We recently got on an MLD 3 property & I have a few questions. We're MLD virgins & haven't a clue on the actual rules.
Biologist requires jaws from all bucks taken. Does the jaw have be removed right then & there or can it be done by the processor?
If we don't kill the biologists recommended deer quota (10 bucks & 16 doe) will we be penalized in any way?
Is the 10 bucks & 16 doe the only deer allowed to be taken or simply a suggestion?
How do we get our MLD tags for these deer or do we use our regular tags?

Thanks!

do NOT use any tags from your license!

the landowner or lease manager should provide the MLD3 tags to be used on all deer taken.

the number of tags is the recommended number and gender that should be harvested. Do NOT take more than you have tags for.

I am not sure if there is a penalty if you don't fill all the tags, it is the recommended number that should be harvested. We really try to fill all our tags but have had a few that didn't and I don't think that was an issue.

edit: as for the jaw, read your lease agreement closely. Ours states "all harvested white-tailed deer will have the lower right jawbone removed and delivered to xxx (lease manager)" but doesn't give a time frame

Thanks for your input. When you say "do NOT take more than you have tags for", is that not more than MLD tags we have or more than all our tags, including non-MLD tags?
Thanks again.

There are no non-MLD tags if you are MLD. You CANNOT use regular tags from your hunting license or you will face big fines from TPWD. There is one exception.........where we hunt we are MLD for white tail, NOT for mule deer. So we use our regular license tag if we harvest a mule deer buck. So unless you have this arrangement........always use MLD tags only.

You are not allowed to use any of the deer tags from your hunting license for deer on MLD. Biologist will send you a PDF for your MLD tags and you copy them from that document. You have permits for 10 bucks/16 does, you evidently have approximately 2000 acres, that is the maximum that you are allowed to harvest. No penalty for not using all the tags. As LFD said, do not use more than the allotted number of tags given to you. Biologist will give you a minimum age on bucks harvested, not horn or rack size. Ours HAVE to be 3 1/2 years old to harvest, regardless of rack size. Here's where you can get into trouble, if you keep killing deer under 3 1/2, he can start taking buck tags away. You will have to be able to age bucks!!! Jaw bones have to be turned in to biologist by the middle of March for us, so you don't actually have to remove them right then. We remove them while they are being dressed, but if you're taking it to a taxidermist, he can remove it. But this part gets sticky, some taxidermist wont remove it until they actually get to working on your head and that may be a year later. You have to turn in all jaw bones by the date your biologist tells you. If taxidermist won't remove it then, find another one. You will be issued a MLD license showing your club is MLD, keep it available to all members as the Game Wardens may ask to see it. You also MUST keep a log of all deer taken during the season, TP&W makes a format for that, and must be available again for Game Wardens to check, and it better be correct. [/i][i]

as others (me too in first post ) ONLY use the MLD tags on deer, do NOT use tags from your license.

to expand on something else, the log that corkys son mentioned needs to be up to date. We have a skinning station with a little building next to it where the log is kept. We fill in the log as soon as we hang up the deer along with putting the tag on the deer. With MLD, you can transport the deer from where it was shot back to camp without a tag on the deer, that does NOT hold true for non-MLD where you are required to tag before transport.

Also, our age requirement is 5 1/2 years old for antlered deer, with the exception being 4 1/2 years old on true culls (<8 point) and in theory, we should have pictures of the culls run by the lease manager before shooting. We usually also run the others thru him also so he has a better idea of what we are seeing. 2 years ago, I took pictures of a brute 12 point that was only 3 1/2 years old that hung around my stand area for a couple weeks, I sent to all the other hunters as an off limits for a couple of years and even the lease manager said he would have a hard time passing up that deer.

there's probably several other things that will come to mind ...

My past experience with MLD is that the biologist over your MLD property will give you some slack. Sometimes it will be because of factors dealing with the actual property such as flooding. He may allow say 50 tags but expects you to take 80% . Your lease manager should have direct information/contact from biologist about what he expects. There is no need to try and fool him, he will find out what is going and at some point the MLD manager will get a nasty gram telling him what MUST BE DONE and IN WHAT TIME PERIOD. A big problem with a lot of MLD lands is the hunters DO NOT WANT TO SHOOT DOES. That might work for a year or two but will catch up with the MLD ranch manager.

Not sure how it is now under the new system, but I believe in the old days if you didn't use all the tags you were allotted then they would start reducing the number of tags you get for the next year.

Like the others have said, don't use the tags off your license for any MLD property- use the permits that you get from the state. Save your tags for you license to use if you can get a friend to invite you to his lease....

good point on the does ... our lease agreement states we are supposed to take 2 does (each hunter) first before taking an antlered deer. I believe that is because in the past, so many of our hunters would pass on does until late/later in the season, then not fill those tags. This caused the rest of us to take more very late in the season trying to fill tags.

My first year that was also the way it was worded and the opening day I dropped a doe in the morning and one that afternoon and while at the skinning station, the lease manager laughed and said "you aren't afraid to pull the trigger, are you?" to which I replied "I don't want to have to pass up a 14-1/2 point just because I don't have the 2 does out of the way" ... That same year, 3 or 4 of the other guys never took a doe (nor a buck since they didn't take their does) and weren't very happy.

just read thru your lease agreement closely and ask questions of the lease manager before season.

Sounds like a PITA to me.

Only thing I could find about "MLD 3" was a very old website that wasn't TPWD. There's Harvest Option and Conservation Option, and as far as my skimming goes, I couldn't find anything about a jawbone. But it's very possible I missed something.

I'm trying the Harvest Option this year. Got my tags. Know what I'm supposed to do, but I don't have to have a biologist oversee anything, as far as I can tell. I've had him on here; 'nice guy. He suggested the Harvest Option. (Low fence/no fence.)

Jaw bones, running pics by a "lease manager"...no thank you. Although, I know a guy that would LOVE the power. He's an "expert" ya know.

It does but our rifle season is from first weekend in Oct. to last weekend in Feb. Can't beat that!
I appreciate everybody's help!!!

Creekrunner, The MLD 3 is the program TPWD ran for many years before the MLD system now being used. Back then a ranch had to start at MLD 1, then MLD 2, & last was MLD 3. Each level had certain requirements for the landowner for a time period. MLD 3 level can increase the value of a tract of land. After a year or so, it is not as big a hassle as you might think, once you learn the ropes. One of those ropes was taking the jaw bones out of every deer killed and I hated to do it. It ain't as easy as you might think. The Ranch/MLD manager did not require pics but you had to prove you could age bucks & does within a year or so.

yep, it can be a PITA but just like most other things, rules were put into place to keep people in line, the list keeps growing based on what some people try to take advantage of doing ... really no impact to me personally. The lease manager knows me pretty well and most of those rules apply to the newer hunters. Last year we had several new on the lease that were a bit out there and needed help/guidance from my son and I on learning how to age bucks, totally new to hunting on a lease much less a MLD3 lease. This years lease tossed in several more things to limit what the new people did last year, again, no impact to me. Trust can be built over time.

It's pretty simple, only shoot mature bucks and try to fill the doe quota. That's pretty much what our 5 page lease states plus protection of the LO.

several of the old hunters that left prior to last season had been on the place for over 20 years and several things ticked them off. Going MLD3 was one, as they wanted a free ride to kill whatever they desired not taking into consideration age or improving the herd but were yet ticked off about AR prior to going MLD3. There were several others that left 5 years ago, which opened up the spot for me and they left because the MLD3 would limit what they could shoot (and their family & friends).

Lot of learning here... thanks everyone

Do you know if you’re harvest option or conservation option. Wasn’t sure how your tag allotment had already been made. If conservation your harvest recommendations are determined based on your surveys. If you’re HF they want you to use all your tags. They’re more lenient with LF.

I'm almost positive we are in the conservative option & I know we are LF.