Effects of so many monsters killed on the strip this year

[bonecollector777]

I'm by no means an expert when it comes to deer management and all that but just was thinking about this the other day and wanted to hear your thoughts.

This year there has been a ton of 200"+ bucks killed in 13b and 13a. Obviously due to the Antler growth this year we had more than usual but still seems like an abnormally large amount of big bucks being taken.

There may have been years in the past that were just as good but I don't remember one as good as this. I personally believe more big bucks are dropping due to the amount of guides and amount of people those guides have working for them along with the technology these days. (Absolutely nothing against guides up there just my thoughts on it)

With this many big bucks dying in one year and more and more people chasing the big guys year after year do you think it could have an overall negative effect on the deer up there? Say next year and the next they have great years killing monster bucks again. That has to have some effect on the deer population and what can come out of the strip in the future.

Or maybe the genetics are so good they will just keep coming back year after year I don't know. What do you guys think?

[gotcoues]

Those bucks have all bred does, possibly for many years and already spread their genes. I think it will have a positive effect by letting this years 180-190 type deer reach those amazing numbers. Any buck alive that is a giant has already beaten the odds by dodging lions and hunters. Better off to take the best and let their offspring fill the void I would think.

[4Falls]

I would tend to agree with GotCoues on this. The same amount of upper age class deer will always continue to get killed up there. This year they just happened to all over achieve on their antler growth. I'm sure there were a few small bucks killed as well.

[trphyhntr]

i dont think it would make much of a difference the genetics are still there and some years are better than others obviously.

[PelaPapas]

I did notice a lot of great bucks being taken this year. Some just outright amazing! I believe trophy bucks of this caliber get taken every year in large numbers. What I think is a lot of these hunters don't like to post up pics/stories of their bucks as to keep their spots secret. Maybe this year, was the year that a lot more hunters decided to post up pics and stories of their trophies?

 

Around this time next year there will probably be pics of some new monsters that were taken down. Those probably with the same blood from the bucks taken this year. Good luck to all in 2016!

[rcdinaz]

I agree!

 

I think there have been past great years but now with everyone able to get their 10 seconds of fame on the forums, facebook, and all of the hunting sites we actually get to see all of these amazing animals. This year just happened to be a banner year for antler growth on top of the easy access to publicity.

[johnnie blaze]

I would think sooner or later it will have an effect.

[Shedhunteraz]

I'm by no means an expert when it comes to deer management and all that but just was thinking about this the other day and wanted to hear your thoughts.

This year there has been a ton of 200"+ bucks killed in 13b and 13a. Obviously due to the Antler growth this year we had more than usual but still seems like an abnormally large amount of big bucks being taken.

There may have been years in the past that were just as good but I don't remember one as good as this. I personally believe more big bucks are dropping due to the amount of guides and amount of people those guides have working for them along with the technology these days. (Absolutely nothing against guides up there just my thoughts on it)

With this many big bucks dying in one year and more and more people chasing the big guys year after year do you think it could have an overall negative effect on the deer up there? Say next year and the next they have great years killing monster bucks again. That has to have some effect on the deer population and what can come out of the strip in the future.

Or maybe the genetics are so good they will just keep coming back year after year I don't know. What do you guys think?

Aren't you a guide Blake?

[bonecollector777]

 

I'm by no means an expert when it comes to deer management and all that but just was thinking about this the other day and wanted to hear your thoughts.

This year there has been a ton of 200"+ bucks killed in 13b and 13a. Obviously due to the Antler growth this year we had more than usual but still seems like an abnormally large amount of big bucks being taken.

There may have been years in the past that were just as good but I don't remember one as good as this. I personally believe more big bucks are dropping due to the amount of guides and amount of people those guides have working for them along with the technology these days. (Absolutely nothing against guides up there just my thoughts on it)

With this many big bucks dying in one year and more and more people chasing the big guys year after year do you think it could have an overall negative effect on the deer up there? Say next year and the next they have great years killing monster bucks again. That has to have some effect on the deer population and what can come out of the strip in the future.

Or maybe the genetics are so good they will just keep coming back year after year I don't know. What do you guys think?

Aren't you a guide Blake?

I am a guide, that's not what this post is about though. I'm not bad mouthing guides or anything they do. Simply an observation with more and more guides and people chasing them around the more deer are being killed. Not saying that's a bad thing or good thing. Just saying that's what is happening

[stanley]

I'm absolutely NOT an expert by any means. ( Like..... FAR from it!!! ) That being said, I tend to agree with what has been said already regarding the really big bucks already having a chance to spread their genes through previous breeding seasons. That of course should keep the big buck factory chugging along.

 

Now if your question was more about the number of bucks killed in general, as opposed to the size of bucks, then I think that could be something to consider. If the average number of bucks killed rises over time (all other factors remaining equal), then I would assume that the Game Manager would eventually recommend a reduction in tags to bring the kill ratio (kills/tags) to the point they are targeting for their management objectives.

 

My $.02.....

 

S.

 

[WHT_MTNMAN]

A few years ago 13a had one of the greatest years of all time and this year it didn't seem to have suffered much from back then.

I don't think it will make a difference unless tag #'s go up and they kill too many bucks off.

[CJohnson]

In theory, it shouldn't.

 

But in reality, it COULD.

 

Say you kill 25 bucks over 200". I think A3 killed almost half that this year up there?? If all of those bucks were between 6-8yrs old, and each individual hunter passed on at least one 5-7yr old buck during the hunt, in theory you'll have the next age class of a buck the following year. Right? But there are several factors that need to be considered over the next year.

 

In theory, you can't kill genetics. But you can certainly put a hurt on a genetic line.

 

In a vacuum, just as many older age class bucks (along with genetics) will be running around next year. We're not in a vacuum. With predation and drought (hard winters), negative effects could easily be noticeable on the age class of bucks.

 

A couple of things to consider is fawn crop. It's usually an after-thought....until several years later when there's a big age class gap, or, if you're lucky, dozens of 200+" bucks are running around like this year.

 

Lastly, many outfitters know what class of an animal is practical in killing before the season starts. I imagine this year they all knew that passing on a 185" buck was a no brainer. But on other years, that might be the the holy grail!

 

This year was exceptional, no doubt. For mule deer and wt. What we have to be careful with is our expectations for next year. It could be another banner year. Or it could be 2002 all over again.

 

Either way, holding out for mature bucks will only create more mature bucks in the end. But the majority of our hunts and hunters wouldn't allow that. And mature doesn't always equate to size, if that makes sense?

[Str8Shot]

For every one of those bruisers taken there are another 1 or 2 + many not far behind that made it this year ... The genetics will keep them going and in future years with similar rain and growth you will see plenty of them posted... The worst thing that can happen IMO is too many hunters holding out for what most hunters here call " SHOOTER BUCKS " passing up quality bucks and leaving with nothing cause they did not find their Trophy ... With so few Does harvested in this state you have to cull smaller bucks to balance the heard allowing for less competition for for food come the off years when the grass is not so tall and green and the trees are stingy with their givings. Heard size does effect the quality in most units in this state.

[lefty]

they need to decrease the tags to 40-50 or it's going to get ruined just like unit 10's elk with all those early rifle tags

[trphyhntr]

it has to go in cycles at least a little, some years are just gonna be better than others. wasnt it 2005 that was such a good year all over?