Who got a Southern Unit Deer Survey

[notdonhunting]

I received a email for Southern Unit Deer Survey. My Survey Fish Lake unit specific.
Three Survey questions really caught my attention was.

This unit (Fish Lake) has not been within 10 percent of herd objective sense 2015 herd objective was put in place. Do you think the herd objective for this unit (Fish Lake) is realistic?

If not why is it not realistic?

The next question was what do you think is the issues with this unit (Fish Lake)?

I would like to hear from some of you hunters.

Is it a realistic herd objective?

why it is not realistic?

What is some issues that keep this unit from getting within 10 percent of herd objective?

The herd objective for the Fish Lake unit is.
10000 head
The current estimated herd size.
5100

 

[notdonhunting]

My answers was as follow.
No i do not think this a realistic herd objective.
Because the winter habitat will not supporg a Elk herd at full carrying capacity and a deer herd at full carrying capacity during ghe drought conditions we have been experiencing for over 20 years.
My reasons that is holding the deer herd objectives down the most is as follows.
Predators that is all Predators Coyotes, Mt Lion and Bear.
Weather factor mostly the drought.
Elk they dominate what little bit of growth of winter feed that is being produced during this drought.

 

[elkassassin]

What in the HELL are You doing Hunting down there?

You Leave the Magnificent Seven that are Left here Locally to Hunt down there?

!!!

 

[Bocephus]

I got one and raised an eye brow at what they suggested was the estimated herd population on some of these southern units. One thing I didn't but should have mentioned is the cattle have decimated the feed this year, but they continue to move them into areas they destroy the feed and then move to a new area. The elk I can deal with, but the range is not in good enough shape for thousands of head of bovine, deer and elk. With the drought we are having and lack of feed/water could we not pull the cows off the range to help?

 

[heartshot]

I got one for the Dutton

 

[notdonhunting]

What in the HELL are You doing Hunting down there?

You Leave the Magnificent Seven that are Left here Locally to Hunt down there?

!!!

Well bess I keep dreaming about the magnificent pisscutter 7 but I can't find them I got to reach out explore some new horizons. And one of these trips I might run into BIGJOHN and he might offer to take me out fishing for some of them kokanees.

 

[cannonball]

The whole northern winter range of the Fishlake is on slippery slope freefall down. You use to see hundreds of deer, now just a handful. Mountain lions can be seen on most waterhole trail cameras to an alarming rate. When will they learn?

 

[BIGJOHNT]

We have a lot of bears and mountain lions in our yard. Seems like more and more every year for the past five or six years especially.It didn’t help that they dumped those Yellowstone problem bear off up there last year. If you see a yellow tag in a bears ear. That’s one of them. As for the fishing it’s been a little slow lately. I have a multi season tag. But with this heat their is no way I could pack a elk out where I hunt before it would spoil. So I can be patience and wait for cooler weather.

 

[fullthrottle]

Huh, carrying capacity my ass... fishlake could handle a lot more deer than 5k. It’s not the winter range that’s holding that herd down, stop it. It’s predator issues, cats, dogs, bears-PERIOD. Pahvant?? What’s your excuse for that mountain? Sure as hell isnt the winter range. There is an obvious problem when you see more lions than deer in a day. You should rarely if ever see cats without running them with dogs. The same could be said for the Dutton. IMO

 

[UtyoteKiller]

Hopefully everyone that are seeing all these cats go and buy the new $30 spot and stalk lion tag.

 

[Bucks_Bulls]

I got one for the Dutton

Driving home from the dutton, was hunting elk. Saw 12 deer total lots of hiking and glassing. Have 6 trail cams up there since May very few deer on cam. Lots of cats. Also the mountain is so dry looks worse than I’ve ever seen. Quakes don’t really have leaves it’s so dry. Sad hope it gets better.

 

[elkassassin]

Dry Hot SOB everywhere I've been this year!

Hows the Elk Herd Looking Bucks_Bulls?

 

[Bucks_Bulls]

Dry Hot SOB everywhere I've been this year!

Hows the Elk Herd Looking Bucks_Bulls?

Saw one bull this weekend so based on that the herd is dismal haha. We have a few good ones on camera but they have vanished on us the last couple weeks probably sticking closer to water. Overall the herd seems down a bit based on what we’ve seen the last 10 years.

 

[GLEDEASY]

I received the same survey.

Do I feel like fishlake should/could hold 10k deer, I do. Predators is a big one for sure. I have never seen a bear or lion, I do get them on my cams. Coyotes is where I put my focus. I need to be better at shooting those buggers when given the chance. I picked up a spot and stock lion tag. Maybe I'll get lucky. Vehicle mortality makes me sick how bad it was. One week last year I counted 8 fresh kills just close to the Hancock turn off alone. My other concern is the drought and how cattle are affecting the limited resources. Where has the monsoon moisture been the last few years?

With all this being said, the last decade (5 years especially) I've enjoyed the best hunting there. The problem now is only being able to get a tag every 5 years.

 

[Bikes]

Boulder has very few deer, hardly any fawns and many predators. A bear baiter reports 15 different bears at bait site! My cams show significantly more lions that have been continually increasing over the past 14 years that I have been running my cam string. Seeing a healthy crop of small female bears with twin cubs. Oddly, I have seen fewer coyotes? Lions getting them?

 

[Tikka]

Huh, carrying capacity my ass... fishlake could handle a lot more deer than 5k. It’s not the winter range that’s holding that herd down, stop it. It’s predator issues, cats, dogs, bears-PERIOD. Pahvant?? What’s your excuse for that mountain? Sure as hell isnt the winter range. There is an obvious problem when you see more lions than deer in a day. You should rarely if ever see cats without running them with dogs. The same could be said for the Dutton. IMO

I stopped hunting Pahvant in 2011 because of mountain lions, I couldn't go on any hike without cutting lion tracks... Deer #'s were horrible then, I can't imagine what its like now...