History lesson, anyone?

[nontypical]

For all you guys interested in deer units 101 and 102, here is some data that I have collected since 1988. Anything prior to that is just going from memory( which ain't all that good!).

101 and 102 were both antlered deer 4-pt or better before I started keeping records. I seem to recall 1200 or 1250 licenses being issued for 102,103,104 the first year that G&F implemented LQ for the units( maybe '85?). Back then 102,103,and 104 made up the unit now known as 102. Tags were actually left over after the draw that first year. The units had been overhunted for years before G&F finally made them LQ units. Quality was way down, and B/D ratios were horrible. I picked up a leftover tag that first year of LQ and was able to find a group of nice bucks prior to season and kill one of them.

1988: 101 was still 4-pt or better. Season ran from 10-1 til 10-10. 102,103,104 had a total of 1,000 tags; 700 antlered and 300 any. Season ran from 10-1 til 10-12.

1989: 101 was now included with 102,103,104. 1,000 tags any deer 10-1 thru 10-14.

1990: 900 tags any; same dates.

1991: 800 tags any; same dates.

1992: 500 tags any; same dates.

1993: 500 tags any; dates go to 10-15 thru 10-31.

1994: Same

1995: 102,103,104 are now one unit:102. 101 and 102 still together. 350 tags for both units together; same dates.

1996, '97: Same as '95.

1998: 101 is now separate. 100 tags antlered for 101; 250 antlered for 102. Same dates.

1999: Same

2000: 101 has 125 tags; 102 300. Antlered. Same dates. Dates will stay the same through 2015.

2001: Same

2002: 101-same. 102 now has 350 tags antlered.

2003-2005: Same

2006: 101 same; 102 now has 400 tags. Mature bucks abound in both units. Many nice bucks killed in the past few years. Our camp killed a 198 in '06( 102) and a 35" wide 198 a couple years before(101).

2007: 101 drops 40% to 75 tags. 102 remains the same.

2008-2010: Same in both units. Locals begin noticing a drop off in numbers of trophy bucks in both units during this time frame. My personal post-hunt observations show an inordinate number of mature 2x3, 3x3, and 3x4 bucks are doing most of the breeding now.

2011: 101 drops to 50 tags, but G&F keeps 102 at 400, despite concern from the public that numbers seem to be heading in the wrong direction.

2012: Same. Despite public outcry, tags in 102 remain at 400. There is noticeable dropoff in mature buck numbers. Winter of 2010-11 took a toll on total numbers, and drought is now affecting antler growth. Data shows age class is beginning to lower.

2013: Amazingly, both units remain the same. My taxidermist buddy shows me several 102 racks. The quality is very discouraging. I'm sure much of this is drought related(?). G&F is showing a slight downward trend in average age of bucks taken.

2014: Finally, G&F reduces tag numbers in 102 to 300. 101 stays the same.

2015: Tag reductions in both units: 101 now has 25 tags, and 102 down to 200. Hopefully, we will begin to see some positive changes for both units.

Wet weather the past couple of years will hopefully change this trend with better fawn recruitment and an increase in average age of bucks. One thing I failed to mention is that in 2009, 102 went back to any deer rather than antlered only. This is through at least 2014; not sure about 2015. The reason for this is that G&F were showing a large number of older age class does past optimal breeding age. Older does are less likely to have twins or triplets, but they still take the best fawning areas, leaving younger, more fertile does in areas that are more susceptible to predation. It was G&F's hope that some old does would get taken out and allow some younger does to replace them. Not many does are being harvested.

Thought this might give you guys a little insight into these units. You can see the steady downward trend over the years.

 

[ICMDEER]

I had the 101 license in 2000 0r 2001, Cliff. I said I'd never go back. From what I saw, and I scouted fairly hard and hunted both archery and rifle, I thought they should treat it like the Paunsagaunt and shut it down for years. I was appalled that they would sell 100 licenses for that area.

In addition, area 101 had the greatest use of off road vehicles of any hunt area I have ever seen. There were pickup tracks everywhere you could drive one. There were ATV tracks everywhere you could drive one. And then there were motorcycle tracks everywhere else. And in some areas, the wild horses were a major issue. I never saw what I felt was a shootable buck scouting, archery or in the rifle season. So I came home empty and have pretty much hunted general areas since.

You're right, there's a lesson there. And it is not rocket science. That's a fragile ecosystem and it needs to be closely monitored. Sadly, that has not been the case.

 

[TOPGUN]

Thanks for putting that together for us Cliff, as that had to have taken some time and it's neat you kept notes like that! Do you or ICM have any thoughts on tag issuance over that time frame in those units and how/why they were handled number wise the way they were?

 

[nontypical]

Jim- Horses are still a major issue out there. Worse now than 15 years ago, too. I believe when you drew 101, there were 125 tags. Seems like you drew it the year after my last tag? 101 was a mule deer mecca back then compared to what it is now. Between the horses, coyotes, drought, and burgeoning elk population, mule deer are having a rough go of it in that desert.

TG- Mule deer population fluctuation is the reason for the changes in tag numbers for the most part over the time span I wrote about.

 

[ICMDEER]

I've been an advocate for a horse season for a long time. Sure, I know it will never happen. Sure, I understand the law and federal protection. But a season would make sense. We could generate some Wyoming revenue and we could also take local control over a heckuva problem.

Coyotes seem down in the eastern half of Wyoming. Mange? And I am seeing more rabbits than I've seen since the early 1980's. Those rabbits are a good indicator species. Lots of rabbits seems to mean predators are down, and that also often means higher fawn survival.

I sure hope your desert areas rebound. Let's hope the license reductions and good moisture help.

 

[feduptwo]

The RSGA sued the BLM over horses last year and won. The court ordered the blm to remove horses to the mandated level. Last fall 1200 or so horses were removed from RSGA checkerboard. Horse numbers are much better than they've been for a long time. Instead of seeing groups of 40 you see groups of 5. The BLM will be forced to do roundups this fall again because they are already over the horse quota on the checkerboard.
Sportsmen should support RSGA efforts to keep the horse numbers in check. Sportsman groups should support RSGA & financially support future lawsuits. We should also pursue lawsuits of our own holding the blm to responsible management. Wild horses and burro's are a huge problem in Wyoming, Nevada, Arizona, & Utah. The guys in Arizona are starting to scream over impacts on deer & sheep caused by extreme populations of wild Burro's. It needs to move up on the priority list of all conservation groups.
These horses destroy habitat and make fawns and more vulnerable to predation.

102 will be much better in 5 years with tag cuts my prediction is quality will be great. Although there seems to be less deer in this unit since 2011 there was never any shortage of bucks, just quality bucks. This can be fixed by leaving more bucks in the field after the hunt or tag cuts.

101 is a different story. This unit has a serious "lack of deer problem" that has to be resolved. Probably a combination of habitat, horses, lack of water, predation, & precipitation. Not to mention the huge oil & gas project on the south end of the unit that is just a few years away. There is a good chance that 101 will never be a quality deer unit again. You can cut the tags to zero and big bucks will still be pretty limited.

 

[TOPGUN]

feduptwo---Pardon my ignorance, but what is RSGA? I know the two times I was in 2b in northern NM the last few years that the horse population was crazy. The one USFS employee who works the Carson National Forest on the east side of the unit that we talked with said he'd like to see them all gone, but it was out of his hands and sort of suggested the SSS method on them.

 

[nontypical]

You'd need a backhoe for the 2nd S.

Rock Springs Grazing Association. A group of area ranchers that have combined their lands into an association. They currently allow hunter access to all their lands without permission.

Jim-I've seen more rabbits this year than it seems I can ever remember! If it ever stops raining I'll get out for some scouting and see what the fawns are looking like this year. I'm optimistic about fawn production, just hope they can make it through winter for a few years.