We appreciate your question.
As you know, the Southeast Region mule deer herd suffered from greater-than-normal winter mortality last winter. Winter can have an overwhelming effect on mule deer. We currently manage Game Management Unit (GMU) 73 with primarily buck-only hunting, and have not had antlerless hunting over the majority of the unit since the winter of 2016/17. We have one small antlerless hunt that is near the town of Preston to reduce the number of deer in town, as well as one either-sex controlled hunt where 1 or 2 does are harvested annually. Other than those exceptions, antlerless hunting (doe hunting) is closed, and doe harvest is very low in the unit.
Since mule deer have the ability to increase and come back from difficult winter within 3-5 years, even with hunting pressure, we did not believe it was necessary to reduce tags numbers for resident or nonresidents this year. As for the nonresident participation in Unit 73 this fall, there were 240 possible nonresident tags sold for Unit 73, and on average, about 1,600 residents are estimated to hunt the unit. That is a fixed number of nonresident tags that is set every two years. We are not debating that you and your party saw lots of Utah license plates, but those 240 tags are the maximum deer tags for nonresidents.
Deer population growth occurs with increases in females and birth rates, and we are hopeful that environmental conditions will allow for that to happen over the next few years. As you know, Unit 73 has great habitat and potential for mule deer.
If you have further questions, let us know.
Zach Lockyer Regional Wildlife Manager Idaho Fish & Game – Southeast Region