Let them grow?

[AHayes111]

My personal belief is that passing on nice bucks is basically just grandstanding. If you don’t shoot that deer then someone else probably will. Stop acting like you are god and your almighty decision will change the future. Now we can encourage everyone to change their behavior and that would be effective but to be realistic that just won’t happen. If you want to make a difference then get involved in conservation and lobby your game commission to control harvest in a way to promote the growth of big deer.

Passing on nice bucks is a personal decision. Some times it works out, most of the time it doesn't. People should be able to shoot any buck they want. Just don't complain to me that you can not find a 180 if you can not lay off of a three year old 160.

 

[Scottf270]

I believe residents should kill what they want. But any non resident who pays $800 for a Montana deer tag, as an example, and says they hunt for the meat is full of crap.
If you get 100 lbs of meat out of a young buck, you're at $8.00 a lb without other expenses. Don't make excuses. Just say, " I payed a lot of money for this tag and I'm gonna kill something."

 

[cnelk]

 

[mt terry d]

45 # meat is what you’ll get off a decent buck around here if you don’t ruin any

 

[Hnthrdr]

45 # meat is what you’ll get off a decent buck around here if you don’t ruin any

I was gonna say on the couple of mature older bucks I’ve killed they both were 100 lbs + a bit hanging weight bone in quarters and scrap meat at the butcher. I deal with straps and loins on my own… so guys shooting a dink, you maybe get 60lbs of meat off him?

 

[WCB]

If the game management experts we employ at the cost of millions of dollars a year determine the herd in a certain area needs bucks of any size killed shouldn’t we kill them ?

maybe, maybe not. Sister's ranch in MT is now in an area highly restricting Mule Deer doe harvest because they expanded the unit. The new part of the unit yes 100% very few Mule Deer. The original area of the unit is loaded with mule deer and every year the ranchers are counting more on their land.

I personally see zero reason or have zero desire to shoot MD does BUT the MTFWP reason is because up in xyz part of the unit the mule deer are really low.

 

[nidahobrushswimmer]

It is all personal choice. For me it boils down to time. As my kids get older (I have five of them) and are hunting more themselves, I choose to spend more of my time taking them vs. hunting for myself. I shot a nice 5x6 whitetail the other day. Probably only a 3.5 yr old buck. Two things though; I only spent two days of my time off to fill both my tags, so now I get more than a weeks worth to take my kids. Also, do I believe 90% of the hunters in this unit would have killed that buck given the opportunity? Absolutely. I’m perfectly content shooting similar deer for myself until my kids are older or don’t want to hunt with dad anymore.

Edit: yes I know this thread is about mule deer but I think it applies to really any deer/elk conservation.

 

[manitou1]

20,000. That’s funny

True... I think it was more just shy of 18,000 NR tags issued.

 

[manitou1]

I have confidence that this is not happening in SE MT. Guess it depends on what a person considers a great buck.

I do, as a resident and heve never drawn a LE deer tag to date.