From your own arguments hear-
Limit season/duration (opportunity)= people being more serious. That’s fact.
Focus on “trophy”= more hunters being very serious about it. That is a fact.
Less total animals= people looking for any advantage they can get. That is a fact.
Have heightened technology available= people turn to technology and to gain an advantage and increaee success.
Limit season/duration and opportunity= people being more concerned and fixated on gear and technology. That is a fact.
Artificial drive to promote/pump up western hunting via common social media platform= more people that take it serious, AND a brand new artificial population to backfill lost hunters every year. That is a fact.
Now the real kicker…
Because of reduced opportunity and the artificial “drive” to promote western hunting as cool, the love of technology in humans, and the drive for technology to increase success or make it easier, and companies marketing to sell product, and social media (mostly YouTube and instagram) driving the desire or “need” to share or gain followers for individuals= all of that combines to drive people to look at areas and species they never would otherwise, buy gear they never would otherwise, research like they never would otherwise, scout like never would otherwise, and hunt like they never would otherwise.
Interestingly, take away technology and much the artificial “market” around all of this goes away. The conversation is t about whitetails that live anywhere and everywhere- it’s specifically about mule deer. Mule deer are dumb. Well, let’s say “out of time evolutionarily”. They are not the same skittishness as WT’s and they do not rebound like WT’s. The pressure has to give- and I’m not saying that technology is the greatest driver behind numbers- there are several things that need to be done. However, it does play a very large part of what we can control. And that is with all weapons- archery, muzzle loaders, and modern rifles.
All true, as far as I can tell*.
My biggest points on the issue are this:
1) I don't have any problems with iron-only seasons,
if they're akin to another season like archery or MZ. It's another option for a tag I'd jump at, giving more opportunity for those who want to take the chance, voluntarily.
2) Completely disagree with iron-only zones for whole seasons, for the slippery-slope issues and strategic protection of our hunting and firearms rights I've outlined in a couple of posts above. It sets extremely bad precedent, easily abused through arbitrary political fiat - especially in places politically unfriendly to hunters.
3) There genuinely does need to be consideration in tag restrictions for youngest and oldest hunters, and those with legit disabilities. A 12yo girl, a 75yo who can't use irons anymore because of eyes, a vet who lost a leg and is getting around on a prosthetic - let these people hunt with whatever modern rifle they want, and leave the other seasons for the young, fit, and dedicated. It's very much still fair-chase in this context.
4) In the Utah context of whole-zone bans on optics - that's not the kind of thing that should be tolerated as a "pilot project" to gather data or experiment. Not broadcloth on a whole zone like that. It sets precedent and opens things up for unbelievable abuses of power - especially in places not politically favorable to hunters. If the stated goals are to be believed, then that data can and should be gathered through hunter surveys. Done well, especially in partnership with a place like BYU with competent researchers less likely to be politically biased, the info on who is successful and why (tech factors, scouting days in field, cartridge, misses, total shots fired, total years hunting, hours glassing, etc, etc) could be
incredibly illuminating about what actually leads to success. Decisions like this need to be done based on hard data
first though. Not experiments that set dangerous restrictive precedent by fiat, based on assumptions, feelsies, or politics.
*MD bucks over 4yrs old tend to get extremely intelligent if they're in areas pressured by hunters and predators, but they're almost like a different species at that point, that doesn't detract from your point.
