Get Better Mule Deer Hunting

[LONE HUNTER]

I kinda wish rather then going full crazy on rifles they just said red dots or 1x just like muzzy. Could still use our current rifles and it neuters them plenty well. Not sure gun smiths even know how to drill and tap for open sights anymore (kidding of course). Oh well guess we will see how things go on the cache unit
!

 

[HighUintas]

I kinda wish rather then going full crazy on rifles they just said red dots or 1x just like muzzy. Could still use our current rifles and it neuters them plenty well. Not sure gun smiths even know how to drill and tap for open sights anymore (kidding of course). Oh well guess we will see how things go on the cache unit
!

I think is a huge difference between a 1x cross hair scope and old school iron sights though. I bet someone with a flat shooting CF cartridge could still kill cleanly out to 400.

Regardless, I think it's a really interesting idea and am looking forward to the results even though I'm on the fence as to how much difference it will actually make in the population and size of bucks.

 

[LONE HUNTER]

I think is a huge difference between a 1x cross hair scope and old school iron sights though. I bet someone with a flat shooting CF cartridge could still kill cleanly out to 400.

Regardless, I think it's a really interesting idea and am looking forward to the results even though I'm on the fence as to how much difference it will actually make in the population and size of bucks.

I mean maybe, but i've hunted plenty with a 1x and hitting past 200 is mucho hard. Same with a red dot. Some fancy peep sight would probably be better than a 1x. The point isn't to make it impossible, just reduce harvest. Most guys aren't shooting past 250 yards with a 1x. especially anyone older than about 40 years old (eye sight becomes a player).

I agree on it being an interesting idea too though. If it shows positive results maybe I will end up liking it>

 

[HighUintas]

I mean maybe, but i've hunted plenty with a 1x and hitting past 200 is mucho hard. Same with a red dot. Some fancy peep sight would probably be better than a 1x. The point isn't to make it impossible, just reduce harvest. Most guys aren't shooting past 250 yards with a 1x. especially anyone older than about 40 years old (eye sight becomes a player).

I agree on it being an interesting idea too though. If it shows positive results maybe I will end up liking it>

Really? That is surprising . I haven't used or looked through a fixed 1x, so I am just basing my thoughts on a 2x variable I used to have. I'll make sure to check one out next time I'm at the sporting goods store.

red dots.... I've never used one that I would actually take hunting unless it was an up close fast action type of hunt, like hogs maybe.

 

[CorbLand]

I kinda wish rather then going full crazy on rifles they just said red dots or 1x just like muzzy. Could still use our current rifles and it neuters them plenty well. Not sure gun smiths even know how to drill and tap for open sights anymore (kidding of course). Oh well guess we will see how things go on the cache unit
!

If I remember correctly, it was talked about in one of the RAC meetings, believe it was the Northern. The general consensus was that even with 1X scopes was that you would have the ability to dial.

More than variable powers scopes, rangefinders coupled with the ability to dial, in my opinion, is what has largely made the biggest difference. I remember trying to shoot animals at 500 yards, guessing how far and how much to hold over. You hoped that you saw the dust kick up on shot one. Now, you range, wait for your rangefinder to tell you how much to dial, turn the turret, hold and shoot.

 

[venado mula]

Not specific to Utah, I’m a MT resident, but a subject that hits close to home.

@robby denning

I was a little surprised to hear your thoughts on rut hunting in Idaho. I’m all about opportunity, but it can definitely go too far. MT is a great example of that. General season tags that go until late November every year is devastating to buck populations. It’s getting to the point where 115” 3x3 are considered “nice shooters” by locals. A 140” 4x4 is called a “big deer” Not an exaggeration. Based on reactions I’ve seen from most hunters, even very experienced locals, they’ve seen maybe one or two 170 class bucks in the last 10-20 years.

I’ve been discussing how this could be addressed with buddies, and have often appealed to how Idaho does things with their season dates. In my mind, an October season allows for lots of opportunity without crushing buck numbers…Even if we allowed the first week or so of November. But the 10-25 is a straight blood bath for 2-3 year old deer every year…

I’ve wondered if we did a 4-5 week season Oct 1-31, or even Oct 1- Nov 5/7. Then had a random lottery for an extended season rut hunt. 25% of tag holders (or something along those lines). Keeps opportunity, protects the younger deer allowing for some quality, spreads out hunting pressure and still gives great odds of having a rut hunt and good chance at older deer for the average hunter.

As noted in the podcast, these long season dates like we have in MT really do spread out hunting pressure. It’s amazing to see how animals respond and change behavior as the season progresses, both for archery and rifle.

Based on the fact that this thread exists, maybe it’s not enough. Other states have been far more proactive than MT about mule deer management, and are still in the same boat…


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I hope some day I will have the chance to hunt big bucks in MT with a rifle the first two weeks of October (I prefer this time to hunt them). They don't have to take anything away from the current season structure, although I don't believe in hunting bucks later than Nov.11th, they just have to shift the season a few weeks earlier. I used to work at FWP, it's all politics and the people making the decisions are not biologists and wildlife managers. They just put in a person from the AG industry, cows, oil, gas and profits outweigh quality of wildlife and their habitat. They won't change anything the next four years.

 

[venado mula]

Hey Jake, do you mean you were surprised that I support rut hunting?

If that’s what you meant, let me clarify that rut hunting can mean a lot of things. There’s an early rut from late October into roughly 10th of November—-that’s what I’m talking about.

Then there’s peak rut hunting. It goes from then until late November, and is a totally totally different game there.

It has to be more restrictive, but the early part of the rut I don’t think they are as vulnerable and could sustain some pressure then, especially if there was a weapons restriction of some sort

Does that clarify it?

I agree with Robby. The bucks and does go through at least three estrus periods between the time frame Robby is talking about (Oct 1-Nov 11, in MT anyway). I don't like hunting them after Nov. 11th. and I actually prefer to hunt them the last week of September/first two weeks of October. Our bucks here are hard horned by the first weekend of September. Anytime after that the bucks, from what I've seen, are more vulnerable from pre rut and mid rut exhaustion and as the rut gets more intense the bucks really become vulnerable and in my view is unfair. Interesting in my last four seasons, it is becoming warmer and warmer and some of the bucks seem to act like there is only one season and only stay in their summer range (I hunt remote places with my horses). I also agree that we are hunting bucks too far into the rut, but that can be mitigated by season shift. I used to work for FWP, and the politics run the department and they are not biologists or wildlife managers that are making the final decisions, so it may stay the same for the next four years. Water and the weather are far more important than the hunting right now in my view.

 

[robby denning]

....I used to work for FWP, and the politics run the department and they are not biologists or wildlife managers that are making the final decisions, so it may stay the same for the next four years. Water and the weather are far more important than the hunting right now in my view.

that way in many departments. When I talk to the actual bios, I find we agree more than disagree

Thanks for chiming in Steve!