And I’ve been thinking. They (IDFG) started this traditional muzzleloader thing a few years ago and it looks to me that all of the units that have mule deer populations are all in the southern half of the state, so for the past several years those southern units have had only traditional muzzleloaders hunting in them. As such F&G should have some harvest numbers for those traditional units and if what F&G says about the inline guns being too good then the harvest numbers for the traditional only units should reflect a decline in harvest, right?

It appears to me that the old muzzleloader rules where there were two different types of seasons, (trad and mod) would have been a great tool for F&G to limit the take (if that is realy true) in those units that are over harvested by simply making those units traditional only. And with several years of having a trad season they should have harvest data to support their claim of overharvest by inlines. If their data does not support the claim of inlines being responsible for too many kills then what is the real reason for the regulation change for the entire state??