Issuing extra doe tags statewide when the obvious solution was to promote urban hunting where the deer are too numerous, is nothing short of political games. When deer numbers did not decline, KDWP was forced to develop the Unit 19 hunt.
Even if accurate data is provided to the Legislators, they will always vote in favor of $$$$ generation. Now that commercialism has gotten started, I am afraid nothing will stop it, other than the resource being wiped out for the second time in Kansas history.
The unlimited doe tags were also preached and touted by KDWP statewide 1998-2000 according to the Pyblic meeting minutes and the multiple statement made to the newspapers. Much discussion with the commissioners in favor of it as well, with your 3 favorites making the loudest noise (documented of course) for reducing the doe population for 2 reasons. The 1st for " Trophy Buck Management" and getting a better buck/doe ratio, and 2nd to reduce the then expanding population. The Buck/doe ratio was the biggest issue to commissioners of the time 1997-2000. It was again a 50/50 deal with the Leg./KDWP.
Fighting bad legislation is very difficult. We have NO hope of overturning these issues IF we get no data $$$ will reign in absense of information. If your assessment is correct Randy, then using hard data will make it tougher to advance legislation in favor of dollars over proper management. Without data, again if your assessment is correct, this was a cakewalk and that lack of data guarnteed our lose. That is why KDWP must answer quantify the herd population. That is why I asked these 2 questions and got very indefensible answers.
How can a population be managed if the extent of that population is misrepresented or unknown?
While the department does not - and cannot - know the exact number of deer in the state, this information is not necessary to manage the deer resource. By utilizing consistent trend information, primarily deer/vehicle accidents per billion miles traveled, along with hunter success rates, the department is able to determine population indices that are sufficient to manage the population growth, or decline, on a unit by unit basis.
What are the current and past populations of the Kansas Deer herd?
Again, the department does not - and cannot - deal with the actual number of deer in the state. Trend information indicates that the whitetail herd has increased in size from the 1950' s through 1999. In 2001, a slight increase is again seen. See attached annual accident rate.xls.
Dana