Mule deer study in the Okanagan

[Wild one]

Not that I want to take away from the thinking here, as I do believe younger bucks do group up with does "much sooner"
Sadly, this is all I saw in Novemer as well, on a couple of trips, fyi (4 separate 2pt's, all with atleast 6 does in each group)

BUT.....
I thought with the 1MD LIMIT this past season being introduced, that I would see "LESS HUNTERS"..NOPE!!!
I actually saw more hunters during the Novemer/Dec 4 point season, especially the November long weekend.

What I am say is, some who may have taken 2 bucks in previous seasons, 1 being a meat buck I suspect, and then
the other to be a big boy attempt, have made a decision to "not hunt meat bucks"....

It would be very interesting to see how many "less" younger bucks were taken who are not 4 points are harvested in the
next few years "due to the 1 MD limit Change"!
I am betting due to this new limit, less young bucks will be taken.
We may "not need to shorten" that any buck season!!

I have no clue what kind of stats are out there, as to MD harvest, and how many are taken that are not 4 point as
compared to 4 pt in a season.
Maybe they don't exist???

I think the 1 MD change has already changed some hunters thinking and is changing what age bucks are taken because of it.
I bet you there is going to be a decline in the amount of any bucks harvested, as some hunters will take more chances looking for the big one!

I think people...hunters need to realize that we just had a significant regulation change!!!
Does anyone expect that in 1 season of that change there is going to be dramatic changes to what you see out in the woods??!!
Give it some time folks.

More important right now is to figure out what is happening to the "offspring".
Why are they not there by "next season" after this season has ended???
FIX that, and then you will see a difference out there for the better!

I would agree with this ^^^

It will take time to see results from the change but they should be positive for population and hunting quality in the long run. I am a believer in the theory buck to doe ratios have an impact on fawn health but steps are taken to improve ratios

Fawn survival rate and factors involved are something I hope comes out in this study and I think we all expect predators are a factor