Not that at matters at the least, unless it's is your desire to grow deer populations State wide, on public land. While it's no longer my concern nor will I fight over another wildlife issue. If you want to get a relatively close estimate as to the number of deer Utah once had, during the last 50 or 60 years, consider the following, then apply some simple math to what we believe to be somewhat factual.
In 1982, Utah reported killing a little over 82,000 buck deer, during the fall hunting season.
A simple but not perfect way to measure the deer population in 1982 would be to take the average number of bucks killed in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014. Then average the number of total deer counted (total deer population) 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014.
You now have an average population of deer and an average number of bucks killed, for the last 5 years od data we have. If 2016 is available, include it.
Divide the average number of bucks killed, into the average population, and you'll get a number. Something like 12.5 (give or take). This is a loose ratio of the buck harvest to the total population of deer in Utah.
If you want to know how many total deer we had in Utah, in 1982 (or any other year where we have a reported buck harvest number) multiply the factor number (12.2) by the bucks killed (82,000 in 1982). That's 1,000,400 total deer in 1982.
I haven't taken the time to redo the exact numbers, taken from the DWR's annual reports, for this example, but if you'r interested you can and, get more a more accurate number.
OR, as I believe, the total number of deer in Utah in 1982 was actually closer to 1.2 million, because:
- our buck State wide buck doe ratios were lower in the 1980's (closer to 4 or 5 per hundred doe) which means there were more does in the population, so the ratio of buck kills to total population was a large number in 1982 that it is now with an average of 15-17 buck per hundred doe.
- there a other factors, such as highway morality rates, and predation rates that are different today than they were in the 1980s, which would alter the ration in a small way.
So lets say, I'm way off, and the ratio of around 12 is way off, please explain to me why it should be lower by 40% or 50% and explain how we could have killed 60,000 to 80,000 bucks per year, in the 1970, 1980, unless we had over 800,000 total deer in the State, in 1982.
Regarding never again having 600,000 or 800,000 deer again in Utah. Utah can grow as many deer as Utah wants. The loss of habitat on the Wasatch Front isn't that great, compared to the habitat left in the rest of the State. Agriculture interests can be negotiated for a lot more deer, if we want to. Political issues can be dealt with, as they are with every other issue in the State. Compromise is still possible, and when the benefits for all parties can be satisfied, changes are made.
In 2008, the UDWR claimed we could never have 350,000 again in Utah, and it was foolhardy and a pie in the sky management objective. They were wrong, again. We're at over 380,00 or so "they" say.
Some are again claiming 425,000 can not be reached. If that's your attitude, your right, we won't.
You can have 800,000 deer in Utah. It is "simply" and I do mean "simply" a matter of compromise, and commitment. It will be decided by you and your generation, not SFW, not the DWR, and the not ranches/landowners. It will be decided by sportsmen, one way other. You'll either do it or you'll get what someone else decides you'll get. Many of you settled for 350,000 in 2008, there are more deer now. Are you satisfied with the current objective of 425,000. If you are, as a body, that's all you'll get. If you want more, so more of you can hunt, more often, get to work, it's entirely up to you.
DC