I’ve hunted MT as a NR consistently since 1993. I was happy to see most MD doe tags finally almost eliminated in SE MT recently. I have zero issue with dropping NR buck tag numbers now due to low populations on the east side. I fear it is not enough based on what I have seen where we have been hunting.
We’ve had access to 20 sections in the far SE for about 10 years. Always a good population of WT, MD and Antelope. That started to change with bad droughts 20/21 ish. Hemorrhagic outbreaks took down over 1/2 the game in that time. The winter of 22 pretty much finished them off. This is all private land and lightly hunted. Just 4-6 deer a year are taken. Where we’d see 150-200 WT/MD in a couple sections of mixed grass alfalfa, there were 15. The next year 7.
The problem in this area was not hunters, it was weather. All the adjoining ranches are in a similar place. Virtually no recruitment for several years off a terribly small remaining population. All it takes is coyotes or a couple cats to keep that small group small, aka a predator pit. 3 cats got taken out 2 years ago so that should help.
We have not hunted the ranch since fall 2021. It is going to take several more mild winters and adequate moisture for this area to have any hope. 2,500 fewer NR tags won’t hurt, but I fear it is not enough to help.
I 100% agree with mandatory reporting and management of tag numbers by unit/area. Without this, the recovery is likely to be long and drawn out in the worst hit areas, like we hunt in the SE. I hope I’m wrong as I really enjoy my SE MT hunting trips.
We’ve had access to 20 sections in the far SE for about 10 years. Always a good population of WT, MD and Antelope. That started to change with bad droughts 20/21 ish. Hemorrhagic outbreaks took down over 1/2 the game in that time. The winter of 22 pretty much finished them off. This is all private land and lightly hunted. Just 4-6 deer a year are taken. Where we’d see 150-200 WT/MD in a couple sections of mixed grass alfalfa, there were 15. The next year 7.
The problem in this area was not hunters, it was weather. All the adjoining ranches are in a similar place. Virtually no recruitment for several years off a terribly small remaining population. All it takes is coyotes or a couple cats to keep that small group small, aka a predator pit. 3 cats got taken out 2 years ago so that should help.
We have not hunted the ranch since fall 2021. It is going to take several more mild winters and adequate moisture for this area to have any hope. 2,500 fewer NR tags won’t hurt, but I fear it is not enough to help.
I 100% agree with mandatory reporting and management of tag numbers by unit/area. Without this, the recovery is likely to be long and drawn out in the worst hit areas, like we hunt in the SE. I hope I’m wrong as I really enjoy my SE MT hunting trips.
