keeping the 6 week structure. It’s a prime example of everyone else needs to give something up.

Nothing stopping them from archery hunting the general season is there? Might even save a few bulls from rotting on the hillside. That comment should really fire people up.

 

[rogerthat]

Does anyone remember large changes to management after a state changed to mandatory reporting?

Idaho implemented their mandatory reporting in 1998. I’m not sure when the majority of mule deer units went to October. Any Idaho guys?

 

[cgasner1]

Nothing stopping them from archery hunting the general season is there? Might even save a few bulls from rotting on the hillside. That comment should really fire people up.

I’m happy you guys are having fun talking about this but you will meet resistance at every corner. Best of luck and I hope someone gets a change implemented

 

[Carnage2011]

Idaho implemented their mandatory reporting in 1998. I’m not sure when the majority of mule deer units went to October. Any Idaho guys?

Theirs isn’t really mandatory though right? I believe they have 60%ish compliance and no repercussions for not doing their report? I could be wrong but I think that’s how I remember it.

 

[cgasner1]

Theirs isn’t really mandatory though right? I believe they have 60%ish compliance and no repercussions for not doing their report? I could be wrong but I think that’s how I remember it.

I’ll let you know this year

 

[Sioux33]

It’s easy to pile on MBA, but when you look at it, the proposal was asking archers to cut a week, while rifle gained 3. And this was to alleviate a problem of hunting mule deer during the rut, a problem occurring a month after archers have hung it up for the year.

 

[cgasner1]

It’s easy to pile on MBA, but when you look at it, the proposal was asking archers to cut a week, while rifle gained 3. And this was to alleviate a problem of hunting mule deer during the rut, a problem occurring a month after archers have hung it up for the year.

No we didn’t we moved it a week at the time that was published they kept 6 weeks. I’d also add that is one person’s opinion on it and I’d hope not the entire organization. They do great things and I happily still pay my membership

 

[brockel]

It’s easy to pile on MBA, but when you look at it, the proposal was asking archers to cut a week, while rifle gained 3. And this was to alleviate a problem of hunting mule deer during the rut, a problem occurring a month after archers have hung it up for the year.

Let them archery hunting December like some other states do