Are you studying mule deer in the Panhandle?

In the past, out northern Idaho IDFG have told us they cannot study mule deer in the Panhandle because it’s “too brushy and steep”. Our mule deer are obviously in serious decline. Habitat problems, predators, etc are to blame. I have spoken to IDFG many times about this and the reactions are in agreement, partially sympathetic but without any positive plans. IDFG should be aggressively working with the USFS, RMEF, MDF, etc to encourage forest management and as much controlled burning as possible plus looking at serious changes to predator management to reduce predators. It really is a black and white issue but it usually wrote away as complicated, while throwing in “climate change”, etc while our mule deer and other big game suffer. The forest management activities that IDFG points to in the panhandle are far less them they should be, none are in the upper Cabinets and Selkirks in traditional big game summer range. IDFG needs to push for th is and get off any political bandwagons regarding our National Forests! IDFG needs to seriously and publically address the shift of elk to valleys and quit releasing stable to increasing elk herds across the state without qualifying that with the shift of the herds due to predators and poor habitat..I was once very dedicated to attending IDFG public meeting and making these concerns known, including with the Commission. Sadly, there was a lot of listening but very little encouraging response or even just silence. It’s time for a shake up in IDFG and acknowledge these challenges and aggressively address them!