Mule Deer and Antler point restrictions

[coach]

Funding, habitat, predator management.. Continue to ignore these issues and the only thing left to do will be to further manage hunters..

[coach]

Antler restrictions, especially on Mule deer, can be an successful management tool if used effectively over a period of time while still allowing for hunting opportunities.

Can you give us some examples of where this strategy has been successful?

[Darksith]

you can't simply blame the hunters for the decline of the deer either though. The wolf explosion is probably a huge part of why some deer populations are shrinking. I would rather see restrictions on weapon types rather than a shortened season. In BC especially we have a lot of opportunities, but in order for us hunters to take advantage of those opportunities, you need a long season, or you need to stagger those seasons. If there was a muzzle loader only season like there is a bow season, that would seriously limit the number of people that are taking advantage of that time. Also what about a reverse hunting season? Something like the spike fork season for moose, one could have a <4point season which would take the focus off of the breeding population. As stated though, you can have a 10:100 buck doe ratio and still get 90% of does bred, so whats the problem other than possibly that the hunting season is too long and too many animals are being harvested

[horshur]

Goat posted a link to a whole bunch of papers you all should read some of them... really........

[Wild one]

Funding, habitat, predator management.. Continue to ignore these issues and the only thing left to do will be to further manage hunters..

These are all things that should be looked at I agree but with habitat and predators being an issue it would be wise to control hunter harvest till these issues are addressed in my opinion.

For funding lobbying for a set % of the revenue created from tag, license, and draw sales to go straight to wildlife management issues. Even if it causes a slight increase in the cost of these items it would be worth it.

Habitat issues will bring you back to funding. If you have the funding than you need to lobby for the right to be able to alter the habitat in each area. To keep cost down on each project recruit volunteers. Unfortunately with the govt in places I don't see them taking on these projects. This is where hunters and outdoorsmen need to step up and lobby for the rights to take on some habitat projects

With predator issues the govt is going to tip toe around this problem as long as they can and odds are you will see no results from them. Because of this it leaves very few options. Support getting trappers out on the traplines and promoting predator hunting is all we have at this time.


In the end the only way I can see getting some results on these issues is if outdoorsmen work on lobbying for the funding and rights to take on some of the projects. This also involves outdoorsmen willing to get out and work on projects. Bringing these issues up with govt officials wanting them to deal with it will most likely only cause them to push it under the rug well they deal with what they see as priority. I learned long ago if you want to see results with govt officials you need to show them how to deal with the issue with as little effort as possible from their end.


All this will take a lot of work but you need to start with the funding issue before you push for the rest

[RiverOtter]

These are all things that should be looked at I agree but with habitat and predators being an issue it would be wise to control hunter harvest till these issues are addressed in my opinion.

So in other words, screw habitat enhancement and give the wolves more Mule deer to help them through the winter......

As has been pointed out, about a jazillion times, hunter harvest has increasingly been controlled since the 60's, yet the MD continue to decline. Might just be time to listen to the bio's for a change, while we still have some deer to work with.......

[Sitkaspruce]

I agree with everything you said other than we are not the problem. We are part of the problem there is no doubt. I think winters and predators (Humans and the four legged kind) are the biggest contributing factor to deer population decline but there comes a time when we have to step back and implement some form of restrictions/management which may include reducing the harvest opportunities and I'm all for it. M

Mule deer are at a level in the Peace where they should be getting rig of the antlerless LEH and Im glad to see it back to four point restriction to allow for a recovery for a few years. I would rather see a healthy population in a 5 year time span with limited hunting opportunities than continue to have sub-mediocre mule deer hunting and low population numbers. As long as the restrictions are revised once the populations return then Im all for it.

Antler restrictions, especially on Mule deer, can be an successful management tool if used effectively over a period of time while still allowing for hunting opportunities.

WE do not take enough deer to affect populations. It is pretty simple, hunters are NOT the problem. There is simple too much country where we CANNOT hunt, especially up here, but pretty well everywhere, and those populations are still having problems. Habitat, preds and a govenment that does'nt want to practice good scientific wildlife management are a way bigger concern than hunters.

As GG has posted, antler restrictions will not save our MD, they are social restrictions that allow hunters to think they will have deer later and so they will not get involved in what really matters. "Out of sight, out of mind" thought process when we put AR on deer, hunters and clubs think that the problem will be solved and do nothing else to help.

Squeege, how do you think us just shooting 4 points and putting pressure on just 4 points will help MD??

Cheers

SS

[Wild one]

So in other words, screw habitat enhancement and give the wolves more Mule deer to help them through the winter......

As has been pointed out, about a jazillion times, hunter harvest has increasingly been controlled since the 60's, yet the MD continue to decline. Might just be time to listen to the bio's for a change, while we still have some deer to work with.......

All for improving the main issues if you read the whole post. The problem is you will not see over night results with the main issues so in the mean time it would be good to take some pressure off declining mule deer numbers. Hunters are not helping the issue if they think they can keep taking the same amount of deer out of a declining population. Hunters may not have a large impact but we still do effect the population if it is 1 deer or 1000s.

The reality of it is Outdoorsmen need to get on the same page and target one of the major issues at a time. As I stated start with finding a way to generate revenue to get these projects done. No different then if you want to start a personal project if you don't have the resources to get it done it will never get started.

We see the issues now we need to find away to reach the solution. Going in and saying I want this and that done rarely gets results especially when you have too many demands. As I tell my kids if you have an issue you need work on how to solve it not demand others to do it for you.

[RiverOtter]

Then riddle me this....

If hunters are allotted next to no doe tags and the existing does are getting bred, the population should be stable or increasing. No?

Further, if the existing does are already getting bred, how is harvesting LESS bucks than we currently harvest going to make the does anymore pregnant.......?

[dana]

This is a constant merry go round on this site. Read the links people!!!