Anyone noticed a drop in WT numbers??
- Thread starter LuckyStrike
- Start date
- Location
- Prince Albert, Sk
I let it dispense a very small amount, like you said , just enough to know what is in the area.
The cam has been the greatest investment of all when you feel that no animals are around.
The cam has been the greatest investment of all when you feel that no animals are around.
saskgunowner101
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- middle of Sask
I think you could be right about them hiding deeper in the bush....lots of those "hunters" around here too. Found a nice buck not 300 meters from my door when I went out this afternoon. 5x4 and nice body. I didn't CSI for too long, but it must have been shot and they decided it was too small, tire tracks near it in the field. Nothing removed, but the hide seemed to be peeled back on both sides and one of the shoulders was kinda buggered.
No Deer
Deer almost non existant in North Central Alberta.
I have access to lots of prime farmland but prefer to hunt the crown land.
Location didn't matter, very little deer anywhere.
I have huted for 40 years this is the worst I have seen.
Deer almost non existant in North Central Alberta.
I have access to lots of prime farmland but prefer to hunt the crown land.
Location didn't matter, very little deer anywhere.
I have huted for 40 years this is the worst I have seen.
Republic of Alberta
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- ,location, location
Deer numbers were about the same as last year as far as I can tell. Most areas were almost devoid of deer. The very best spots had a few deer like usual but not huge amounts.
Something I have noticed, the areas that have everything needed for deer to winter well still have deer, even if that particular area was hunted heavy, including doe kills.
Areas that do not have everything needed for deer to winter well (but still carried deer in the past) and have little to no hunting pressure.... had very few deer.
One of my honey holes was crawling with deer this year. It has everything needed for deer to winter well AND has little hunting pressure. I shot two does there last year for the one and only reason I knew the area could take it.
Fact- the winters can kill off huge numbers of deer, almost 100% in some areas
Fact-handing out 2 doe tags to every hunter can kill off huge numbers of deer in some areas.
Add the two together and you get a situation were deer numbers will nose dive and have a very hard time to recover.
Here is something interesting, I have noticed the numbers of Mule deer to be on the up swing the past year or two. I belive that Mule deer can survive the tough winters and deep snow around here better than the whitetails. Part of the area I hunt did NOT naturaly have whitetails in it. It used to be all mule country. The logging cut blocks bought the whitetails in. A few bad winters is now restoring the natural balance to the area. It is ironic that the cut blocks that brought the whitetails have now become so extensive that many, many of the old wintering grounds for the whitetails are now cut down. White tails just can't make it through a winter now.
Something I have noticed, the areas that have everything needed for deer to winter well still have deer, even if that particular area was hunted heavy, including doe kills.
Areas that do not have everything needed for deer to winter well (but still carried deer in the past) and have little to no hunting pressure.... had very few deer.
One of my honey holes was crawling with deer this year. It has everything needed for deer to winter well AND has little hunting pressure. I shot two does there last year for the one and only reason I knew the area could take it.
Fact- the winters can kill off huge numbers of deer, almost 100% in some areas
Fact-handing out 2 doe tags to every hunter can kill off huge numbers of deer in some areas.
Add the two together and you get a situation were deer numbers will nose dive and have a very hard time to recover.
Here is something interesting, I have noticed the numbers of Mule deer to be on the up swing the past year or two. I belive that Mule deer can survive the tough winters and deep snow around here better than the whitetails. Part of the area I hunt did NOT naturaly have whitetails in it. It used to be all mule country. The logging cut blocks bought the whitetails in. A few bad winters is now restoring the natural balance to the area. It is ironic that the cut blocks that brought the whitetails have now become so extensive that many, many of the old wintering grounds for the whitetails are now cut down. White tails just can't make it through a winter now.
- Location
- Prince Albert, Sk
Well, went yesterday to one of my old areas that I used to frequent.
The amount of animals, animal traffic, and buck sign lead me to believe, and I am no biologist, that the WT numbers are healthy and sustained.Also saw a heard of approx 15-20 elk.This area was also part of the CWD program when it was happening.
There was only one coyote spotted the entire day.
Between my two areas I saw no evidence of low WT numbers,but this is just my observation.
Maybe some folks want to see herds of 20 or 30 deer at a time and when this doesn't occur they think the numbers are down.
The amount of animals, animal traffic, and buck sign lead me to believe, and I am no biologist, that the WT numbers are healthy and sustained.Also saw a heard of approx 15-20 elk.This area was also part of the CWD program when it was happening.
There was only one coyote spotted the entire day.
Between my two areas I saw no evidence of low WT numbers,but this is just my observation.
Maybe some folks want to see herds of 20 or 30 deer at a time and when this doesn't occur they think the numbers are down.
LuckyStrike
CGN Regular
- Location
- Vancouver Island
thank you!
Just wanted to say thanks for all the replies.
Seems like all but a few areas have noticed a reduction in numbers of Whitetails seen this year. (ranging for somewhat less to drastically fewer)
Lets hope for a mild series of upcoming winters...
ATB
Lucky
Just wanted to say thanks for all the replies.
Seems like all but a few areas have noticed a reduction in numbers of Whitetails seen this year. (ranging for somewhat less to drastically fewer)
Lets hope for a mild series of upcoming winters...
ATB
Lucky
SW Manitoba
Yes, the numbers are down. Keeps the truck-"hunters" off the road, though. In 8 hours of hunting over two days (yes, lunchtime naps & easy work) we tromped a familiar landscape, and pushed out a little under half the numbers of the late '90s heydays. Saw 30+, shot at 7, filled all 5 tags.
Mostly 2-4 yr olds. Not much above, not much below.
Good eatin'.
Yes, the numbers are down. Keeps the truck-"hunters" off the road, though. In 8 hours of hunting over two days (yes, lunchtime naps & easy work) we tromped a familiar landscape, and pushed out a little under half the numbers of the late '90s heydays. Saw 30+, shot at 7, filled all 5 tags.
Mostly 2-4 yr olds. Not much above, not much below.
Good eatin'.
Deer numbers are away down in South East Sask. I would estimate we lost 2/3 of our deer. We had one of the worst winters I have ever seen on deer. If it were not for a few locations where deer got into stack yards it would have been worse. Every day there were dead deer hauled out of this stack yard. They were to far gone by the time they found it. When you were sleding you would find dead deer all over. They coyotes did real well.
LuckyStrike
CGN Regular
- Location
- Vancouver Island
bump
Just wanted to see how the deer populations look now.. mid winter.
Hope to hear some good reports...
Lucky
Just wanted to see how the deer populations look now.. mid winter.
Hope to hear some good reports...
Lucky
I asked my dad on the phone a few days ago. He lives in Manitoba. He says the numbers are definitely down. They were literally over-run with them where he lives a few years back. He says they still see deer, just not in the same numbers.
blasted_saber
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- A blue part of Ontario
Deer in central ON are laughing this year. I probably have a quarter of the snow I usually have (about 1 foot total) and you can count the amount of sub -20 nights on one hand.
bearkilr
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Nowhere, ......just past the middle
You're not going to see any change in numbers this time of year, they don't have fawns until May. The best indicators will be next fall to see if the population has recovered any. So far, this winter has been about as easy as it gets for deer survival, very little snow and mild temperatures.
In the Slave Lake area in Alberta I think that there will be a significant population increase. I know that you don't hear this too often, but there were too many whitetails. The tempertures have been mild and the snow has been below normal, therefore a low winter mortality and a better than average fawn crop. One quarter section that we hunted contained between 50 to 90 deer......... sometimes you see 50, somtimes 90, and sometimes somewhere between those numbers.
There will be many deer this year, but too many eyes will bust you when trying to harvest a mature buck (160 B&C). Oh well, I won't complain to much, it is still fun to see all those deer.
There will be many deer this year, but too many eyes will bust you when trying to harvest a mature buck (160 B&C). Oh well, I won't complain to much, it is still fun to see all those deer.
My opinion. Whitetail, drastic reduction in the Salmon Arm, Shuswap area. Going down for 3-4 years, at least. Several reports of seeing sickly animals.
Salmon Arm area has may thousands of acres of prime deer country and no hunting. Spring, summer or fall, drive around the area and usually see deer.
Last fall we did a lot of driving around and didn't see a single deer.
One small farm, fields and bush, that I know well, always had deer on it. I think they have seen one deer in the last six months.
There is a large annual migration of deer down the Kettle River, to get into good wintering grounds on the lower Kettle.
Anyone in the lower Kettle, Westbrdge area should check to see, and ask questions, of how many deer are around and are the numbers up or down.
Salmon Arm area has may thousands of acres of prime deer country and no hunting. Spring, summer or fall, drive around the area and usually see deer.
Last fall we did a lot of driving around and didn't see a single deer.
One small farm, fields and bush, that I know well, always had deer on it. I think they have seen one deer in the last six months.
There is a large annual migration of deer down the Kettle River, to get into good wintering grounds on the lower Kettle.
Anyone in the lower Kettle, Westbrdge area should check to see, and ask questions, of how many deer are around and are the numbers up or down.
last fall seen lots of deer in Alberta, but not many fawns. I live a few miles west of Edmonton and see herds of 40 and 50 everyday on my way home. Stil too early to be seeing young deer, but the mild winter will give them a good edge providing the predators are in check.
I live 1.5 hours east of edmonton and we had a 60-70% winter kill last year,and that info was straight from SRD. We never had deer running in town and chewing on trees or any thing else they could find.But last year they sure were. Pull on the street at night and wt would be scattering,they even walked down my sidewalk during the day looking for food. Really bad winter with lots of snow and harsh conditions did them in.
Couple that with all the extra tags opened up in the last few years,extended season,Sunday hunting,and this area is kaput for at least 5 years.On cams a few years back you would get at least 30 deer a night in different locations,now its more like 5 or 6 on all cams combined.If the regs arent changed this year back to one tag per person,no sunday hunting and no extended season,this area will never recover.Oh and one other thing is habitat loss also...Farmers are going ape #### right now with clearing brush out here because of the lack of snow cover...That has to stop also if we want a good healthy deer population again..
Couple that with all the extra tags opened up in the last few years,extended season,Sunday hunting,and this area is kaput for at least 5 years.On cams a few years back you would get at least 30 deer a night in different locations,now its more like 5 or 6 on all cams combined.If the regs arent changed this year back to one tag per person,no sunday hunting and no extended season,this area will never recover.Oh and one other thing is habitat loss also...Farmers are going ape #### right now with clearing brush out here because of the lack of snow cover...That has to stop also if we want a good healthy deer population again..
