Front vs the state?

[muzzle]

Just a quick thought.. I have been reading all the posts for and against the new Mule deer management options and it seems there is some debate as to WHAT is actually causing the statewide deer numbers to decrease. I have certainly seen the herd where I hunt crashing over the last 5 or so years but it doesn't seem like much has changed in the area as far as numbers of hunters or habitat. The only thing I can think that has changed is the amount of cats. So given that, I can guess what is causing the issue but I can't be certain that is the real or only culprit.
My question is, how are the front herd numbers doing compared to the rest of the state? Are they in decline like everywhere else? I don't hunt it very often so I really don't know but I would be curious to know if an area like the front is experiencing the same problems as the other units given it is kind of a different beast. It would seem to me that the front would be a little more stable given it has been archery only in most areas for quite some time. What habitat is left seems to be fairly unchanged over the last 5-10 years and I would imagine the elk & predator numbers have not changed too much? So you guys who hunt the front, have you seen the herd numbers follow the trend of the rest of the state? If not, could we learn something from that?

 

[swbuckmaster]

the only thing that knocks the deer population down on the front is the hard winters!!

there are tons of cats on that unit. I see their tracks every winter in every canyon. These cats don't see hunting dogs or are never hunted.

there is also getting to be quite a few bears. they show up on the cameras more every year.

i also see coyotes while hunting every time Im in those hills...

What does affect the deer in this state is RIFLE HUNTERS and elks!! where ever you see a big population of elk and big population of rifle hunters guess what you never see big bucks and in some of the areas where the elk numbers are way up you dont see the does!!

The harder you work the luckier you get!!

 

[muzzle]

Interesting..so if elk are competing or pushing the deer out, would areas that don't have elk or at least stable numbers of elk be stable in deer numbers? Where I hunt, we have stated seeing elk where in years past we never did and now the herd numbers are declining so?? What about Colorado though? They have always had healthy elk numbers. Are the elk effecting their numbers?

 

[swbuckmaster]

Utah is no Colorado when it comes to carrying capacity.. Colorado has a much higher carrying capacity. Colorado is like an aquarium with a filter and air pump "better habitat and winter range". Utah is more like a fish bowl.

So the habitat can support more game in Colorado and Utah cannot. so in Utah the elk DO compete with the deer where in Colorado the elk don't as much. Colorado's deer herd is declining so the elk might just be competing with them but the deer numbers are so high the hunters are not complaining yet.

The harder you work the luckier you get!!