2011 big game season date propolsal

[bluemohawk]

This just came up on the dwr's site. Has anyone else reviewed this. Wow, If this goes through it looks like my big game hunting in utah is over.

[url "http://wildlife.utah.gov/dwr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&catid=39:hunting&id=177:hunts2011"]http://wildlife.utah.gov/dwr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&catid=39:hunting&id=177:hunts2011[/url]

You can leave feed back but they need to add the question that if these changes are made do you still plan to hunt big game in utah.
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[HookJaw_Brimhall]

Cool! One less hunter to worry about [cool]
Just kiddin man, what are your problems with it?

My only complaint is that the deer and elk wont get much of a break during the season. I do like the idea of breaking up the rifle hunt so there are less people. I don't see a huge difference in how things will go down, other than 2 general deer seasons.

As far as LE elk hunts go, archers are getting hooked up and everything else is about the same. Nothing really to complain about on my end.
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[bluemohawk]

Well.... Im not going to go into great detail but having both the deer and elk hunts run consecutive isnt good. I did like the buck bull combo that they were offering before. Only because it was for a small area and it didnt really effect the elk hunting. They are saying it would reduce the amount of deer hunters which is true. But when you ad the elk hunters you still have alot of orange on the hill at the same time.
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[HookJaw_Brimhall]

You're right, there will be hunters out for 2 months straight and the animals won't get a break. I agree with you on that. It will make for hard hunting in the future as those big bucks will all turn nocturnal.
I guess it really doesn't affect me because I usually hunt archery deer and muzzy elk. The first deer hunt of the year and the last elk hunt of the year.
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[fairwayphilly]

I kind of like it. I think the idea of a slit rifle season is long over due. There are so many hunters afield during the general deer hunt that it is almost not safe.
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[bluemohawk]

They will be having the elk hunt at the same time. So how does this reduce the number of hunters afield????
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[BigBuck3333]

you guys wear orange?[][][][][]
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[bluemohawk]

Well... just my underwear!!
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[HookJaw_Brimhall]

[quote bluemohawk]They will be having the elk hunt at the same time. So how does this reduce the number of hunters afield????[/quote]

Well that depends on where you hunt. If you are hunting an area with elk in it, you will have company. Most people will choose to hunt an area that's not a general elk area. I would hunt deer on the LE elk areas, that will give you some room.
On the other hand some people are going to want to get both tags and try to kill two birds with one stone. I would stay as far away from the general elk units as possible that time of year. It's going to be nuts!
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[bluemohawk]

Thats my point!!
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[Jethro]

How about instead of limiting hunting time, why doesn't the DWR start to limit the size of buck taken. Say 3 point or better!!!
I hunted an area two years ago that 13 small two point bucks where taken during the season. Just thing 13 4 points the next year to see.

I would take a year or two off to hunt larger bucks.
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[bluemohawk]

I agree with you there aswell, it would also increase the herd. And also when the dwr realized that the herd was hit hard again with a second hard winter. They didnt reduce the amount of hunters in the field but just shortened the season. That doesnt make sense to me either. But like everyone has been saying its the money thing.
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[HookJaw_Brimhall]

Many states have tried the "3 point or better" thing and it doesn't work very well.

In my opinion two words would solve it all..........
"Micro Managment"

Divide all the regions into small units. Divided the LE units into smaller units, and allocate a sufficent number of tags for each weapon. For example, the Ogden and Cache areas are hurting for deer pops. The Morgan and Rich county areas are doing great, but the tag allocation for the general season are for the whole Northern Region. Different areas need different managment. The Morgan/Rich areas have excellent winter range, while the Cache and Ogden have crap. But yet we still give out tags to the Northern Region as one big region.
If the DWR would adpot the micro managment idea, things would improve big time. Look at Colorado!!!
People would have a better chance at drawing a tag and they would have less pressure in that area. In my opinion it's a "WIN WIN" situation. Instead of just a few units, we would have hundreds of options and better management for our herds.
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[bluemohawk]

Many states have tried the "3 point or better" thing and it doesn't work very well.

It works great when the herd is depleated and there is no mature bucks to breed with (any general season area in utah is like this). So Im not sure how you think it doesn't work well.

I agree that different area's have specific needs and it seems to me that the only areas that there is any real managment are the limited entry areas.
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[cadresults]

Ready HJB 's post. It makes sense.

A 3 point or better is not the answer IMO. And keep in mind that I have zero desire to ever kill a two point.

Micro managing satisfies the needs of most trophy hunters. Also, it can still allow specific areas to have larger amounts of deer taken and other areas (trophy), to have less deer to harvest. Those that want trophy quality, can apply for these areas.

Its easy to say, "manage everything for quality". We must keep in mind that youth need opportunities to hunt and be involved. If a youth hunter only gets a tag every five years, they will lose interest.

Utahs deer herd is trouble and things need to change. Here are some of my ideas:

20-30 units for deer statewide

4-5 youth only hunts

10-15 trophy units with very limited tag numbers.

10+ units with more amounts of tags (for the meat hunters).

Still if all deer units would be better off as "preference point only" in lieu of "bonus points". Its a hard decision IMO.

I love to hunt. I apply in a lot of western states, for a lot of different species. However, IMO its all about the future of youth and their opportunites. They are the future. Therefore, I want to keep them involved and active hunting. When I am old and unable to hunt, they will be here to fight for our hunting rights.
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[bluemohawk]

interesting.
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[BigBuck3333]

and you can start getting a lot of bad genes in the pool, deer that are destened to be 2 points there whole life,23 and 24 inch 2 points are not the answere.
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[bluemohawk]

oh, so the herds wont change then?
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[cadresults]

The bottom line is many of the posters have some good points. I will never say that I have all the answers or that I am 100%. However, I am sure we agree on one thing:
The current DWR management for deer is not working.

I hope changes are made. Mule Deer are at a very fragile point and I hope the herd can recover...
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[bluemohawk]

I do agree with you, 100%. I also agree with some of the statments above aswell. I just like to see people back up there statements. I dont like knee jerk responses.
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