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Deer Management Plan Draft

Whole lot of reading and information. See pages 319-326 for the objectives.

IM i not seeing it or is there a section where it talks about future tags alloted for hunters, seasons, etc?

AK, that is not included from what I could see. Just a methodology of sorts for how they would determine the tag numbers, etc.

I haven't gotten quite halfway through it yet. I'm told the recommended changes (if any) will come from GFP to Commission and voted on after the public comment and testimony period. I wouldn't worry about "license allocation" changes for residents too much from what I'm hearing most recently. Tag numbers (per unit) are always in flux and the firearms county numbers look to change in those EHD effected units. I'll post/send updates as I hear them. It's important to go to commission meetings, testify and send public comment though. I spoke to a few more "stakeholders" this week and it sounded like they were all in favor of "some" of the changes discussed but of course couldn't come to a consensus on many of the more "extreme" changes.

I'm sorry, I should have been more precise in my location of the details concerning tag allocation and drawings. Page 323 objective 3 3J. By August 2017 present to the SDGFP commission a summary of public input received from Deer Stakeholders Group and others regarding deer license allocation concerns. I read that to say its business as usual for this years drawings. Next year may be a different story, depends on what the commission decides.

That is also my understanding Grizzly.

Grizzly, you can still have an impact on this year's allocations. Get in touch with your commissioners and raise hell with them if you have to. I've been pounding on them about mule deer for awhile now, hopefully they won't ignore us forever!

Brotsky, I hate to tell you this as I know your stand but I have been hunting on a landowners land in the hills that has too many mule deer does. Now this individual has let a lot of people hunt and documents his hunter use days. He is probably one of the rare ones that is not going to be happy until the GFP does not exist or has no control over the wildlife. He got upset enough this last year that he is promising to lock everyone out. I pointed out that will lead to more animals on his now refuge and will not solve anything. He is frustrated and I do not think there is any placating him. The GFP has tried many times over the last few years to offer solutions but he has rejected them all. I don't know how it will work out but I do realize that the blanket don't shoot any antlerless deer is not going to help him at all. There needs to be a little more localized control in this area that does not currently exist. That is what I would tell the commission: Maybe smaller more intensely managed units.

Grizzly/Brotsky, Definitely have to talk to GFP, GFP Commissioners and CO's for any requested changes. I've gotten into these topics a lot over the last 10 months or so and learned a ton. These issues are so diverse and wide in aperture. I encourage more hunters to get educated on all sides of the issues. Disappointing the landowner in above situation "rejected" all GFP's options. I seem to hear that a lot unfortunately. I also know a few ranchers out here who want more mule deer. On the other hand one major depredation 'hunt' took place up along Butte/Harding this past month or so and they took dozens of deer off a rancher's cattle food stores. He allows hunting but he's surrounded on all sides by outfitters who haven't taken enough does. The wildlife will move, the landowners mindset is often harder to move.

Grizzly, that certainly isn't the normal situation on public land in the hills. My solution to the mule deer issue actually is beneficial to him, as it would not limit permits in any way on private land in the Black Hills or elsewhere. My beef is advocating for mule deer access permits for public land units west river on the large tracts like Custer NF, Hill Ranch, Black Hills, Grasslands, etc. Let private landowners allow as many hunters as they see fit. I don't think we are particularly misaligned on this topic.

Dr would you be willing to enlighten me more on the hunt that just took place that you mentioned above? Private message would be fine. Where at or even if you're willing who was it?

The Deer Management Working Group's proposed deer management plan and many associated details are on the GFP website at

I probably inserted some unintended confusion in my previous post saying that the Deer Management Working Group's proposed deer management plan is on the GFP website at the link I provided. Actually the deer plan presented on the link is GFP's, not the Stakeholders Deer Management Plan. However, contained on the link are various details relating to the Stakeholders Deer Management Group such as their charter, members of he group, and minutes of the meetings held so far.

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