This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale has a very interesting discussion with Brian Wakeling, Game Management Bureau Chief for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. When you click here to listen you will learn that Rigger received emails from a whole lot of listeners wanting more information about the new Mule Deer Management Plan that Brian and his staff are working on right now. Mule Deer are a VERY popular species to hunt here in Montana and a great deal of hunters and outdoor folks in general have been concerned about the decline in Mule Deer populations in many hunting districts across the state. Thus, one of the main reasons for the FWP developing a new management plan. So, what is a management plan anyway? Who decides what goes into the plan? What are the main issues facing Montana’s Mule Deer? Is it just Chronic Wasting Disease or are there other issues that are causing population declines? Recently Brian and his staff conducted a series of public workshops across Montana to get input from folks across the state. Mainly they wanted to hear ideas and what folks would like to see in the New Management plan. So how did the workshops go? Click here to listen and get answers to those and many other questions. By the way thanks to all of you that listen and share this podcast!  It has grown by leaps and bounds, in fact we just found out that the Montana Outdoor Podcast now in the top one percent of the most downloaded podcasts in the Nation! Thanks to all of you and to our incredible sponsors, Rocky Mountain Truck and Trailer and Superior Hardwoods of Montana! 

Links:

• To look at the latest Mule Deer Population Report click here.
• To learn more about Chronic Wasting Disease, see maps of where CWD has occurred in Montana and other CWD related information, click here.
• Click here to learn the basics about Mule Deer in Montana.
• To look up harvest estimates for Mule Deer or any other game animals in Montana click here.
• Do you have questions for Montana Game Management Bureau Chief Brian Wakeling? Click here to send him an email.

Your buddy Downrigger Dale would love to hear from you with thoughts about this episode, and your ideas for future podcast topics! Click here to send Rigger an email.