New rifle regulations on two units in utah

hhunter23

Active Member
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I’ve heard from a couple really good sources that the cache unit and boulder unit will change the rifle regulations to open sight only for deer hunts starting next year. Also changing muzzleloader to cap and ball. What’s everyone’s thoughts on this? Will this help the herds, or cause more issues with recovery?
 
I’ve heard from a couple really good sources that the cache unit and boulder unit will change the rifle regulations to open sight only for deer hunts starting next year. Also changing muzzleloader to cap and ball. What’s everyone’s thoughts on this? Will this help the herds, or cause more issues with recovery?
Both your assessments are wrong.

Reductions in success rates doesn't "help a herd", it allows for additional opportunity.

The wound loss argument has absolutely zero merit.
Losses happen with every weapon and every distance.
 
That idea died in the RACs. What the DWR tries to propose again for 2025, who knows, but it didn’t have much popularity with hunters the last go around.

I honestly wish they’d make our general rifle deer hunt a straight wall cartridge gun only and 9x scope maximum. You can use whatever gun/scope you want on the OIL, antlerless, LE hunts. But general deer needs to have some kind of limitations to the rifle hunt. We limit archery and muzzleloader. It’s time for the rifle group to step up to the plate.
 
That idea died in the RACs. What the DWR tries to propose again for 2025, who knows, but it didn’t have much popularity with hunters the last go around.

I honestly wish they’d make our general rifle deer hunt a straight wall cartridge gun only and 9x scope maximum. You can use whatever gun/scope you want on the OIL, antlerless, LE hunts. But general deer needs to have some kind of limitations to the rifle hunt. We limit archery and muzzleloader. It’s time for the rifle group to step up to the plate.
Same guys would kill deer regardless, same knuckleheads would wander aimless complaining about no deer. I would breakout the lever for sure it would be a great time
I don’t believe it would help the cache herd the amount of home’s being built on the bench’s have ruined where we used to watch 100s of deer winter in the 70s 80s and early 90s
 
That'd Be BAD If We had To Drop Clear Down To A DAMN 9X Scope!

JUDAS!

F'N!

PRIEST!

That idea died in the RACs. What the DWR tries to propose again for 2025, who knows, but it didn’t have much popularity with hunters the last go around.

I honestly wish they’d make our general rifle deer hunt a straight wall cartridge gun only and 9x scope maximum. You can use whatever gun/scope you want on the OIL, antlerless, LE hunts. But general deer needs to have some kind of limitations to the rifle hunt. We limit archery and muzzleloader. It’s time for the rifle group to step up to the plate.
 
That'd Be BAD If We had To Drop Clear Down To A DAMN 9X Scope!

JUDAS!

F'N!

PRIEST!
Why would it be bad? It would be a whole lot harder for guys (that have no business at all) try to shoot deer at 1000 yards. I just feel like in today’s world of “we need more limitations”, instead of actually fixing the real issues, it would be a good compromise. We still get a scope. We still get a centerfire rifle. You can still use a range finder. Everyone wins but still has to tighten things up a little.
 
I'm Just Sayin Bux:

Taking It CLEAR Down To A 9X Scope!:D

Why would it be bad? It would be a whole lot harder for guys (that have no business at all) try to shoot deer at 1000 yards. I just feel like in today’s world of “we need more limitations”, instead of actually fixing the real issues, it would be a good compromise. We still get a scope. We still get a centerfire rifle. You can still use a range finder. Everyone wins but still has to tighten things up a little.
 
I don't think an Open Sight rifle hunt would be bad. I don't mind some restrictions that offer an opportunity at a different experience. Yes, I know we could already go without a scope... but we dont :D
 
That idea died in the RACs. What the DWR tries to propose again for 2025, who knows, but it didn’t have much popularity with hunters the last go around.

I honestly wish they’d make our general rifle deer hunt a straight wall cartridge gun only and 9x scope maximum. You can use whatever gun/scope you want on the OIL, antlerless, LE hunts. But general deer needs to have some kind of limitations to the rifle hunt. We limit archery and muzzleloader. It’s time for the rifle group to step up to the plate.
A straight wall cartridge-only hunt would be fun! I just picked up one of the new Smith and Wesson 1854 44 mag lever actions they just came out with. That would be perfect for this type of hunt!

2024-06-22 14.49.57.jpg
 
So Bux?

We Go From Not Being Able To See Them Without Our 30X But We Can Hit/Wound Them At 2,000 Yards!

To:

Being Able To See Them With Our 9X But We Can't Hit Them,Just Wound Them Sometimes With Rock Throwing Ballistics!

You Telling Nobody Would Start 45'ing Them Just To Say: Where There's Lead There's Danger?

:D:D:D!





With the ballistics that are comparable to throwing a rock? Sure.
 
So Bux?

We Go From Not Being Able To See Them Without Our 30X But We Can Hit/Wound Them At 2,000 Yards!

To:

Being Able To See Them With Our 9X But We Can't Hit Them,Just Wound Them Sometimes With Rock Throwing Ballistics!

You Telling Nobody Would Start 45'ing Them Just To Say: Where There's Lead There's Danger?

:D:D:D!
You and I both know most of those dudes launch bombs are just making noise. Let them do what they feel necessary. It can’t be any worse than what’s going on now
 
I don’t think any other state screws around with the rules more than Utah, yet things just keep getting worse. I think part of the problem is that Utah did some dumb things like sell lifetime deer hunting licenses and implementing a two-tier system of “general season hunts” and “limited entry hunts” with preference points and bonus points for deer and elk where people were supposed to be able to hunt deer and elk every year and still be able to draw limited entry hunts. Another part of the problem is that they did not account for the rapid growth of Utah or they chose to ignore it. So now we find ourselves trying to create special hunts so people can go out with javelins, atlatls and every other weapon invented by man and have the deer woods all to themselves every year, when in fact we have too many people and not enough habitat. You can’t change the fact that we live in the second driest state in the country.
 
I didn’t hear that it died in the RAC meetings. Glad it did.

@slamdunk - I wasn’t trying to sound like I knew everything about what was going on, I was just throwing a couple questions out there. I agree with your post though. Thanks.
 
I’ve heard from a couple really good sources that the cache unit and boulder unit will change the rifle regulations to open sight only for deer hunts starting next year. Also changing muzzleloader to cap and ball. What’s everyone’s thoughts on this? Will this help the herds, or cause more issues with recovery?
I've heard similar from two different people who would 100% know. What I've been told is that this will be PART of the recommendation coming from the Mule Deer Committee. I don't recall the muzz going to cap and ball, but that doesn't mean that is, or isn't part of it. That being said, there are many steps from a rec to making it a regulation change.

I also was told that there was a lot of discussion regarding the "lower buck to doe = more population growth" research that was..... coincidentally..... on every podcast this summer. However, when it came time to vote on which units to implement the trial on, no one on the committee was in favor of doing it on "their" unit, so they didn't move forward with that part. Funny how that works.
 
I would be O.K. with this limitation. As I've mentioned it a lot on MM in other states and threads. Yes there are other things that affect populations more significantly like predators, automobiles, etc. But until mule deer come back in whatever area you want to pick I would rather go more often with limitations than less often with whatever I wanted to use.
 
Making a new law = innovation around that law.

How about we just hold F$G accountable to one thing and one thing only… doing their job? Instead we cry b!tch and moan and try and regulate ourselves into the ground while the problems persist. Good work.
 
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