whitetails on west slope

[r270]

Just something to talk about I know it will never happen just interesting.

1. Have you ever seen a whitey on the western slope?

2. Why don't we have them ...lots of river bottom and farm ground?

3. How would they effect the mule deer?

4.Would you like to have them around?

5. Would you hunt them.

Looking forward to the comments.....

 

[fallguy]

Whenever I drive through Montrose / Olathe area I can't believe there aren't whitetails there. I don't think it would be a good idea if they ended up on the western slope. Muleys have enough problems as it is and don't need another problem thrown into the mix. When WT and MD share the same country, the WT ends up coming out ahead.

Whitetails are fun to hunt and sure are good eating but they have their place and it's best they stay there.

 

[DW]

It won't b long b4 a few make it over the divide and follow a river down the mountain. Might not b my lifetime, but sooner or later.

 

[COHunter]

Saw a WT Doe near Burns back in 2005

 

[sneakem]

They've been in the NW corner of the state for nearly two decades, although in very limited numbers... primarily on the river bottoms. Just not a lot of talk about them as there are so few. I've seen a few as far south as Burns and Meeker. I have plenty of pictures, not to mention one I put on the wall...

http://fenderimages.com/

 

[elks96]

>Just something to talk about I
>know it will never happen
>just interesting.
>
>1. Have you ever seen a
>whitey on the western slope?
>
>
>2. Why don't we have them
>...lots of river bottom and
>farm ground?
>
>3. How would they effect the
>mule deer?
>
>4.Would you like to have them
>around?
>
>5. Would you hunt them.
>
>Looking forward to the comments.....

They are in Walden and few along the snake river on WY border and few over the years along the Yampa! Hopefully they never get over and we can keep our mule deer strong!

 

[CrabClaw]

>Just something to talk about I
>know it will never happen
>just interesting.
>
>1. Have you ever seen a
>whitey on the western slope?
...Yes!
>
>
>2. Why don't we have them
>...lots of river bottom and
>farm ground?
...Historical habitat not real conducive to them, modern habitat is to some extent with land that has been converted to agriculture.
>
>3. How would they effect the
>mule deer?
...It would take a long time to notice an effect, if any would ever happen, IMO.
>
>4.Would you like to have them
>around?
...Yes
>
>5. Would you hunt them.
...Yes
>
>Looking forward to the comments.....

 

[CrabClaw]

Just to add, I have seen them near Burns, and several near Yampa, Oak Creek.

 

[born_2_hunt]

Saw thus WT doe last weekend near Burns. Pretty crazy. If they do start to be more populated over here the cpw will issue a bunch of tags to get ride of them I can guarantee that.

 

[Squirrel]

No need to wonder or speculate, they have been here for decades. They seem to fill a niche habitat then stop expansion to any great degree. They populate the cottonwood river bottoms, expand in small amounts up tributaries, sometimes settling into isolated pockets where the next bad winter tends to wipe them out, down to their core range, then it all starts again.

Antler growth is pretty unimpressive with a couple exceptions, (178 was far and away the best I have ever seen) not sure if it is our genetics or if the lack of forage keeps them at <140. (no KS cornfields around here) One of the major ranches now feeds them in one of those previously isolated pockets, could change the equation over time.

Winter survival and specifically highway mortality just wipes them down to about 0, starting the whole population cycle again. I had 6 hornless bucks chasing a late cycling doe in my field this past Feb., they wanted to spar but had no tools to work with, pretty funny to watch.

They also get hounded pretty hard by locals in season who want to kill something "exotic"

 

[Tgun46]

There are some around north west colorado, I've seen does multiple times down by the river. I know of a couple guys that have killed 120-130 whitetail bucks during deer season, one archery and one rifle in the last 3 years or so. Although rare to see they're definitely around. They've been around for a while and it doesn't seem like the population is growing over the last 20 years, I don't think they will ever have an effect on mule deer if population doesn't increase.

 

[WoodsD9]

I live on 300 acres along the Yampa just west of Hayden and usually have 1 or 2 whitetail does per year. Back in 2004-2007 there were probably 25-30 running the river bottom but since that big winter there have only been a few each year. I know a gentleman with a ranch on the Littlsnake river outside of Dixon WY who has found some 160-170" sheds on his place as well.

I honestly think they are around in small numbers only because they are not fit for heavy migrations from summer range to winter ranges like the mule deer.

 

[r270]

Personally i would like to see them and be able to hunt them i know there would be many concerns with the mule deer. did not know there were that many roaming around the north west corner. i live near Montrose and think the river bottoms around here would be a great place

 

[Alamosa]

I wish we could reverse the trend and get more of the mule deer back in SE Colorado. Around the Arkansas River basin I see whitetail where there once were muleys.

 

[elkmanchad]

1. Have you ever seen a whitey on the western slope?

Yes, they are in North Park (Rand), and understand they came over from the Kremmling area. I also talked to a large outfitter in the Dotsero area, and they are now on his ranch along the Colorado River.

2. Why don't we have them
...lots of river bottom and farm ground?

Because they are not supposed to be here. Agricultural practices have allowed them to move West.

3. How would they effect the mule deer?

Negatively. They will eventually chase mule deer out of an area. Look at what has happened to areas of NE Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, etc. Mule deer have been chased out of those areas preferred by whitetails. In many instances, they have been pushed entirely out of areas. Why do you think CPW is issuing so many whitetail only tags for Eastern CO?. Mule deer are a fragile species facing many threats; we need to more to support them.

4.Would you like to have them around?

Nope. Keep them out of the mountains and western slope.

5. Would you hunt them.

Yes, to help control them.

Looking forward to the comments.....

 

[Coloradoboy]

LAST EDITED ON Apr-21-15 AT 07:49AM (MST)[p]I can confirm what others are saying. There Is a few of them living north of my house around burns along with a few pockets of them around north park. Seen some two weeks ago while fishing the north platte and delaney buttes. Probably the same ones I was seeing over the winter while I was up there ice fishing and calling yotes. Also see one on the Colorado river around rifle a couple years back. Sure wish CPW would eliminate them before things get out of hand.

Coloradoboy

 

[LoneWati]

I have seen them by Williams Fork Res over 20 yrs ago. A forkhorn and a doe crossed right in front of me. They are moving and finding new place all the time.

 

[Muley]

Yes, we have whitetails. That's why for the last two years we have a special whitetail tag offered. The season is a month long for either sex, and you can get two tags. They're also OTC tags.

I know where a couple hang out by the Arkansas River, but it's on private land. I can get permission to hunt the land, so I might do it this year. The season is the whole month of Dec. Last year it was the middle on Nov and all of Dec. They cut out the Nov part this year.

It's obvious the DOW wants to get rid of them by the tags they offer. Can you imagine if they offered unlimited OTC tags for mule deer? We'd have no deer left.

 

[crookedarrow]

They should consider an either or tag.

 

[LoneWati]

It basically is a either or tag. If you have a buck or doe tag you can shoot either species. They do issue whitetail only tags just to target the whitetails.