Outside the Box Deer Herd Growth

[Daxter]

A recent letter from UT DWR director talks about the millions of dollars that have been spent in UT to improve and restore habitat, kill predators, and minimize roadkill ( http://wildlife.utah.gov/dwr/2011-deer-changes/director-message.html ). Obviously these efforts haven't resulted the kind of increases in deer numbers that most sportsmen would like to see. What ideas do you have to help grow more deer? What else can western states do to grow more deer? Everybody likes to trash the DWR in UT, IDFG, etc., but I don't want this post to be about bashing agencies or groups, but instead I want to know what your ideas are to grow more deer. I would love to hear specfic strategies to increase deer populations and how to implement those ideas.


Dax

There is no such thing as a sure thing in trophy mule deer hunting.

 

[Tree]

For folks that believe in that sort of thing, PRAY. Weather is the uncontrollable variable in this whole thing. I think that it makes people feel helpless to acknowledge that we don't have control and may not have the answer.



www.bowhuntersofutah.com

 

[B_BOP_A_LU_LU]

Well!

Think about it!

How hard would it be to not over hunt/kill & destroy units no matter what the species?

Check the Thread out about stopping the Fish Lake Cow Slaughter!
Sounds as if they are working the Unit over again?
UN-FRICKEN-BELIEVABLE!
If FLEH says it's so, I damn sure believe him!

QUIT KILLING DOES!
If we got a problem area with too many Does in an area,lets get together with the DWR & help move them rather than SLAUGHTERING them late in to winter months!

Over the years there have been several areas/Units hunted out so bad they had to be closed,so they close them,then them hunters go to different Units that were already struggling and Hammer on them,How smart was that?

So don't hunt Units out until they have to be closed,DUH!
Don't shoot the Genetics clear out,DUH!
Don't pressure Game Herds for 6 months out of the year,DUH!

The list of BS just goes on & on!

I'll STFU now & let somebody else have a turn!



God is Great!
Life is Good!
And People are Crazy!

I love not acting my age,
Damn I love my NASCAR race,
And Hell yes I love my Truck!

 

[ELKOHOLIC]

Daxter, I think we know what will help out. I think most of it is in the works. I believe areas can and are over hunted, but I'm done arguing that point.

I do have a question for you though. Has there been any studies on habitat improvement specifically chaining the Pinyon? From what I have seen, deer don't seem to prefer these area or utilize them much. I guess what I am saying is we have thousands of acres of habitat improvement around here and I hope it's doing some good.

 

[tailchasers]

Habitat... Increase/improve habitat it will increase animal numbers, increase animal numbers it will increase hunter opportunity and harvest potential. Getting to this point to where you will see pay off can and will likely take years with sacrafices made by many. It just takes commitment and the aweful doing of being patient with a reward in the end which will improve inturn future generations hunting. To get the ball rolling it takes sportmen unification with a tactical approach to the governing agency or agencies... I think Utah sportmen can get it done...

Al

 

[elkun]

stop all the extra hunts'ten day. you hunt bow' muz. reg. you dont get no spical time. stop all cwmu eary and late hunts. they hunt just like us.'stop all big game tags that the gen. hunters dont get a chance for. expo .banquets ect....those tags are not for sale.....think back' 60s 70s maybe its what we are doing. not what we should do....

 

[AWHOLELOTTABULL]

1- smaller more managable units.

2- mandatory hunter surveys

3- seasonal road closures

4- ACCURATE more in depth counts. Get rid of the current model and do actual field counts on every winter range, not just 7 areas.

5- Contingency plans for winter feeding in an emergency. Lets not wait 4-6 weeks before we instigate these EMERGENCY plans.

6- If a unit suffers a hard winter kill then cut the tags back or move them to another unit that is over objective. Again, the only way you can effectively do this is with ACCURATE counts.

7- Continue the habitat push based on current studies and proven tactics.

8- Increase predator control. Some way instigate incentives for killing coyotes (just an idea). Utilize the DH program in this endeavor.

9- Throw out the buck to doe ratio planning and concentrate on growing herd size. I have had several biologists (probably some you know Dax) tell me if you have a healthy herd the buck to doe ratio will take care of itself.

10- Get rid of the 3 current options and actually bring one to the table that encompasses all areas that need addressed.

 

[feduptwo]

LAST EDITED ON Nov-25-10 AT 10:27PM (MST)[p] The other day I drove from Evanston to Immigration canyon and then back to Evanston. There were 17 freshly killed deer from the wyo line back to the wyoming line. (Including a 23" 3 point and another large bodied deer missing a head).
The fence projects must be a priority because its the easiest way to increase deer numbers without cutting sportsmen opportunity. I live in Wyoming but I drive through Utah for work and I've seen some great projects but there are still several major problem areas including Park City to Evanston area.
The other obvious problem with Utah deer is development especially on the I-80 corridor. You can't have 5 acre ranchettes with barking dogs, and decorative fences scattered throughout the winter range and expect to maintain a quality winter and transitional range enviroment. The downfall in Deer numbers could almost be trended to the tee with the population increase of the state of Utah.

 

[AWHOLELOTTABULL]

Also great points Fedup. There are a couple of deer crossings between Heber and Park City on hwy 40 that have been pretty successful. I don't see near the dead deer on that stretch as I have in the past.


It's always an adventure!!!