southern interior mule deer strategy?

[boxhitch]

after all what do I know?

Can't speak for others but I don't know what you know. Tried to learn but you won't share your sources, your basis for your pov
Lots of your input is contrary to science and popular belief, but you claim to be part of a larger group.
Many good factual points supported by science have been brought up to show how you are no right in some of your beliefs, yet the rhetoric continues.
Lots of open minds on HBC are interested in some background info
To tell hunters they need to give something up for no sound reason won't garner much support

[bownut]

Can't speak for others but I don't know what you know. Tried to learn but you won't share your sources, your basis for your pov
Lots of your input is contrary to science and popular belief, but you claim to be part of a larger group.
Many good factual points supported by science have been brought up to show how you are no right in some of your beliefs, yet the rhetoric continues.
Lots of open minds on HBC are interested in some background info
To tell hunters they need to give something up for no sound reason won't garner much support

I was asked for my views on it and thats all, you can continue with the olds quotes on rhetoric, but remember one thing, " The Dumbest Guy In The Room Sometimes Comes Up With The Best Answer"

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Yes the wildfire of 03 did benefit the wildlife for a few years , but think the hunters benefited more. Boom , bust + cycle . How is it been in the last few years ???

The hunters have still been benefitting that past years....just the four-legged kind.

[bownut]

The hunters have still been benefitting that past years....just the four-legged kind.

So what has that told you, science aside we need to open our own yes when we are out there and gain knowledge of general facts, laws, and relationships and obtain them through systematic observation,
Leave the experiments to the biologist and become a part of the science.

Carry a log book a count the game, make note of where they are, look at what they are eating, study their behaviour changes and ask yourself why, and be prepared to challenge the people around you.
Through our passion to hunt we can sometimes gain a better understanding of the ground study needed and when we add it to the experiments being done, we should come up with the best results.

Rhetoric is a poisonous title it closes many doors.

[Fisher-Dude]

" The Dumbest Guy In The Room Sometimes Comes Up With The Best Answer"

Not from what I've seen.

Proof is on these pages.

[Ourea]

Not from what I've seen.

Proof is on these pages.

Ok, that has me laughing.
Usually ur too busy being a prick to be funny.

One for Fisher-Dude!

[Ourea]

Bownut, there are some very bright minded and passionate hunters out there.
Some spend close to half the yr in the field scouting, quantifying inventory.
They see the swings, the ebbs and the flows.
They are consistently successful because they "know" their prey.
They know the land, the habitat, the animals.

With all due respect a lot of what you purport to be a new way of thinking is, in ur own words, "rhetoric".
The drivers in wildlife health and numbers are well defined.
The problems will continue yet here we are kicking a dead horse, just looking for a new spot to kick it.

The "driver" for solution to wildlife challenges comes back to a sustainable funding model.

Habitat enhancement.
Increasing public awareness.
More research and updated science based conclusions.
FN education.
Road deactivation.
The list goes on.....

None of this happens until money goes on the table.
$$$ need to be invested in the resource.

Being the tallest midget in the room doesn't change the fact a person is still a midget.
Arguing the same old shit that has been pushed forward endlessly is not on the radar as a solution.

30,000 ft view chief......
As the true solution continues to gain traction and hopefully comes to fruition.....get on board.
Analyze until ur paralyzed approach will fix f**k all.

[Rupert Retired]

Well, after 46 pages of this, I am exhaused reading all this, as well as I don't think anyone can contribute anything that hasn't been said before. However, here goes:

Establishing exact harvest numbers might be a nice thing to know, but does you absolutely no good whatsoever when managing a species. You need the total population, then total (annual) removal, which total harvest are one aspect. Since you may be able to assume that other removals are pretty well consistent year-to-year (ie predation (questionable, with the spread of wolves), starvation, old age, new births), that may get you to hunting harvest rates. There is all kinds of liturature about what harvest rates species in the wild can withstand. So, remember when lobbying for expensive programs that will establish total harvest, the money may be better spent on establishing total population instead.

[boxhitch]

Why the focus on exact population numbers?

First off, it can`t happen as there will never be enough money or proper timing to get it all. Concider the scope of trying to find all of any species.
Second off, until someone tries to create a magical perfect total number to strive for, knowing whats there or what is taken is pointless.

Establishing what a proper herd structure looks like for best potential of newborn recruitment is do-able. Monitoring example herds and extrapolating over models tell us what the pop. potential is like
Said models have to be accurate and paint a clear picture of habitat suitability and level of holding capacity.

Study the lands, find the gaps, patch the flaws, and the critter numbers will take care of themselves.

Not countering you , RR ), just the idea

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Went for a hike today into one of the burns that I figured would be producing pretty good by now. I hadn't hunted the area since a couple years before the fire (late season archery area) but used to see only mule deer.

Today it was whitetail after whitetail after whitetail after whitetail....and so on. Never saw a single mule deer.

Surprised me a bit.

Went for another hike in the same area yesterday. My Foxpro crapped out so I spent more time behind the glass.
Saw ~50 Whities, 40 mulies and a cow and calf moose. This was in a pretty small area. Not sure if the crusty snow pushed the mulies lower or maybe it was the fact that I was more of a viewer than an interractor than previous visit?

Either way burns on winter range can't be all that bad. The browse in there is pretty amazing and the deer seem to think so too.

Just one hunter's observations.

SSS