Is 3 pt RULE HURTING MULE DEER POPULATIONS?

[dmoua]

Are you calling that deer huge?

Huge? Maybe not but he's not small.

[bigmacc]

A lot of the problem is ethics.
The game agent told us he took a 3 pt from a guy,shooting across a paved road at a deer standing on private property,while on lookers were yelling for the guy to stop.

Another guy ,on his honeymoon shot a deer standing on a sidewalk in either Twisp or Winthrop.

These kind of people should loose their hunting for years.

As far as predators , I am Not sure I buy that any more. 
I heard wolves in Nile, Never in the Methow, and I spend 20-30 days there every year in a tent.

I think it's a people problem.

I did not hunt the Methow this year, 1st time I have not in 50 years. Just figured it would be a little bigger circus than usual and from what I heard from a few buddies that were there, it sure was. I agree with your statement about ethics Ghost, the last few years I or my pardners have witnessed or heard from honest people about some real shamefull hunting techniques,alot of them envolving adults with there kids with them. I have witnessed an adult shooting 2 does then having the 2 kids that was with him tag them, I have seen people shoot from paved roads with kids with them, I have seen people shoot from inside a vehicle, with a youngster with them a half hour before shooting time! I have witnessed 4 teenagers blazing away at a buck from a paved road with a NO HUNTING sign 3 feet from them.  I will say there have always been "bad apples" but I can say the last 10 years have been an uptic. So Ghost, I agree that a lot of deer are being taken illegally, a lot are being left out there because of mistakes and I agree with you that a lot of these people should loose their hunting for a long time. What worries me most is what some of these "adults" are teaching our future hunters. Thank you all that teach your young ones to respect other hunters, property and the animals they are hunting. I had my 2 granddaughters with me this year, 10 and 12 years old, we hunted a little farther east this year and the 3 of us put on 2 to 7 miles a day. We seen a lot of deer, had a couple opportunities at a couple dandy bucks but they were "A LITTLE TO FAR AWAY PAPA, I DONT WANT TO WOUND IT", the bucks were about 250 yards away, one was a real dandy, about a 26-27 inch 4 by 6. She felt comfortable at around 100 to 150 yrds and PAPA wasn't shootin it for her

[boneaddict]

I'm glad you had a good season.  I just got back from the Methow.   Worst photo trip I have ever had.  By the way, if it wasn't for three point or better, you wouldn't have any surviving bucks.   Seriously the worst I have seen. It's criminal what they have done.

[Axle]

I'm glad you had a good season.  I just got back from the Methow.   Worst photo trip I have ever had.  By the way, if it wasn't for three point or better, you wouldn't have any surviving bucks.   Seriously the worst I have seen. It's criminal what they have done.

 

[Axle]

In 1983 (or so) the rule changed to "three point or better).

It was many years beyond '83. I don't keep the old regs but I would guess it was more like mid to late '90s.
Somebody reading this would know.....
well - cough it up guys....
OK, I'm reduced to making popcorn and waiting for the answer.....

[boneaddict]

Certain methow units were in the early 80s, well before the rest of the areas went. 

[bigboy]

Gardener was the first in that area

[bigmacc]

I'm glad you had a good season.  I just got back from the Methow.   Worst photo trip I have ever had.  By the way, if it wasn't for three point or better, you wouldn't have any surviving bucks.   Seriously the worst I have seen. It's criminal what they have done.

I agree bone, its a real shame.  That once mighty herd is a mere shadow of what some of us remember, as far as the 3 point or better, you are spot on.

[Hilltop123]

Wasn't the winter kill of.96-97, caused the.switch to 3 point or.better in a lot of GMU's?

[Humptulips]

A few questions from a guy that doesn't ever hunt far from the coast.
I read here the population is down but seems like a lot of complaint about size of bucks. Are their actually barren does around? Not enough bucks to service the does?
If the answer is no how does this have any effect on the population?
If it was any buck do you think this would lead to barren does?
It seems like some here are complaining because they are not seeing bruisers.
Does the average hunter want to just be successful or are they willing to forgo hunting to improve their chance of getting that bruiser?

I know where I hunt the deer are few and far between and it has nothing to do with hunters. Is it possible your problems are not hunters?

 Is it just a problem of too many west side guys coming over? If it is maybe the answer to your problem is predator management on the west side because I know that is the problem in my area. I know some guys that go east and then show back up after mulies close.
Oh and I heard several times doe tags. How do doe tags square with trying to increase the population?

[boneaddict]

I spent yesterday out.  I counted 4 bucks. I average 50.  most doe were not covered.  Doe themselves were way down in count. There were other indicators I wasn't just having an off day.

[WAcoyotehunter]

It's criminal what they have done.

I'm not super familiar with the herd there; what have they done to cause the decline?

[boneaddict]

Predator management, tag allocation numbers, antlerless harvest, season dates, ignorance of herd decline

[Westside88]

Special tags, whether any buck, doe etc. should be managed around the actual status of a species regardless of user group,expectations. I don't think people would quit hunting if tags were scaled back in an area that's been hit by fires, winter kill or even a harvest that's out of proportion to the norm like last year seemed to be. I'd even go so far as to suggest modifying or even closing a particular area to allow recovery to a healthy population. It seems to me it really wouldn't take that long to help,fix the problem if everyone would be willing to stand down for a while. Long term it makes it better for everyone 

[bigmacc]

Predator management, tag allocation numbers, antlerless harvest, season dates, ignorance of herd decline

There you go, in a nutshell. A handful of reasons, in my opinion the 1st and the last are the big ones although everyone of them are contributors.....