This is why legislators should not be involved in Fish and Game matters.

[2buffalo]

I’m not against stopping antlerless hunts on a scientific basis. Pushing it through legislation is the same as ballot box biology. Every year the legislature introduces dumb bills, last year it was shoot a wolf and get a moose, goat or sheep tag. They also got lighted nocks through last year. They tried to strip muzzleloader restrictions last year and already have it in the works again this year.
Again let me reiterate, I’m not against closing antlerless hunts. I am against the legislature forcing it.

I have not been to Idaho since 2010 and don't have a dog in this fight. I am just curious if the biologists are saying this is a good idea or a bad idea?

 

[Andrew12gauge]

I have not been to Idaho since 2010 and don't have a dog in this fight. I am just curious if the biologists are saying this is a good idea or a bad idea?

I would say the biologists are in the bad idea camp


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[Customweld]

I’m also curious why or how unit 19 got coat tailed into this bill? You could draw a perimeter around all of the other units and there are no other units inside the perimeter excluded or outside of the perimeter included in the bill except unit 19 so how did that one get thrown into the mix?


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Yeah, 19 is a real head scratcher.

 

[bergie]

Politics and slippery slopes aside, what is the danger of a mule deer doe hunting moratorium?

A specific example is that the data would suggest in unit 39 the deer are pushing on over crowding. So I would say let the commission handle it and not the legislators, as has been started multiple times before and should be repeated every other post until people finally understand.

F&G biologists in Southwest Idaho recently completed mule deer herd composition surveys - here's what they found

Overall, fawn ratios were similar or slightly above the long-term average. The results from Weiser-McCall DAU were noteworthy, where biologists observed the highest fawn:doe ratios dating back to 2011. Biologists observed an uptick in the fawn:doe ratio in the Smoky-Boise DAU.

idfg.idaho.gov

Data should drive decisions, which I think for the most part (outfitter welfare, depredation welfare and landowner tags aside) the commission does a pretty good job at. Legislators don't know their head from their ass so keep them as far away as possible or they will introduce a bill where if you kill a wolf you get a moose/goat/sheep tag.

I think I follow your logic of less doe harvest = more deer, but sometimes thats not always true (is what I gather from the article, I have no degree in wildlife biology so my opinion is worth what you paid for it).

 

[Customweld]

A specific example is that the data would suggest in unit 39 the deer are pushing on over crowding. So I would say let the commission handle it and not the legislators, as has been started multiple times before and should be repeated every other post until people finally understand.

F&G biologists in Southwest Idaho recently completed mule deer herd composition surveys - here's what they found

Overall, fawn ratios were similar or slightly above the long-term average. The results from Weiser-McCall DAU were noteworthy, where biologists observed the highest fawn:doe ratios dating back to 2011. Biologists observed an uptick in the fawn:doe ratio in the Smoky-Boise DAU.

idfg.idaho.gov

Data should drive decisions, which I think for the most part (outfitter welfare, depredation welfare and landowner tags aside) the commission does a pretty good job at. Legislators don't know their head from their ass so keep them as far away as possible or they will introduce a bill where if you kill a wolf you get a moose/goat/sheep tag.

I think I follow your logic of less doe harvest = more deer, but sometimes thats not always true (is what I gather from the article, I have no degree in wildlife biology so my opinion is worth what you paid for it).

Apparently there is a new SB introduced that lets the Governor appoint agency directors rather than the corresponding agency commission. What could go wrong with that?!
https://legislature.idaho.gov/sessioninfo/billbookmark/?yr=2025&bn=S1078

 

[bergie]

Apparently there is a new SB introduced that lets the Governor appoint agency directors rather than the corresponding agency commission. What could go wrong with that?!
https://legislature.idaho.gov/sessioninfo/billbookmark/?yr=2025&bn=S1078

This is honestly less of a concern, I had to look it up but I think the governor appoints the commission, who then appoint the director. So I guess this is skipping a step, but I imagine we end up in about the same place (same director) in both instances. Given the choice though I am all for decoupling power and leaving the system the way it is. I understand the concern though, just look at the shitshow that is the governor appointed Washington game commission.