There is no doubt among dedicated mule deer hunters that the Jicarilla Apache Reservation in New Mexico has made a comeback in recent years. There was a time in the 1970's when the once famous deer hunting on this reservation faded badly. Then in 1980, the Jicarilla Apache Tribe assumed management authority for their own fish and wildlife program. To their credit, they started a rigorous predator control program (emphasis added) and also put a clamp on poachers. As a result, by 1990 they were able to reopen hunting and start a new era of mule deer history. According to Tom Watts, the tribe's wildlife and fisheries specialist, the most recent surveys show a very healthy buck to doe ratio of 38:100 and a mature buck (4 x 4 or larger)-lo-doe ratio of 20:100. Furthermore, there are between 8 and 10,000 deer wintering on the reservation now. The upshot is there are enough deer here now that a hunter can expect to see more than 20 bucks in a day's hard hunt.

Editors note: Since the inception of HUNTER'S ALERT, we have told the Nevada Division of Wildlife that we have a predator problem. To this day, they refuse to acknowledge that we have a predator problem. Perhaps we need to bring some Native Americans over from the Jicarilla Apache Reservation to teach NDOW how to do a rigorous predator control program.

Excerpt from The Hunting Report May 1997