Southeast Mule Deer Working Group – Unit 70: Archery Hunts

In April 2024 IDFG’s Southeast Region solicited interest from local members of the public to participate in a Mule Deer Advisory Committee (MDAC). The committee was established to improve citizen involvement in the decision-making process and had a goal of developing proposals for the 2025/2026 mule deer seasons that would improve hunter experience and satisfaction through increased buck abundance and age structure. The committee was further challenged with achieving these goals while maintaining over-the-counter general deer hunting opportunity and limiting negative impacts to other hunts and/or game management units. The 12-member committee was made up of mule deer hunters with varying hunting preferences. The committee met 6 times between July and December 2024. 

Proposal 3 - Unit 70: Convert the unlimited controlled archery-only hunt to a general season.
 

 IDFG Proposal Analysis

General season archery opportunity was available in Unit 70 until 2014 when it was converted to an unlimited controlled hunt to address hunter concerns with hunter crowding and buck quality. Hunters have since expressed dissatisfaction with the change as it limits their ability to hunt in Unit 70.  Buck quality in Unit 70 continues to be a source of frustration for hunters, similar to before the season was changed in 2014. Converting this hunt back to a general season archery unit will create consistency with similar units in the Southeast Region and provide opportunity for archery hunters to spread out more than they currently do. Mule deer harvest is not expected to change appreciably if this change were to be implemented. 

Please provide comments about what you like, don’t like, or have concerns with in the comment box below. Thank you.