Deer Herds

track

track

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Okotoks
Yesterday evening I ventured out close to home to survey the deer. I'll conclude that they are doing quite well, in fact excellent. In a 10 mile stretch I counted a little over 200 mule deer and 35 head of elk. Winter has been quite mild this year with temperatures and shallow snow fall. Forecast for the next two weeks are cooler temperatures, however very little snow, that's great. All deer appeared healthy and active and not lethargic as I've witnessed during harder winters. Many bucks are still in hard horn, which is a good sign that they are not stressed by Old Man Winter. Does and fawns are well rounded and no signs of weight loss.
If winter holds back this year, there will be a good crop of fawns in the spring, many will have twins, some with triplets. Although it will be another 5 years prior to receiving another Special Mule Buck Draw, it's nice to see them rebound from previous winter kill.


 
awesome pics! Not much snow here, has been no visitors to our elaborate deer treat station. Haven't seen a lot of deer around, but some doe deer in small herds. We groomed the snowmobile trails the other day and saw a good number of tracks here and there. I think it will take an easy winter or two for them regain a good bunch of them. Bucks seem pretty scares.
 
Thanks Track...Nice to hear some good news about the wildlife. In North Bay Ontario our herd is down 50%. Still it's doing o.k. This winter so far.
 
I was at the farm last weekend, counted some 30 whitetails from the living room window. People who are crying that the numbers are down need to find better hunting spots or improve their hunting skills. The numbers in my location have been the same for the last 5 or 6 years.
 
We've been seeing the same thing up at the this end too Track. Lots of Whitetails and Mulies still wearing headgear. Deer are quite active. Coyotes seem to be not as plentiful this winter or I am just not seeing as many with the warmer temps?
 
Where about from Okotoks are you driving. I grew up there and remember out west of town where we lived on the farm seeing huge groups of deer for years. When I was a kid in the early 60's it was a event to see a deer period on the same farm land and I never seen a elk until the 80's myself but dad had seen a few of them back in the late 50's around there. My brother said he hasn't gotton a mule deer draw for a couple of years now and he's not ever been able to shoot a white tail so he hasn't bothered to go hunting.
 
I was out after coyotes the past two weekends and seen more deer in those four days than I did all of last hunting season (I was out 18 days total that season). It is looking better, but there is a ways to go in eastern Alberta.
 
Raton57 said:
Where about from Okotoks are you driving. I grew up there and remember out west of town where we lived on the farm seeing huge groups of deer for years. When I was a kid in the early 60's it was a event to see a deer period on the same farm land and I never seen a elk until the 80's myself but dad had seen a few of them back in the late 50's around there. My brother said he hasn't gotton a mule deer draw for a couple of years now and he's not ever been able to shoot a white tail so he hasn't bothered to go hunting.
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I ventured straight east of Okotoks, east of Hwy. #2. Deer and elk are most plentiful in and around Okotoks. We also have cougars, black bears and moose. Numbers are down from previous years however still good numbers. In the Town of Okotoks itself, there are about 50 to 75 residential mule deer. Almost every day or night they are in my neighbourhood.
 
the spank said:
We've been seeing the same thing up at the this end too Track. Lots of Whitetails and Mulies still wearing headgear. Deer are quite active. Coyotes seem to be not as plentiful this winter or I am just not seeing as many with the warmer temps?
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What part of the province are you from Spank?
 
I wish I had pictures of the deer herds that bunched up on my buddies place outside Moose Jaw. I counted over a thousand white tail deer on a section of land (a square mile, for the non-prairie dwellers) and that was with me quitting counting as the light levels dropped.

The farmers next door had a half section under irrigation, and to put it mildly, they were terrible farmers. But they sure were good for the deer! Crazy to walk in a field that the deer had been through, where they would pick up the swath and follow it. The field looked like corduroy.

Not hard to see how disease could become a MAJOR issue, when that many gathered up together.

Cheers
Trev
 
Here are four bucks who were most content in their beds. They appeared healthy, and in 3 years they will be shooters.
 
I think the numbers are down a bit around here.
Usually see one a week or so splattered on the highway.
Up the hill on the farmers fields is where they hang out and I haven't seen
them that much unless they have squatted on Frolek's, Stump Lake and other ranches.
Maybe that goll dang Douglas Lake Cattle Co. has them there?
 
Deer numbers in my hay yards are at ~ 15 this year down from ~65 in previous years. Elk numbers are solid, although for some unknown reason they have left my properties. (Thank You Wildlife Gods!) Moose populations are down to 1 from ~ 8-10 in previous years which the neighbours and I credit to wolves. Predator populations appear solid although no cougar sign this winter so far. Coyotes are hunted regularly so numbers are steady. A couple of black bears sniffing around in summer and a grizzly visited us last spring and fall. No sign of him yet this year.

All of these numbers are as seen on our own land, two hours west of Edmonton.

So far this winter we have had ~ two feet of snow that has now melted back down to less than a foot here. December and part of January were pretty cold, but this warm spell should be beneficial.

A biologist once told me that March-April- May weather is more critical to survival than early winter.
Regards,
Dave​
 
MIRAMICHIER said:
Hey Track Where did all the tress go ????
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I assume that you meant trees? Remember that asteroid that hit in Alberta about 3-4 years ago?..............well that's not it. Truly, photos were taken in the prairies which is located SE Calgary or directly east of Okotoks. The photo with the four bucks, look in the very far distance and you can see the Rocky Mountains.
 
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