Substance?

[BUCKSPY]

Yeh, I know. Half of you checked this just to see if it was a drug-related post. Unfortunatly for you closet pot-heads its not.

I'm looking for some substative insight on why Idaho hasn't produced many top end bucks the last year? Overhunting? Poor hunting weather conditions? Too many tags being sold?

I realize the bulk of the banter is an interminable moron-a-thon here.

(Hence my presence ) but frankly I keep hoping for something.

Whatcha got El Presidente?

 

[Tom]

What's the data you're talking about?

I just looked at data in the deer hunter's almanac for 2004. Idaho is really variable on whitetail.
These are gun(bow) harvests for whitetail annually starting in '93.
23251(303),29760(595),28180(320),NA,37450(1100),38162(880),17070(310),15850(390),15850(450),15160(340).

98 was a record harvest, then its been coming down, cut in half, the very next year. Wierd stuff.

[ 04-04-2004, 13:55: Message edited by: Tom ]

 

[wilecoyote76]

Drought, of course, plays a big role in numbers. This year might not be so good because of the hard snow year we had. Some areas get overhunted to a point that they suck hind tit to hunt. The 03' hunting season had restrictions in a bunch of hunting units for ATV's which may have deterred some hunters from actually getting off the main roads. This year F&G has extended the ATV restrictions to more hunting units around the state. Some of the general season dates are early in October which typically helps the deer since there is more cover and warmer weather makes them hunker down for bigger portions of the day. These are just a few reasons but I will let others elaborate more on the specifics as they see it!!!!

 

[B_F_E]

Meat & Potatoes = substance,
although there is some meat(+ some meat-heads) in Idaho, they primarily sport the potato part of the equation, that plus they don't bite as easily as their so. brothers into a moron a thon bitch & moan session.

 

[Tom]

What was the big change back in in 98 to 99?

It went from 38 to 17 thousand and has stayed lower since then.

bfe, are you saying the potatoe crop was good? or were you just tired and couldn't think of anything to say?

 

[BUCKSPY]

What's a "whitetail"?

 

[Tom]

What data are you talking about? They shot thousands of these deer in Idaho, but less than in 98, why? If you ask these questions now, maybe you know the answers for back then? Especially if you're a spy? You got some data for your question?

 

[OSOK]

 

[T Bone]

A couple reasons IMO.

Utards bough non-res licenses and killed them all.

Wuvs dun et 'em

Eastern Idaho herds have never rebuilt from the late 80's.

IMO, There are still some great bucks if a person is willing to work for them.

 

[cmiddleton]

most of um burned up in the fires of 2000 or was it 99 my memory's as long as my d#*k.
thats about this long ________
give or take a " or two

 

[B_F_E]

Tom, my bad, just trying to keep a thread alive, I will try to make better since in the future, since I can not address Idaho's lack of wall hangers, with any degree of credibility.

Whats the deal with the blue football field ?

 

[Rogue 6]

Oregon F&G is claiming the lower blacktail numbers are from habitat incroachment and hairloss disease. Well the best hunting is on private land down low so habitat incroachment isn't it. I've seen alot of deer, I've never seen a bald deer. But I've seen amore cougars in the last 5 years than the previous 20, and same with bears. Logging has practically stopped on public land. The result is the blacktail hurd has been cut in half since '94.
I can't wait until all the wolves get over here.

 

[Moosie]

El Presidente' is Working on the Answers.
(Jsut so you don't think I'm blowing you off for being a Retard )

 

[Moosie]

I've come up with several things. Wheather it's right or not who knows.

I can tell you that some guys that consistantly get big bucks are still getting them. they have put in some longer days in the field maybe to get them but BIG bucks are still dropping. There is a guy that shot a 170+ and a 190 some odd " buck with his bow right in my subdivision. (Alright, he "LIVES" in my subdivision but shot it in Unit.. "SOMEWERE ELSE". (Its legal to shoot 2 bucks here if you buy an outof state tag .. Just an FYI)

Anyways, I think that the guys shooting bucks are keeping them quiet. It's better to say there isn't as many bucks. With Some Drout conditions in the past there is some decline in the Numbers.

#'s of hunters in the Field are Down according to F&G. Way down actually. I think by close to 15 THOUSAND deer hunters last year. So if less people are hunting, It can't be the hunters can it ?

A study also Shows that Wolves are really targeting Elk more then deer. Maybe they (Like me) like the taste of Elk better But the Elk #'s are on the Rise. We've seen more fetching Elk in our hunting areas then deer for sure.

So, If it's not the Hunters, It's not the Wolves, it has to be Habitat ?

B_F_E, Isn't that blue turf cool

 

[Bambi_fan]

Buckspy

You hit it right on the head! The lower numbers of deer in the state caused by a number of things from drought, wolves, lack of habitat and over harvest. The fish and game is a little slow to repond to the problem and are continuing the over harvest. The unjustified two point hunt in the best units in the state doesn't help either. They kill 1400+ two points a year, that don't include the three and four that lay out there dead, because someone thought it was a two point. Well I could go on and on.

What it boils down to is the more tags sold the better off the budget is for the big boy(fish & game). I kind of understand their dilemma but, there has to be a better sollution.

 

[Moosie]

BAmbi_fan, Isn't it true that the Wolves impact elk more then deer ?

And why aren't you glad that ther is the 2 point hunt. It takes 2,500 hunters out of my unit

The real #'s are close to 600 not 1,400 for the Entire SW unit with 528 in Unit 40, 41 having 66 and 42 having 43, in the 2002 Season.

I'm guessing over harvest isn't really the issue, Hell if you talk to people No-one is getting deer anymore I think Habitat is a critical issue and drought too.

Not that I'd butt heads with someone like you though Bambi

PS< I'm meating with John R. and Holli in Nampa next week. I'll let you know in case you want to chat too. We can sk them what they think

 

[Bambi_fan]

600 where did youget your info and was that last year. Because it was 600 in unit 40, 4 years ago. It was between 1300 and 1400 deer 3and 4 years ago. The reason I know this is because we as a group went in with the F & G To try and get the seasons Changed. We held meetings through out the southwest( Mt home, Nampa, and Murphy). I guess you weren't around then so I won't take it out on you!

As Far as the habitat the SW region has plenty of habitat it could hold 5 times the numbers that are there now. Sure there is a little juniper improchment and some over grazing in some areas but the region in general can hold many more deer! COME BACK!!!

Habitat is very important don't get me wrong. We need some ran and snow, mostly in the south east part of the state.

 

[Bambi_fan]

Moosie

you must of got your info off the net! And we Know that everything on the net is true! Now don't we Year 2002 I'm sorry I didn't see that the first time.

Keep your figers crossed for rain.

Hows the bear hunting going?

 

[Moosie]

I did get my numbers off the net. Is there another place to get harvest info ? Were did you get your info for 2001,2000, and 1999 ?

I know that the Owyhee's is your passion. Besides "YOU KIDS NAME" Mnt.

but what I don't understand is why shooting just forked horn are causeing lack of deer down there.

You should have gone to the Meeting with Brad Compton. You can to the next one. He's the "MAN" when it comes to Deer management. They are doing a deer management plan through-out Idaho.

You are correct that I wasn't around then, Heck, I was still just "MEAT" hunting a few years ago. I never knew what "MANAGEMENT" was till this year so I'm years behind others like you that have been doing it all their life.

That being said, this year I'm meeting with more F&G and bioligist then most people see in their life and talking with as many people as I can to play catch-up.

Hopefully I'll be caught up shortly

Remember though, I don't have any sponsor-ships so I don't get swayed one way or another

Bear hunting I don't know yet, I'm heading up with Wylee tomorrow for the First time to check on the stash we set up last week. There are some pictures in the BEar section under "Bear Pics from Today".

 

[Bambi_fan]

I got my stats directy from the Fish and game themselves. They compiled the stats for the meetings.

You lost me on the sponsor-ship thing what are you talking about?

Remember you are meeting with the states Biologist. (Whats best for them to keep their jobs, rev. money flow.).

you might consider meeting with an indapendent biologist.

Let me ask you this how is killing 700 to 1400 of one age class (forked horns, the young dumb deer)) going to help the deer in the owyhees It hasn't worked in other states , why does Idaho think it would work here.

Yeah, it desplaces 2500 hunters from your area, but that still doesn't justify it.