MT draft mule deer management plan

[Irrelevant]

https://fwp.mt.gov/binaries/content/assets/fwp/commissionagendas/2021-test/august-20-2021/wildlife/adaptive-harvest/1a---ahm-2021.pdf

I wasn't a big fan of what I was reading, but I also didn't read the last one, so maybe this is better. But the idea of ignoring declining population trends because they don't think hunter harvest is what's causing it (paraphrase) doesn't seem right.

 

[Bambistew]

From the southwest moutnain foothills region:

Post-season buck:doe ratios have fluctuated around 10:100 in a significant portion of this PMU because of plentiful hunter access to public lands and vulnerability of bucks late in the season.

I'm surprised its this high. I wonder what they consider a "buck" anything with antlers or 2.5y and older? Move along, nothing to see here, literally.

The "special management" areas (over half of them) have objectives at 15-25:100 b:d with varying bench marks, like %bucks older than 2.5 years post hunt. haha. Send in that money for those special hunts.

Hunting District 312 (Portion) Management Objectives: • Post-season buck:doe ratio >25:100 • Post-season survey averages >8 four point bucks:100 does

Looks like they must be counting forkies in those ratios.

Impressive stuff.

 

[Kwalker]

I’m wondering what I have to do to hunt in another district than I live in. Do I have to draw for a permit or can I just buy a permit?

 

[madtom]

I’m wondering what I have to do to hunt in another district than I live in. Do I have to draw for a permit or can I just buy a permit?

If you buy a general license and send me $50, you can hunt in any general unit in the state.

 

[Schaaf]

If you buy a general license and send me $50, you can hunt in any general unit in the state.

Starting to wonder if these are paid operatives from Hank justifying him changing the “difficult” to understand regulations

 

[Irrelevant]

Starting to wonder if these are paid operatives from Hank justifying him changing the “difficult” to understand regulations

I've often explained to people that the MT regs seem to be setup for the user to pick where they want to hunt, then the regs tell you what and when.
Versus WA where it's more the user picks what and the regs say when and where.
Neither are "difficult", in fact MT is exceptionally easy comparatively.

 

[timmy]

From the southwest moutnain foothills region:


I'm surprised its this high. I wonder what they consider a "buck" anything with antlers or 2.5y and older? Move along, nothing to see here, literally.

The "special management" areas (over half of them) have objectives at 15-25:100 b:d with varying bench marks, like %bucks older than 2.5 years post hunt. haha. Send in that money for those special hunts.

Hunting District 312 (Portion) Management Objectives: • Post-season buck:doe ratio >25:100 • Post-season survey averages >8 four point bucks:100 does

Looks like they must be counting forkies in those ratios.

Impressive stuff.

Montana deer counts are just as good as their management. The counts are laughable but very rosy. Wondering how bad it must be for them to admit they weren’t great in southeast Montana. I have wondered if 50% of fawns were counted as bucks to get to the ratio.