Substance?

[Moosie]

I was joking with the Sponsorship joke..

As far as the killing of 700-1400 deer I think that leaves alot of deer left ? It leaves the 3 points, the 4 points... Etc. They aren't takeing any Does out of the area either (That I know of). And 100 tags for big bucks that don't all get taken.

I think we need to look at the 4 main variables in the owyhees that cause problems. 1. Habitat 2. Ranchers (Over grazing) 3. Access (4-wheelers/offroaders) 4.limits of deer.

You ask how killing 700-1400 deer helps. So I guess I wonder what you propose ? Should we set that area up as a draw? limit it to 50 people and send the other 3-4 thousand people to other spots maybe more ? (As you know, people hunt that unit and don't put it down on the unit to hunt, they use it as a Backup, easy, close unit during the season)? MAybe push more people in Unit 39, lack of hunters there

Or maybe just not give the average hunter a place to go. The one reason I like the 2 point hunt is I know alot of people that take their kids down there to hunt too. It's a good spot to hike and not kill your kid on a hunt with actually access and a change on getting something.

I'm not argueing, I'm learning here. So tell me what the Best plan is for that unit. Since I'm the President of DHI, I can change things... HEll, you (If anyone) should know that

 

[danr55]

You guys all need to do some more home work. You need to expand your search area to inlcude statistics for the last 90 or so years. What you will find is that mule deer population, like the weather, is cyclic. (Gee??) We are currently in the 12th year of a decline that is predicted to continue for about 22 to 28 years, given no changes in habitat or weather..(except we could end this 9 years of drought..) which we all know is not going to happen. Given the encroachment on mulie habitat by man, elk, domestic live stock, and white tail deer, it is entirely possible we are watching the disappearance of the Western Mule Deer as we know it. Check a book called Mule and Black Tail Deer of North America. It explains the cyclic nature of the mule deer. There have been numerous studies done on mule deer habitat and the damage that it is suffering. One done recently in Oregon showed that as the elk moved away from the roaded areas of a specific region, the mulies moved in. Not so much because they liked the area, but because the elk moved away from the roads and into the area the mulies had occupied. Mulies do not like sharing habitat with large numbers of critters.

 

[Oak]

Oscar, one year ago I would have bet you would NEVER make a statement like this:

I think we need to look at the 4 main variables in the owyhees that cause problems. 1. Habitat 2. Ranchers (Over grazing) 3. Access (4-wheelers/offroaders) 4.limits of deer.

Heck, you didn't even know what that big "H" word was, did you?

Sounds like you're getting neck deep in the good stuff now.

Oak

 

[Bambi_fan]

Moosie

Know one said we had to go to a controlled hunt with 50 tags! Did I say that? I don't think so! Even a general 4 point or better hunt would be better then a forky hunt. Anyone can kill a forky, but give that deer a few years to smartin up then let the average guy try it. Not as many of them would be successful, However, a controlled hunt with 500 tags (even youth if you so desire) would help the units greatly.

It was 2500 hundred hunters in your first post, now i see its jumped to 4000. i agree thats alot of hunters to disperse. Buy the way are you worried about your hunting spot or the mule deer. HEHEHE You said it not me.

Didn't you say there were 15000 less hunters in I daho this year. Maybe some of them used to hunt the S.W. region, thats why the deer are coing back over the last to years down there and why there was only 700 killed instead of the 1300 from years past.

Danr55
Thats a great book, Wallmo Did a great job with that book. alittle slow reading at times but, all around a great read. I don't rember the part about the cycle you are refering to. Could you let me in on the chapter or page.
Its been a year or two since I've thumbed through it. There might be a low in the cycle right now but, there are things we can do to help the deer out. Thanks for bringing us back down to earth.

Moosie
Thanks for the key board work out. Talk to you tomorrow.