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

Any updates on deer population for Central Ontario? My last weekend camera check showed 3 deer and only a single fawn. Two years ago, same cameras, same locations would have a dozen or so. I don't see a very good deer session ahead. I may as well stay home.

On a positive note, the grouse seem to have made a come back. I had to pass two very angry hens, each with a handful of almost flying chicks. One actually had a "Thou Shalt Not Pass " sign up, and charged a few times! Good grouse session coming.
 
^^I hope you're right about grouse. Last year was mighty slim pickings. There weren't even enough for track soup!

In running my dogs daily through a patch of bush with lots of blueberry fields and sand, I haven't seen any wildlife thus far this summer (excluding passerine birds). No tracks, no droppings no animals. Usually I stumble across the odd grouse, deer/moose tracks, as well as droppings from deer/moose and bears.
 
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Chuckbuster said:
^^
In running my dogs daily through a patch of bush with lots of blueberry fields and sand, I haven't seen any wildlife thus far this summer (excluding passerine birds). No tracks, no droppings no animals. Usually I stumble across the odd grouse, deer/moose tracks, as well as droppings from deer/moose and bears.
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It is depressing, isn't it? Hard to explain to others, when an area that was previously teaming with wildlife goes to almost zip in two short winters.

Regarding the Grouse, I only go with what I see. Need a few more long walks to make sure. Deerflies are not cooperating.
 
The highway into town is starting to show red splocthes.
Not a bad thing, but not good.
Dint see a red mark last winter.
The deer are rebounding around here.
Six bucks not an arf mile away from me t'uther day.
 
there is one less walking venison out there, it's in the freezer. The sightings during hunting season were few and far between, but before and after, they're around! It's been the same story for the last number of years around here. They have all attended "smart school" a number of yrs ago! As for grouse, very very few around! There are some real bushy chubby light colored ones, but sooooo spooked that one can't even get close. Shot gun range, no-sir-e! It's been Chicken Chef chicken for us for a few yrs now!
 
Bringing back an old thread to life. How is the deer population doing in Central Ontario (56-57-58) this year? Are they back? Grouse?
 
This year I am seeing lots of young ones. Just saw a mulie with two two healthy fawns while walking the dog. We have had a couple of milder winters and numbers are definitely improving here in sask.
 
powdergun said:
This year I am seeing lots of young ones. Just saw a mulie with two two healthy fawns while walking the dog. We have had a couple of milder winters and numbers are definitely improving here in sask.
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around Cypress Hills there is plenty of mule deer and some WT. I hope for a good season.
 
I'm in 54. Winter wasn't that hard but a late cold spring. Seeing very little deer sign at all. Saw 6 in the flesh all summer, 2 right in my backyard May-June, the rest on the roadside feeding. Saw a doe with 2 fawns in August, fawns were small & still spotted. Having said that in years when I've seen many more deer off season, didn't see many at all in hunting season.
 
So I got a chance to check a few trail cameras that I have on my hunt camp (plus some adjoining crown land in 56). Unfortunately, things still don't look good. It is the 4th year in the row.

Other than 4300 pictures of overgrown bush:bangHead: (they weren't there when I fixed the cameras!) there were 2 does with no fawns! Not good.

I also had 2 Moose caws with no calves following them, which is new. In last 4 years, Moose had done better than deer. Looking for scats unfortunately confirmed the account given by the cameras. So I think I will not be out there for deer this session (second year in a row).

On the other hand, I had 2 bear saws, each with two unusually fat and healthy cubs. Is it too late for baiting bears?
 
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