Last year's long winter. How has it affected wildlife in your area?

Oh I don't think so our 8 days of around freezing and about the same for snow in the valleys makes it a pretty awesome place for deer haha and I also was mowing my lawn yesterday
 
Haha I really hear ya rain sucks a little more cold and snow would be preferable it really would make tracking them deer a little easier
 
WMU 54 in Haliburton Ontario. Deer numbers are way down this year. Based on this weeks' hunt only a few mature bucks and does around. No fawns, button bucks or small does as usual. I have a cottage in the same area and saw only one doe this summer in the back yard (remote area bordering on large private forest). Last year saw 12-15, once or twice groups of 3-4 together.
 
Here in Sask, zones 50(northern most forest fringe area), 64 and 63, whitetail numbers are really down. Over the last couple of days have seen a coouple of small bunches of does/fawns 3-5 also a couple of single small bucks and 1 group of 3 small bucks. However the elk are bunched up into a couple of herds numbering 20+. A few weeks ago during the early moose rifle season I saw 3 large wolves in 2 days, and heard numerous other wolves in one of my favorite moose areas in the southern area of zone 64. To me it seems that the wolf numbers have been increasing, however coyote numbers are definitely down, with a little help from yours truly. Another thing that I have noticed is that I have seen more lynx sightings in the farm fringe areas of zone 50 which might be a contributing factor to the low numbers of grouse in the area.
 
Deer are down to around 2009 levels in WMU49. A brutal winter will do that. The good thing about deer is theya re quick to rebound when winters arent so harsh.

Grouse are on the incline. Moose are stronger then ever and dont appear to have been effected at all by last winter.
 
I think it is confirmed, deer population is way down across Canada. I specially picked up on the "no fawns" comments.

Last summer, my trail cameras showed a much lower number of deer, but what was even more unusual was that most of the does did not have any fawns with them. A first for me. When was the last time something like this happened? How long does it take for their population to make a comeback?
 
apu said:
It probably also helps that my neighbour was aggressively trapping last winter, caught 4 timbers and 9 yotes.
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^^^ This ^^^^
WMU 10, Northwestern Ontario has, in my opinion seen a Whitetail population decline of at least 50 %. I spent a whole week on our quarter section last week and saw exactly 1 deer I could lay my sights on, a skinny year and a half old doe. I let her walk. I had a trail cam up since Oct 10 and got a total of 15 pictures of the same doe as well as another doe and fawn.
In speaking with a couple CO's that were about I found out that the only places in this area that have any deer numbers are the ones that for one reason or another have no packs of Wolves working those areas.
Another bad winter is being predicted and you can bet starving Wolves will seek out those pockets of deer remaining.
 
Whitetails are down here. Deep snow winters are always hard on them, and I'll bet there'll be less venison in freezers this year. But that decline also partly due to an opening of access to more land for hunting in the past decade. The huge population from 10 years ago was unsustainable, when the only thing keeping their numbers down was collisions with cars and trucks, and I have a feeling we're closer to a biological ideal now.
 
Home3 said:
I think it is confirmed, deer population is way down across Canada. I specially picked up on the "no fawns" comments.

Last summer, my trail cameras showed a much lower number of deer, but what was even more unusual was that most of the does did not have any fawns with them. A first for me. When was the last time something like this happened? How long does it take for their population to make a comeback?
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27 posts on a message board is far from confirming anything.

Deer populations can rebound within 2 years if winters are favourable.
 
the population is away down in SE MB. We haven't seen a buck in a very very long time. The odd doe by herself and sometimes a group of 3 can be seen from time to time. So sad! Going out tomorrow, starting day of rifle season, with shot gun for grouse, as the second reason, and the main reason being the love of being in the forest, but will keep an eye open for a decent buck, although, I won't feel totally comfortable in taking it for the freezer with them being so very scarce. But, that's the restriction we have here this year, so we'll play it by ear.
 
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two-dogs said:
the population is away down in SE MB. We haven't seen a buck in a very very long time. The odd doe by herself and sometimes a group of 3 can be seen from time to time. So sad! Going out tomorrow, starting day of rifle season, with shot gun for grouse, as the second reason, and the main reason being the love of being in the forest, but will keep an eye open for a decent buck, although, I won't feel totally comfortable in taking it for the freezer with them being so very scarce. But, that's the restriction we have here this year, so we'll play it by ear.
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You are right. It does look sad when I see these few lonesome doe on trail cameras. Going back this week for grouse only. No point hunting these poetic puny creatures.
 
Here in south central Mb, The deer numbers are down due to the bad winters but there are many other factors that contribute to the decline.
The clearing of land, jack lighting, predators, encroachment and over hunting (to mention a few) have all taken there toll. Its not just deer, I am seeing a steady decline of wildlife of all kinds.
I think if a lot of things don't soon change, our wildlife will be in serious trouble.
 
BC didn't have a harsh winter (surprise), so stocks seem ok....

Issue here has been the abnormally warm Fall... Game was staying up in the brush trees rather than down in the open. The rut was very late as well.

Climate change...
 
Where I hunt in central NS it is mature but thick woods and clearcuts, no farm land. Deer numbers are in the crapper, pics of a couple bucks but no does and no fawns. Coyotes really rebounded from last fall and they will be putting the hurt on the remaining deer this winter.

I just hunted hard for 3 days and saw 1 tail bounding in the thicket.

Rabbits seem to be up and grouse are insane they are everywhere! Even woodcocks are being seen where never before.
 
In my area I have noticed a lot less deer and a lot more wolves and moose. Bears seem to be doing ok too. Grouse and rabbits seem to be struggling , but no as bad as deer. I think it's it's a combination of winters and predators. I noticed our deer population was in decline 2 years ago, that was before the horrible winter we had last year. I'm in central ontario btw
 
rl4930 said:
In my area I have noticed a lot less deer and a lot more wolves and moose. Bears seem to be doing ok too. Grouse and rabbits seem to be struggling , but no as bad as deer. I think it's it's a combination of winters and predators. I noticed our deer population was in decline 2 years ago, that was before the horrible winter we had last year. I'm in central ontario btw
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I am in the same general area and I concur. Except that even moose and wolves are down as I see it. I honestly think last winter was bad for every creature across the board. Call me crazy but last summer even the number of deer flies were lower than ever! No complains there.
 
Home3 said:
We are up to 34 posts plus a parallel thread on the same subject:

http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/1144925-gonna-be-a-tough-hunt-this-year

I think it is now safe to assume there is a drastic drop in deer population this year.

Very carious to see how MNR will react to this.
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Winter in Ontario was harsh, but that doesnt mean deer in BC (for example) were effected by it. It wasnt a terrible winter Canada-wide.

As for MNR, they cut tags this season already dramatically (my unit saw a 75% decline in anterless tag numbers) and if this winter goes as expected (supposed to be like last winter) we may see a decline again or at least hold steady of the tag numbers for next year. If its mild, we may see an increase, or at least hold steady. It will mostly depend on the winter.

The most important thing is making sure you fill out your deer hunter survey. MNR will need all the data they can get.
 
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