proposed "bag limits"

While I personally support the proposed antler restrictions in an effort to grow older bucks in Jack County, I questionioned the TPWD regarding proposed "bag limits", as it has been my observation that there are some parts of the county with smaller tracts where every hunter wants his "bag limit" regardless of tract size or number of hunters. The following is the response I recieved:
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I appreciate your input. One important point to make is that we manage deer populations based on biologically-defined management units (Resource Management Units; RMUs) as opposed to political boundaries (e.g., county boundaries). Almost all of Jack County is within RMU 25, where deer-population data indicate the population can withstand additional harvest without any negative ramifications. A reduction in deer harvest in that area could adversely impact habitat. But just to the east, in RMU 24, the data support your concern that the population may not be able to withstand additional harvest. Therefore, we are not proposing to increase the antlerless-deer bag limit in RMU 24. Although the population data indicate that the population within RMU 25 is doing quite well, we acknowledge that there may be localized pockets where deer numbers are very low. However, in those cases, the low numbers of deer tend to correspond with habitat availability and quality. Nonetheless, we do recognize that you could be seeing something very different on and around the ranch where you hunt, but we simply cannot manage populations (through regulation) at such a fine scale. Obviously there’s a conflict between keeping regulations as simple as possible, but also addressing needs at finer scales.

Despite what I have written, I am keeping a record of all comments and will share them with our leadership.

Thank you,

Mitch Lockwood
White-tailed Deer Program Leader
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
309 Sidney Baker South
Kerrville, TX 78028
830-792-9677
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I would like to encourage our members to contact the TPWD directly to let them know how you feel about the proposed hunting regulations.
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