First deer season musings.

I'm seeing a lot of coyotes this fall, more than I can remember seeing in many years. I hiked over 250km's in mule deer season this fall and their numbers are definitely severely down in the zone I was drawn with an age structure that was definitely on the young side. Whitetail seemed way down as well but to be fair I was hunting more classic mule deer habitat and did see several mature whitetail bucks when I wandered around some typical whitetail habitat so that maybe wasn't an accurate assessment of that zone. In the forest where I hunt whitetail I run cams all over the area year round. Despite the heavy early snow fall last year I would say there was at least a 90% survival rate of the bucks in that little area but they just aren't moving at all yet. Antler growth was definitely minimal on some of them.
 
jbmauser said:
I have 4 more days towards the end of the season but like saskgunowner, I feel this is going to be a tag soup year.
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Last two seasons I’ve hit that “oh I’m going to get skunked…” stage and then out pops a buck, I think it makes me try harder when I get to that point in the season. Work and chores around the property seem to really be getting in the way of my hunting time, the warm fall hasn’t helped either. That said I’ve been seeing bucks out and about since I’ve cut my wt tag a few weeks ago, now I’m on the lookout for a late season bear.
 
umchorn2 said:
I was thinking this has been the worst season for deer I have personally seen in Saskatchewan since 2010. Both white tail and mule deer numbers are extremely low and the age structure is heavily skewed on the young side. It is a combination of several extremely cold winters and deep snow coupled with increasingly dry summers and little standing water as well as heavy larval ticks in the falltime and lots of kill around the grain elevators from the ribbon rail meat grinders during the long cold winters and of course record increases in habitat loss and slough draining as farmers race to turn pasture into grain production.

Combine this with white tail being the only open season that doesn't need a draw and you have a bunch of guys hammering any and every white tail they can for a few pounds of meat off a doe or fawn. Shoot the doe and the fawns die. Fawns need their mothers to teach them how to survive through a winter. And we need the does to survive and breed to keep our populations growing.

As for coyotes being a problem, I'm just not seeing that on my 8 trail cams or while I walk several former PFRA pastures. Even coyote numbers are way down. Same with sharp tailed grouse, ruffed grouse and snowshoe hare. I've put on some heavy miles on my boots in some of the best habitat for animals and am seriously concerned with how poor our wildlife populations are. I would say we are in serious trouble right now regarding the state of all of our game species, even migratory birds.

I'd also like to address the growing concern surrounding Chronic Wasting Disease. While I don't think it is close to being a main contributing factor in lowering deer, moose and elk populations it is spreading geographically. Most deer will never even live long enough to die from CWD given that it can take over 2-3 years for symptoms to be fatal after infection. Also, mule deer are primarily the species with the highest incidence of CWD and their populations have largely been afflicted by CWD for decades. Despite this fact, mule deer populations have been stable to slowly growing in some areas notwithstanding swings in population numbers due to other variables like weather and habitat loss and hunting pressure.
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I haven't seen a whitetail all rifle season, I can get out this Saturday morning one last time, so will see how it is. I am hunting in zone 52 and there are piles of coyotes. Also I have seen more grouse and shot more than I have in the last three years combined. Lots of mule deer and elk, but you need to be drawn for them.
 
Lots of frustrated people in 48 ON. Didn’t hear many shots. Not a ton of canine tracks either though. Moose seem to be taking over. Think the deer population has been in decline for years. Lots of new faces, looking for new places to hunt. People exploring in pre season which I never use to see. Picking up bows for the first time to try to beat the sea of orange. Luckily from what I saw the majority are trying to be respectful. The “sandbox” as I call it is just a tiny piece of crown land and looked like a parking lot on the first weekend of rifle. I had originally set up just to hunt solo archery but ended up with a group. I think it’s time to move to another wmu with more crown land
 
The wife, and I hunted since October. Spotted the first (and only mule) a couple of weeks back. Whitetail numbers seem up for the zone we play in, but not a lot of movement, and not many mature deer spotted. The big ones are in there (heavy solo tracks observed in fresh snow covers), but don't seem to be traveling as in previous years. the does are still single with yearlings in tow. The only response to rattles and bleats have been an occasional dink buck cruising through.
TONS of coyote tracks though.
 
Had 3 does flush out today. Neighbour that flushed em said my shot sounded like it connected. But no blood and they kept on running.

Might be tag soup for this guy. One more day, but im in the city for most of the day tomorrow
 
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