What’s your state do well?

[Jaden Bales]

All I seem to see and read and hear is how everyone wants their state to manage deer hunting opportunities differently. Doesn’t matter the state, it’s the same song and dance over and over again.

It feels like nobody actually enjoys their time chasing grey ghosts anymore, so I wanted to fire up a thread to see if anyone truly likes hunting deer in a given state and for what reason.

I, for one, am in the camp that has a good time, even on grinder hunts, and just enjoys the fact that’s deer hunting.

So, in an attempt that may be futile, I’d like to fire up a thread about all the things you like that your favorite mule deer hunting state does well.

I’ll go first and we’ll see if this can go anywhere productive.

I like how Wyoming manages for 20-29 bucks per 100 does in standard units, and 30+ in a lot of special units that don’t take many points to draw/or are general for residents. Doesn’t matter where you go, bucks are getting old. I think that’s pretty cool.

 

[Calbuck]

I can definitely say I am not happy with the numbers and quality of animals I see these days. With that said, there’s nothing I’d rather be doing than spotting deer in the woods. And the time spent with family and friends is ALWAYS worth it! Regardless of the outcome.
Now, when you talk about game on the range, it gets a little sour. Fish and Game orgs throughout the west don’t mince words, they just settle with the sad proclamation that “mule deer numbers are in decline” and then continue to sell out their max number of tags with not much change. It’s the same ol song and dance.
I don’t have many suggestions other than maybe residents of every state need to consider their states resource and contact their officials in concern. Most every state blames the problems on Non-residents but NRs don’t have voting rights in that state. Most NRs do their due diligence in trying to make sure they have a good plan out of state.
Herds are low in numbers and that falls on the fish and game .
My state doesn’t do anything well. They have outlawed managing predators. They have protected major predators, and they are hell-bent on introducing more major predators. Our forefathers eradicated said predators for very good reasons..this state doesn’t pay any attention to that.

 

[Dented]

Mule deer? Nothing. We don't have them. Deer?
.
.
.
.
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Nothing. It's like growing rats. We have so many is ridiculous.


Taxes?
They're ******* overachievers.

 

[Amos Moses]

I like that Colorado let’s me pick up a great 4th season rut hunt in the reissue tags.

 

[Jaden Bales]

Okay! Finally got a good one! Thanks, @Amos Moses

The reissue process in Colorado and Nevada are certainly great ways to pick up some opportunity. It'd be cool if more states did those.

 

[IDMuleyKid]

I can definitely say I am not happy with the numbers and quality of animals I see these days. With that said, there’s nothing I’d rather be doing than spotting deer in the woods. And the time spent with family and friends is ALWAYS worth it! Regardless of the outcome.
Now, when you talk about game on the range, it gets a little sour. Fish and Game orgs throughout the west don’t mince words, they just settle with the sad proclamation that “mule deer numbers are in decline” and then continue to sell out their max number of tags with not much change. It’s the same ol song and dance.
I don’t have many suggestions other than maybe residents of every state need to consider their states resource and contact their officials in concern. Most every state blames the problems on Non-residents but NRs don’t have voting rights in that state. Most NRs do their due diligence in trying to make sure they have a good plan out of state.
Herds are low in numbers and that falls on the fish and game .

Far and wide, hunters aren’t effecting the numbers of any units, we have minimal impact on herd #’s. Limiting tags won’t create/improve winter range, or cause rain etc.

Taking away opportunities from residents or nr’s may only improve big buck #’s, but how many guys want to only hunt once every 3 years?

I’d argue anecdotally about 10-15 percent of hunters are willing to do that.

 

[IDMuleyKid]

In Idaho, it’s gotta be the opportunity to hunt long seasons and have pretty aggressive predator compared to other western states.

IDFG promotes wolf trapping and cat hunting, which is more than I can say for the other PNW states.

Plus, I can hunt with firearms otc from Aug.30-Nov.31 across various units, pretty awesome.

And with bow tags through Dec.31.

 

[Pistolpete28]

In my limited experience mule deer hunting has definitely gotten tougher since the 2016/2017 winter kill. It isn’t as doom and gloom as the older hunters can make it out to be. I really enjoy getting 2 to 3 deer tags in my pocket every year and going to work in search of a nice buck.

I really like the way Colorado manages there deer hunting. I know there is a lot of negativity on the recent changes, but they have good/ great buck to doe ratios. I can draw a tag every year (archery,muzzy,1st rifle, exc.). I can also wait a few years, and hunt a unit with less tags/ less pressure. Options are abundant in that state.

 

[Calbuck]

Far and wide, hunters aren’t effecting the numbers of any units, we have minimal impact on herd #’s. Limiting tags won’t create/improve winter range, or cause rain etc.

Taking away opportunities from residents or nr’s may only improve big buck #’s, but how many guys want to only hunt once every 3 years?

I’d argue anecdotally about 10-15 percent of hunters are willing to do that.

I wasn’t clear in my post. I agree hunters aren’t the issue of cause..there are many causes. We sportsmen see the causes because we are in the field, seeing the results of laws passed, or natural issues like fire or predators. The people who are tasked with managing the animals seem to be in the dark as though they don’t actually go out and observe like we do. Managing tag numbers is just one of many management tools..obviously as hunters we want the opportunity to go. I feel like it’s long past time the management people fess up to the realities of predation and other factors. NOT just “mule deer are in decline”..

 

[IDMuleyKid]

I wasn’t clear in my post. I agree hunters aren’t the issue of cause..there are many causes. We sportsmen see the causes because we are in the field, seeing the results of laws passed, or natural issues like fire or predators. The people who are tasked with managing the animals seem to be in the dark as though they don’t actually go out and observe like we do. Managing tag numbers is just one of many management tools..obviously as hunters we want the opportunity to go. I feel like it’s long past time the management people fess up to the realities of predation and other factors. NOT just “mule deer are in decline”..

I agree, especially with predators in states like California, Oregon, Washington- I think they’re the main limiting factor, especially the mountain lion populations.

 

[Calbuck]

In Idaho, it’s gotta be the opportunity to hunt long seasons and have pretty aggressive predator compared to other western states.

IDFG promotes wolf trapping and cat hunting, which is more than I can say for the other PNW states.

Plus, I can hunt with firearms otc from Aug.30-Nov.31 across various units, pretty awesome.

And with bow tags through Dec.31.

With all that said, Idaho general hunts aren’t lighting any fires..the last general tag I hunted was not good..low animal numbers, high hunter numbers and great looking country. Idaho has a management problem.

 

[amassi]

California- long seasons, lots of public property, unquestionable opportunity….. end of list.


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[willfrye027]

California—long seasons and two OTC tags for mule deer or blacktail. Luckily there is plenty of thick nasty country that they could give out a million tags and we wouldn’t affect the population. I can always count on having tags on my home state and at least be hunting.

 

[Calbuck]

Yeah keep thinking that. There’s not a unit in the state that isn’t hurting for herd numbers. Keeping your head in the sand won’t help.

 

[Hnthrdr]

Co has done a great job of trying to kill of mature bucks with rut hunt dates for the last 4 years…

 

[bpeay4]

Just glad Idaho hasn't adopted one of them worthless point systems.

 

[Mojave]

New Mexico meth
Wyoming meth
Alaska fish

 

[Andrew12gauge]

I do like that we can hunt every year no matter what here in Idaho, and we do have great season structures. I see @IDMuleyKid point about not limiting ourselves but I think with our ballooning resident population we need to put some sort of guardrails in place in order to maintain the ability to hunt every season rather than watch it turn into controlled hunt only opportunity.


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[HOT ROD]

Wyoming does a good job managing deer by season dates and the length of seasons not to many late season hunts in Wyoming

 

[cuerro viejo]

Texas has an MLD season for private that last for almost 4 months. Biologist tag allocation based off carrying capacity, ratio’s and age structure.