Pronghorn's Status Across the West

[406life]

If the population is declining, why do they offer doe tags?


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Some states are statutorily required to issue tags, which is a hurdle to be sure.

 

[Reburn]

North east new mexico has been hit really hard. Game wardens are saying closer to a 60% decline in our areas.

@fngTony can this post get stickied please? I think this is relevant.

 

[cowboybart]

I haven't drawn a buck tag in 10 years. WY does give me a doe tag every year though?? They also limit that the doe must be taken on irrigated land. I don't understand the logic, but I need meat in my freezer. I'm not much of an elk hunter - too old of a back to back them out. We got rid of the horses a number of years ago, but I may go back in that direction if I have to hunt elk. Pronghorn was my gig, maybe that will change.

 

[manitou1]

If the population is declining, why do they offer doe tags?


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$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[wyodog]

In south Wyoming we have been in 15-20 year drought. This is definitely putting a burden on the pronghorn. In 2020 and 2021 the antelope were dying in large numbers from Blue Tounge, which is cause by drinking water with certain bacteria in it. Blue tounge mortality is more significant in drought conditions. The heads that were exposed to blue tounge had significantly declined prior to the winter of 2022.
We were guiding antelope hunters in 2020/21 and each day while afield we would find new carcasses in places that didn’t have carcasses the day before. We were watching the herd die off right in front of our eyes.

 

[manitou1]

In south Wyoming we have been in 15-20 year drought. This is definitely putting a burden on the pronghorn. In 2020 and 2021 the antelope were dying in large numbers from Blue Tounge, which is cause by drinking water with certain bacteria in it. Blue tounge mortality is more significant in drought conditions. The heads that were exposed to blue tounge had significantly declined prior to the winter of 2022.
We were guiding antelope hunters in 2020/21 and each day while afield we would find new carcasses in places that didn’t have carcasses the day before. We were watching the herd die off right in front of our eyes.

Yeah, we came acrossed dead pronghorn everywhere those years also.
A travesty.

Yet they still keep over selling tags and selling doe tags.

 

[WRO]

North east new mexico has been hit really hard. Game wardens are saying closer to a 60% decline in our areas.

@fngTony can this post get stickied please? I think this is relevant.

The unlimited private tags are a disaster..


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[Reburn]

The unlimited private tags are a disaster..


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We will have to disagree on this respectfully.

Private tags didnt kill off the numbers that are missing in the areas I'm speaking of. For obvious reasons I wont disclose unit numbers.

 

[WRO]

We will have to disagree on this respectfully.

Private tags didnt kill off the numbers that are missing in the areas I'm speaking of. For obvious reasons I wont disclose unit numbers.

The kill level on bucks has gone up 5 fold in the last 5 years on the surrounding properties and I’m guessing does are being killed off at a similar rate.

Prior to unlimited lo tags, I rarely saw another hunter, now I see them every day.

Regardless it’s a not good and NMFG needs to do something.

 

[Reburn]

The kill level on bucks has gone up 5 fold in the last 5 years on the surrounding properties and I’m guessing does are being killed off at a similar rate.

Prior to unlimited lo tags, I rarely saw another hunter, now I see them every day.

Regardless it’s a not good and NMFG needs to do something.

Can RES buy over the counter doe tags in NM?

As a NON RES a mature buck is the only tag that is avaliable OTC for me.

 

[WRO]

Can RES buy over the counter doe tags in NM?

As a NON RES a mature buck is the only tag that is avaliable OTC for me.

There are some, besides youth, which I think are issued as damage tags.

 

[Reburn]

There are some, besides youth, which I think are issued as damage tags.

Ok so as I thought all doe tags issued by the state except unit 32 dec 01-15 where you can buy OTC private land tag.

So fair to say landowners arent wholesale killing does unless depredatation under a pivot. Thats not the majority of landowners.

 

[406life]

My original post was to share some of the current research on pronghorn. There is still a lot to know more on and good research and management being done. I'd ask that this conversation stay focused there with more studies and publications on PH being discussed.

 

[WRO]

Ok so as I thought all doe tags issued by the state except unit 32 dec 01-15 where you can buy OTC private land tag.

So fair to say landowners arent wholesale killing does unless depredatation under a pivot. Thats not the majority of landowners.

They’re probably not, that being said if you remove a shit load of bucks, the predators still have to eat. I’m guessing the does are whole sale feeling that added pressure.


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[displacedtexan]

I haven't drawn a buck tag in 10 years. WY does give me a doe tag every year though?? They also limit that the doe must be taken on irrigated land. I don't understand the logic, but I need meat in my freezer. I'm not much of an elk hunter - too old of a back to back them out. We got rid of the horses a number of years ago, but I may go back in that direction if I have to hunt elk. Pronghorn was my gig, maybe that will change.

If you're not drawing with 10 points and "need" the meat... That's your own fault.

 

[roadrunner]

The small red circle in northwest NM is easily explained. NMDGF wanted to thin the scattered herds that was doing very well. They went from I believe 8 tags; 5 archery and 3 any legal weapon; 7 "adult" and 1 youth to 30 in one year.

The archery hunts were a 100% kill rate as these pronghorn were not hunted much and you could all but literally walk up to one on a wellpad. Rifle hunts are self explanatory on success rates. The 1 youth tag was ES and had a mix of 50/50 on buck and doe harvest.

It was common to see 80" bucks taken yearly. My daughter was lucky enough to get the 1 youth tag the year before they increased and shot a 79".

Now you are lucky to see a handful here and there, so overhunting is the culprit.

 

[pirogue]

The numbers across Wyoming have dropped steadily for the last 15-20 years
It is a sad thing to see

That does sound sad. Spent a lot of time back there about 20 years ago. Got a shoulder mount of a buck I got near Lusk, and when someone asks, where I got it, I reply, “the least populated county of the least populated state of the United States.

 

[Pro953]

A lot of what is mentioned here is the boom-bust cycle of the population. What would be interesting to see is the distribution as well. I have a feeling not only is the overall population shrinking due to hard winters, blue tongue etc… I would bet they are recovering slower due to the smaller range of distribution.


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[Trial153]

Pronghorn, Moose, Mule Deer Caribou, Sheep, Buffalo…The list goes on.

What’s not on the slide ? Humans

 

[displacedtexan]

A lot of what is mentioned here is the boom-bust cycle of the population. What would be interesting to see is the distribution as well. I have a feeling not only is the overall population shrinking due to hard winters, blue tongue etc… I would bet they are recovering slower due to the smaller range of distribution.


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Where's the booms?