Mule Deer Fanatic

Oregon man breaks record? 225 Net?

Link to article: http://www.statesmanjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071024/OUTDOORS/710240422/1034

Special interest groups are using all kinds of excuses to block oil and gas development in Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado. Some of these groups are masquerading an interest in Mule Deer welfare in order to stop development. I can think of several examples ( see picture below) where mule deer have done quite well in the presence of development.

When compared to predation, development is minuscule in its effect on taking the lives of mule deer. In virtually every western state predators are killing hundreds of thousands of mule deer annually. Very few people are crying or complaining about that, and even fewer are doing something about it.

It is futile to be worrying about habitat issues, not that habitat is unimportant, while ignoring the effects of predation. It doesn’t need to be difficult to accommodate oil and gas development and wildlife jointly – particularly in areas where a little water could be provided for wildlife or where some cedar trees could be thinned by developers.

I, for one, am puzzled by all the commotion about blocking fuel oil development by people who both consume fuel daily and who use mule deer as an excuse.

The saddest part of all is that various wildlife associations are participating in these tactics along with the ne’r-do-well hugger organizations. We would all be way ahead if they would just kill a few lions and coyotes.

October 26 marks the beginning of the Arizona Rifle seasons. 

If you have a tag, you will see more bucks this year, but let the little ones grow up.

According to Rick Kahn, Colorado’s Big Game Manager, 2007 is going to be a good year for killing a large Mule Deer Buck. He is estimating a deer population of over 600,000 in 55 separate herds.  I think he must be counting whitetails as well as mule deer, since he says there are 70,000 more deer than ten years ago.

Kahn estimates that the buck/doe ratio is 31/100.  He says that hunter success for 2006 was 46% and that 33,885 bucks were harvested.  The number of hunters has dropped by two thirds since the early 1990’s  The number of deer hunters went from 250,000 in 1993 to 160,000 in 1997 to  90,000 from 1999 forward.

Kahn says the DOW is having a hard time recruiting doe hunters ( and that is good – I hope no one is killing does ), and that there are still 15,000 unfilled doe tags available.

Kahn cannot figure out why Mule Deer Hunters are after trophy racks instead of just venison.  He doesn’t realize that the scarcity created by the DOW causes trophy Mule Deer to be in much higher demand, relatively speaking.

So, if you are fortunate enough to have drawn a Mule Deer tag in Colorado, get out there and see for yourself.

According to a recent Denver Post article, Colorado Mule Deer are on the rebound. Some sources are saying that the Colorado mule deer population is up to 650,000 animals. Other sources say that Colorado once boasted 1.2 million mule deer.  In 1988,  Colorado claimed 750,000 mulies.

The Mule Deer Foundation was right there claiming credit for the increase in animals, with minor projects to their credit, such as fencing out cows, chopping down trees, and blocking oil and gas development.  I did not notice any predator elimination projects, which could have really made a difference. 

According to Colorado DOW representatives, the drastic decrease in hunting pressure since 1999 and a series of mild winters are the main factors in increased mule deer numbers in the state. What do you think the chances are that Colorado will go back to over-the-counter tags? 

I’m sorry, but I have a problem with animals being taken out of or put into the record books based on something done or not done by the hunter/owner.  As far as I am concerned, record books are about animals, not about people.  If the animal was taken illegally (or whatever), then, in my opinion, the record book can say so, but I am interested in seeing trophy animals regardless of how they were obtained. 

Some will probably say that using this approach would encourage illegal activity, but I don’t think so.  Besides the negative publicity that a person would receive, there is the legal system to deal with.  I don’t think too many hunters are willing to be fined and/or have their hunting priviledges taken away just to have a mule deer in the record books.

The situation with Kirt Darner is a good example.  His record book animals were already in the books, very good animals at that, and now they have been removed because of something questionable about the man who entered them.

I’m going to start a new record book.  It will be called the “Carter and Baxter Record book of Mule Deer”, and will include all those “iffers” that Mike Eastman has been talking about for years.  We won’t care much about the person, but we will care about where the deer was taken. 

As far as scoring is concerned, we will double the points for width and will count outside spread.  We will measure largest circumference instead of smallest, and will not subtract for lack of symmetry.

Who wants to submit the first entry?

According to the LA Times, there is a Mule Deer explosion on Coney Island, which shows what deer populations are capable of in the absence of predators.  Someone(s)  is apparently out to stir up some controversy, however, and is beheading deer with a knife. 

The California Game and Fish is being accused of not properly managing the deer population.  It looks like they need to open up a knife season. The annual deer hunt is actually managed by the Catalina Island Conservancy.

The deer are now attacking pets, eating gardens, and taking over the beach front. 

You Californians better get signed up for a hunt.

Saturday, October 20, begins the Utah Rifle season for mule Deer. 

 Good luck Utah hunters – you’ll need it.

Saturday, Oct 13 begins the Rifle Mule Deer Hunt in Washington state.  Some units end on the 21st and others on the 27th.

 Good luck Washington hunters.

I have, for several years now, heard rumors flying around about Kirt Darner – whom, as a Mule Deer Fanatic, I idolized because of his accomplishments and knowledge.  I recently came acrossed an article written by Rich Lorrocco, a friend, which tells the “rest of the story”.  I believe that Rich does not necessarily want to defame Darner.  There may be, and probably are trophies that Darner has taken legitimately.  Additionally, Darner certainly seems to know the “how to’s” of trophy mule deer hunting.

Here is the link to Rich’s article:  http://www.hunts.net/darner.html
Check out his site while you’re there.