Whitetail in Utah

rutnbuck · Nov 16, 2004

2 weeks ago my son and I were headed out to Bear River Bird Ref.
When a doe Whitetail crossed the road 50 yds in front of us on Forest st. Close to the Million Dollar duck club. NO doubt in our minds. WE stoped and talked to one of the D.W.R employees and asked what he knew of Whitetail in the area. He replied nothing till that morning. He said a couple guys hauling equiptment out there that morning had seen a buck whitetail about 3 miles from where we were. Well it was probably 4 miles from where we seen the doe. Has anyone else seen one in Ut. And if so let us know and what do u think??
Rut

MrBaitnFish · Nov 16, 2004

Yes there has been confirmed kills of whitetail deer in Northern Utah. What did you expect a d.w.r. employee to tell you. Either they are all really stupid or they have been well trained to say, I don't know.

littlebuck · Nov 17, 2004

There are whitetails in Cache valley. 2 or 3 years ago someone killed a buck up logan canyon. There was a picture of it in the local news paper. I have a friend that has seen a 3 or 6 point depending on how you count over in the fields by wellsville. I hope to get a picture of him this winter.

littlejoe · Nov 17, 2004

I say bring on the Whitetail!!!! They multiply like rabbits and the mule deer are struggling. I know that some people say that Whitetails run the Mule Deer out. I don't believe that for a second! I have hunted in Kansas and there are Muleys and Whitetails together, Nebraska as well. I have a friend who shot a Whitetail/Muley cross. If the Mule Deer in Cache Valley are going to continue to struggle, why not try and introduce the Whitetail??? They can live anywhere. There are so many in some states back east that you can shoot many during one season. My friend in South Carolina told me that they can shoot a deer a day for months.

trapper_john · Nov 17, 2004

I say bring them on. Whitetails would do excellent in Cache Valley. they could co-exist with the mule deer. Wyoming Idaho and Montana are good examples of this. Maybe this would help our deer numbers

saminwy · Nov 17, 2004

LAST EDITED ON Nov-17-04 AT 08:23PM (MST)[p]they seem to live fairly well together. the only thing i would be concerned baout, is that around here, the whitetail live year round on the same ground the mulies winter in. so there could be some impact on the winter carrying capacity for mulies(which is generally where the worst habitat loss is from other problems)we dont have enough whities around yet to really tell if its going to be a problem.

gonehunting · Nov 18, 2004

Ive heard of a few whitetails being seen in the chalk-creek area. Has anyone else heard of this rumor

slamdunk · Nov 18, 2004

There have been confirmed sightings on the Deseret Ranch also, so yes, there are white tails in the Chalk Creek area. I don't have an educated opinion on white tails or their annual habitat areas, but it does seem like they could inhabit mule deer wintering grounds during summer and possibly put pressure on the habitat, like farm lands in the chalk creek areas, and some of those higher places. Time will tell i guess!!

rutnbuck · Nov 18, 2004

LAST EDITED ON Nov-18-04 AT 07:44PM (MST)[p] Tom Brokaw reported on the news tonite. "1,500,000 Deer have colisions with cars anually" Wow that is 4000 deer per day. 99% of them are urban whitetail. It seems to reckon that is more deer killed per year then all the hunters in the west kill all together in 5 years. Just a guess. Just thought u might want to know. Any way I have a friend that shed hunts near Randalph and he has found a few sheds.
I just returned from a hunt in Wyo. I hunted and took a Whitetail I seen as many as 200 in one evening if that has any bearing on future whitetail in Ut. Talking with the Fish Cops and a couple local ranchers. The numbers of whitetail are alot of reason's for C.W.D. It really effected the Whitetail. However it is mostly cleaned out now. I just wonder what effects of giving ground to Whitetail would hamper our Great Mule Deer herd we have. It is you know one of the best in the Country. I would love to see them but not to give ground to the Mule Deer would they or wouldn't they have adverse effects??
Rut