How We Put Together The MRS

[ScottR]

Guy put together a blog post to help everyone understand how we develop the MRS every year. Feel free to ask any MRS related question here and we will do our best to answer them.

Enjoy EHJ 141!

http://blog.eastmans.com/when-the-chips-are-down/

 

[Ikeepitcold]

Very cool.

 

[jjenness]

Pretty interesting. So obviously the Eastman's crew doesn't hunt every area in every state, so who provides the information for the areas you guys don't get to hunt? Do you just go by each states FWP website to glean as much info you can and make the call from that info alone?

 

[AT Hiker]

Thank you!

My only question (actually a recommendation) would it be hard to list all units? For example; in WY there are a couple antelope units I have my eye on for a 2nd choice. I have studied the WY game and fish site, my BLM maps and my Garmin Basecamp but I would like an outside opinion as well.

I think I know the answer, which is it is likely not worth the extra effort to break down all units and I completely understand that as well. As it has taken me a lot of research to narrow down to potential 2nd choice units.

 

[ScottR]

Listing all of the units is plain and simple a space issue. The easiest way to remedy that is to put in the color coded maps which make it very easy to see which unit is which chip. Listing every possible odd and statistic would be a nightmare.

However, this is all about giving you the best information we have, to help you have the best all around experience!

 

[Musket Man]

Are there charts similar to the ones used in the MRS on the Wy web site somewhere? I was sure I found them a few years ago but have never been able to find it again.

 

[ScottR]

Here is something Guy got in an email, helps illustrate some differences. I will see if Guy has a chance to put together an answer today.
Guy,

What is the difference between the Trophy Quality rating and the Trophy Potential letter score?
Also, what is the difference between Public Land Access and the Access letter score.

For example, in the latest WY Deer MRS I noticed these:

Unit(s) Trophy Quality Trophy Potential
D Marginal B
78-80 Good C

Unit(s) Access to Public Access
165 Good C
78-80 Fair B

Dave

 

[Timberstalker]

Good info, thanks. The only thing that I've always wondered about is a color as good in one state as it is in another? Example: is a green chip elk unit in Oregon as good as a green chip elk unit in Wyoming? I have hunted Green chip units in Oregon and I have a hard time believing that they are as good of a hunt as a Green Chip unit in Wyoming... I look at statistics on F&G websites and the Yellow chip units in Wyoming blow Oregon Green chip units away. From my experinces in Oregon there should be a lot more yellow than there is in the MRS.

 

[ScottR]

Some of that is honestly relative.

A big deer in Wyoming, is usually bigger than what people in Montana would consider a big deer. Wyoming, even in the general units, only does early season hunt. Montana has the rut hunts which tend to take the top tier deer out of the equation before they reach the 5 to 6 year age.

Every state has examples of this.

 

[Timberstalker]

Thanks Scott, I figured as much but now I know!

 

[QuazyQuinton]

Some of that is honestly relative.

A big deer in Wyoming, is usually bigger than what people in Montana would consider a big deer. Wyoming, even in the general units, only does early season hunt. Montana has the rut hunts which tend to take the top tier deer out of the equation before they reach the 5 to 6 year age.

Every state has examples of this.

Well then, how about a MRS section in one of the late fall issues that focuses on a state vs. state breakdown? Help us all decide (or give us something to argue about) where we should focus our research for the coming year.

QQ

 

[kentuckyhunter]

State vs state would be interesting.
I'm sure there are many subscribers east of the Mississippi who only get one chance a year to hunt out west and would like an opinion as to how hunts in different states compare.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Guy]

This is something I have toyed with in the past, but the amount of information just gets too massive. Wyoming has over 125 elk areas and well over 100 antelope areas, those charts have 40-50 data points entered for each area, so we are talking about close to 12,000 pieces of data for just elk and antelope alone. Maybe someday we can get a couple of "data entry" interns in here which would make such a task much more feasible. The cost to print and deliver a page of magazine to your doorstep is extremely expensive as well, which limits the amount of space we have to work with for each state. We are currently working on a solution to this as well. I hope to keep increasing the amount of content and quality of the MRS information as we go along over the next few years.

-G

 

[Guy]

A state to state comparison is a very interesting twist. Let me noodle on that one for a while. Thank you for the suggestion. -G

 

[Guy]

Are there charts similar to the ones used in the MRS on the Wy web site somewhere? I was sure I found them a few years ago but have never been able to find it again.

Not that I am aware of. -G

 

[Guy]

Good info, thanks. The only thing that I've always wondered about is a color as good in one state as it is in another? Example: is a green chip elk unit in Oregon as good as a green chip elk unit in Wyoming? I have hunted Green chip units in Oregon and I have a hard time believing that they are as good of a hunt as a Green Chip unit in Wyoming... I look at statistics on F&G websites and the Yellow chip units in Wyoming blow Oregon Green chip units away. From my experinces in Oregon there should be a lot more yellow than there is in the MRS.

That is a very good question Timberstalker. For the most part the answer is NO. The color grading is somewhat relative to the state you are looking at. For instance, a Blue chip deer unit in Colorado would for the most part probably in all likelihood blow a Blue chip deer unit in Montana away. We try out best to benchmark and level the playing field between states but its just too difficult when you have outliers like WY and AZ for antelope, and CO for mule deer. The missouri breaks for sheep is a perfect example, compared to that unit all other sheep hunt would suck in comparison. Its safe to say, as a general rule of thumb, the Blue Chip units are the best hunts for a given specie that a state has to offer, but there could be some variance in the quality of those hunts from one state to another. Thats where you need to do your research and dig a little bit deeper to find that next tier level of information.

G-

 

[Musket Man]

Not that I am aware of. -G

Thanks Guy! Whatever Im thinking of gave % of public land and some info on the second page of the MRS charts. I been trying to figure out where i saw it for the last 3 or 4 years. I thought I saw it on the Wy site but Im not sure.

 

[WapitiBob]

Thanks Guy! Whatever Im thinking of gave % of public land and some info on the second page of the MRS charts. I been trying to figure out where i saw it for the last 3 or 4 years. I thought I saw it on the Wy site but Im not sure.

I've seen the chart. I'll try to dig it up. I think Randy Newberg posted it once.

 

[QuazyQuinton]

Thanks Guy! Whatever Im thinking of gave % of public land and some info on the second page of the MRS charts. I been trying to figure out where i saw it for the last 3 or 4 years. I thought I saw it on the Wy site but Im not sure.

There used to be a hunting guide to Wyoming on the G&F website, but I can't find it anymore. Sounds like what you are talking about. Wish I had one now.

QQ

 

[Musket Man]

Thanks guys! Im glad someone else has seen it too.