Big jump in MT harvest numbers, 2016 to 2017. What's up?

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Sandman

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I'm doing armchair scouting for elk hunt this fall in MT and noticed a huge jump in harvest numbers for some of the units from 2016 to 2017. Just wondering what's going on. In some of the areas harvest numbers doubled and more. Can't really believe there's that many more elk or hunters.

Did the reporting methodology change? Was there a new hunt option offered in 2017? The 2018 numbers aren't out yet, but do you think the increased harvest (if real) continue last year or come back to the norm?

Thanks

Sandman
 
I wouldn't pay much attention to Montana's harvest numbers. Got my survey call last week. I wasn't even asked if I killed an elk. mtmuley
 
Same here both me and my wife were contacted and zero questions about elk harvest
 
Be patient. As usual, I received the annual deer harvest survey call. Typically the elk harvest survey call is later and a separate survey. Don't assume some elk related conspiracy. It's the consistent survey schedule.
Please focus your attention and energy on opposing potentially bad bills starting to pop up in the legislative process.
 
Consistency in recorded metrics create worthwhile statistics. So long as the surveys via phone, check points, etc are collected in the same manner year after year - a base statistic is created.

Example - since so many support public land use and how simple - though consistent surveys are able to present a statistic of value:
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of the Interior announced a new report by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that shows that 101.6 million Americans—40 percent of the U.S. population 16 years old and older—participated in wildlife-related activities in 2016, such as hunting, fishing, and wildlife-watching.

The survey illustrates gains in wildlife watching—particularly around the home—and fishing, with moderate declines in the number of hunters nationally. The findings reflect a continued interest in engaging in the outdoors. These activities are drivers behind an economic powerhouse, where participants spent $156 billion—the most in the last 25 years, adjusted for inflation.

“This report absolutely underscores the need to increase public access to public lands across the United States,” said U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke. “Hunting and fishing are a part of the American heritage. As a kid who grew up hunting and fishing on public lands who later took my own kids out on the same land, I know how important it is to expand access for future generations. Many folks east of the Mississippi River rely on friends with large acreages or pay high rates for hunting and fishing clubs. This makes access to wildlife refuges and other public lands more important."
Click to expand...
 
It's not like they make any real changes from the survey info. I thought they were just giving some nice older ladies jobs where they could work from home to keep them off the roads.

I believe I've heard that 76% of statistics are made up on the spot. Some guy that lurks around her may have said it...
 
Just had a thought, while looking at the numbers... a 20% increase is pretty dramatic. Is that not the start of shoulder season? By 2017 Many more really dialed in on the use of shoulder season, etc? Seems same # hunters, 1/5th increase...

elkstats.jpg
 
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I thought they were just giving some nice older ladies jobs where they could work from home to keep them off the roads.
Click to expand...
The gal I spoke with was a hunter herself and engaged in an interesting and enjoyable conversation.

For you FWP bashers ... just go back to your armchairs and chill out with another brewsky. Stick to football and stay away from amateur wildlife management.
 
I'm not bashing FWP. Or trying to "armchair" manage wildlife. It's my opinion that Montana's harvest stats aren't accurate. mtmuley
 
November 2015 was a big snow month. You'll notice the harvest numbers were almost as high then as they were in 2017. Many bulls were killed in 2015, meaning less bulls were available in 2016. 2016 was also an incredibly warm, dry fall. There were no large snow events that caused the normal migrations during rifle season.

There's a strong correlation between November snowfall and harvest numbers in Region 3.

I agree with the above that FWP harvest numbers are garbage, but in this instance there is an explanation.
 
I would pay exactly zero attention to that. I've been called probably 8 different years holding and elk/deer combo and to the best I can remember I was asked about one of the two on two occasions. They seem to be more worried about birds. Terrible system.
 
Ya 2018 elk harvest won't be out until they get all the estimates, guesses or harvest reports from shoulder seasons. Yep elk shoulder seasons a sneaky way to increase harvest data. Fwp look at it like the public benifits along with private. Bullshit I think
 
I doubt I will ever get a call living in the UK, but surely the only way accurate figures can be obtained is to make reporting compulsory, makes common sense to me, or perhaps I'm missing something as I'm not a resident.

In the UK when we purchase a migratory fish rod licence (Salmon and Sea Trout) it is compulsory to send in a catch return at the end of the season, it's an accurate way of studying fish numbers and catch rates.

Cheers

Richard
 
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