mightyhunter
Very Active Member
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I have been looking at Job Completion Reports put out by local Wyoming Game and Fish every year in an attempt to understand what is going on in hunt areas with deer and elk populations. Much if what is contained in those reports is often repetitious. The numbers are often used to justify changes in unit boundaries, season dates, antler restrictions etc. How Game and Fish arrive at the numbers they publish is not usually disclosed.
Objectives are published in the JCR every year. I note that with a mule deer herd they set an objective number that generally stays the same from year to year. In the Units I like to hunt mule deer the objective number in the early 90’s was 4,700. It is now around 4,000. My question is how do the Game and Fish arrive at the objective numbers they publish?
Counts are published every year. Often they are ground counts and sometimes aerial counts. I have seen the deer counts done in mid November all the way through late December. Logic would tell me mule deer counts during the rut would be the most accurate? Is that true? I also know that the accuracy of a deer count depends on the terrain. Is it heavily forested, a burn area or open country. I also think it can be difficult to determine if a deer is a female or an immature buck. It is obvious to me that you cannot count every deer. If the actual aerial count for a deer herd was say 2,000, what would be the formula or multiplier for determining the actual deer numbers in a herd? High end and low end? Any ideas. Obviously this number would be crucial in determining whether a herd is below or at objective levels.
Harvest Reports are also published every year. These have always perplexed me. Last year, I asked Game and Fish how many mule deer bucks were actually checked by Game and Fish employees in a particular general hunt area. They told me the count was 6 immature bucks. They published the actual harvest at 56 bucks. Does anyone know what formula they use to arrive at the actual harvest number? Obviously sheep and goats have to be reported. I know that the Game and Fish do not see every buck harvested. I also know they may get an idea from the voluntary harvest reports. I also know that a local Fish and Game biologist told me last year that he never looks at the voluntary harvest reports. That struck me as really odd.
Finally, in a deer unit I hunt the doe fawn ratio was 73/100 in 2021, 53/100 in 2022 and 63/100 in 2023. There never seems to be anything published concerning the cause for the discrepancy. Is it excessive predation, winter kill, poor winter range forage, or disease. I would think the why of it is crucial.
I realize that wildlife management is not an exact science. I would just like some input from others who might know the answers to my questions. Statistics are important. I am just trying to determine the basis for those published numbers. mh
Objectives are published in the JCR every year. I note that with a mule deer herd they set an objective number that generally stays the same from year to year. In the Units I like to hunt mule deer the objective number in the early 90’s was 4,700. It is now around 4,000. My question is how do the Game and Fish arrive at the objective numbers they publish?
Counts are published every year. Often they are ground counts and sometimes aerial counts. I have seen the deer counts done in mid November all the way through late December. Logic would tell me mule deer counts during the rut would be the most accurate? Is that true? I also know that the accuracy of a deer count depends on the terrain. Is it heavily forested, a burn area or open country. I also think it can be difficult to determine if a deer is a female or an immature buck. It is obvious to me that you cannot count every deer. If the actual aerial count for a deer herd was say 2,000, what would be the formula or multiplier for determining the actual deer numbers in a herd? High end and low end? Any ideas. Obviously this number would be crucial in determining whether a herd is below or at objective levels.
Harvest Reports are also published every year. These have always perplexed me. Last year, I asked Game and Fish how many mule deer bucks were actually checked by Game and Fish employees in a particular general hunt area. They told me the count was 6 immature bucks. They published the actual harvest at 56 bucks. Does anyone know what formula they use to arrive at the actual harvest number? Obviously sheep and goats have to be reported. I know that the Game and Fish do not see every buck harvested. I also know they may get an idea from the voluntary harvest reports. I also know that a local Fish and Game biologist told me last year that he never looks at the voluntary harvest reports. That struck me as really odd.
Finally, in a deer unit I hunt the doe fawn ratio was 73/100 in 2021, 53/100 in 2022 and 63/100 in 2023. There never seems to be anything published concerning the cause for the discrepancy. Is it excessive predation, winter kill, poor winter range forage, or disease. I would think the why of it is crucial.
I realize that wildlife management is not an exact science. I would just like some input from others who might know the answers to my questions. Statistics are important. I am just trying to determine the basis for those published numbers. mh
