-
Buck
oe Ratio:
Mature bucks were some of th
e first animals to die during the 07
-
08 winter,
which was not unexpected. For many years, big game managers have discussed the ramifications
of ?stockpiling? mule deer bucks in areas prone to severe winters. The breeding period for mule
deer in the Gunni
son Basin typically peaks during mid to late November and extends into early
December. Bucks exert a tremendous amount of energy tending does and competing with rival
males during the rut, and many enter winter in a weakened condition. Mule deer bucks us
e up
precious fat reserves and often sustain injuries during the breeding season which has obvious
survival implications. Dominant bucks in their prime (ie. those with the largest antlers and body
size) often enter the winter in the poorest condition and
are much more likely to succumb to the
rigors of the season.
There is a direct correlation between the cumulative ?cost? of the rut and the
number of males maintained in a population. Sportsmen should be mindful of the long
-
term
impacts severe winters have
on mule deer populations managed for high buck:doe ratios.
Taken from the Winter Mortality study of the 07-08 Gunnison area Winter Data analysis.I was there in May that Spring and could see 30 plus deer without looking hard. Most were Does and Fawns. I went into a drainage that had woody cover and found all Bucks(mature) with no Does or Fawns.Buck to Doe ratios from before the Winter were 48-100 and after were 25-100. Now what we don't know is how many of those Bucks were Mature that made up the buck to doe ratios. But what I found out from people on the ground that were there is that the big mature bucks showed up late to the feeding sites if they made it at all and never got up and died right there. The bucks I found did not make it to the one of the feeding areas. I did hunt that fall in the unit and saw 48 Does and fawns combined. Mostly does but I did not count how many of each. I saw 4 mature bucks . All in the 8 days I was there. Small 4x4's and a 5x6. Later in the Summer I was there and only saw a dozen Does with a couple fawns mixed in and no bucks at all, but I was there for a short time and the Mature bucks would of been together most likely farther up. I will look at your area when I get a chance to up in Middle Park.