Conference vmsnet::hunting$note:hunting

    Janurary Report:Herds and Harvest
    
    Colorado:
    "This past winter was not as severe as the winter of '82-'83," says 
    biologist Rick Kahn. "Some areas were hammered, but statewide we don't 
    think there's been an appreciable effect." Kahn adds that in the 
    Piceance Basin herd, winter fawn mortality runs from 55 to 70 percent
    in normal years. "We saw no change this spring." Colorado is in the 
    last phase of its three-year hunting program; regulations planned 
    for 1995-1999 will be sensitive to mule deer herds, which Kahn
    contends are "young and female." He says deer numbers have changed 
    little over the past two decades (winter counts last year showed 
    607,000), but that hunters are complaining now because there fewer
    mature bucks. "We're above carrying capacity on many of our western
    ranges; herd reductions would improve productivity and fawn survival -
    even boost buck/doe ratios." Getting more big bucks will require 
    regulations many hunters won't like. "The bountiful 1940s and 1950s are
    history," concludes Kahn. But he is optimistic about the future of
    mule deer in Colorado. "We're elk-oriented now; we can have elk and
    good populations of mule deer." 
    
    This iformation was provided by the Mule Deer Foundations Janurary
    Issue.
    
    I have information on several other mule deer state, if requested.
    .
    William Tuttle
    
    

    re .1
    
    What are they saying about Oregon Muley's?
    
    In the past 3 years we've had to draw for a tag because of fawn kill. 
    Last year only 30% drew.  Winter, so far, hasn't been too bad I think. 
    I live in Western Oregon where there's mostly blacktail, but I've got
    property and a couple of cabins in the Blue Mts so I go over anyway.
    
    Ken

    Oregon:
    "Mule Deer have been in trouble for several years here," says Dan
    Edwards, acting big game staff biologist. "The '92-'93 winter hit 
    them pretty hard, especially in the central and southeast units."
    The Oregon Department of Fish and Woldlife reduced tag quotas by an
    average 23 percent (all mule deer hunting is by drawn permit); some
    quotas were halved. Chopping hunter numbers may have helped deer herds,
    but it didn't help riflemen, who found the animals widely distributed
    following a banner forage year. "We had normal hunting conditions this 
    fall," Edwards says. "But low concentrations of both deer and hunters
    limited the shooting. And we think a lot of hunters got discouraged 
    and gave up early." Edwards adds that the mule deer taken were, pre-
    dictably, in top physical shape. "Were optimistic about fawn survival
    this year. And our blacktail herds seem stable. A nasty winter won't
    bounce them around like it will our mule deer."
    .
    William Tuttle
    
    
    
                                                                               

    The Mule Deer Foundation needs your help. Now is the time to get 
    involved. Deer and deer habitat need your involvement of time and/or 
    money. Become a member, start and/or join a local chapter, contribute
    to a great organization that is making a difference for mule deer,
    blacktail deer, their habitats and future generations. We can make the
    differnce.
    
    The Mule Deer Foundation
    1005 terminal Way, Suite 140
    Reno, Nv 89502
    (702) 322-2800/(800) 344-BUCK (2825)
    

    re .3
    
    Thanks for the input and the call.
    
    As I said I look forward to going over to the cabin anyway, so if I
    don't draw it's no big deal.  Grouse hunting is good that time of year.
    
    Ken

    
    
    Some of us couldn't even find sign this year on the western slope in
    Colorado. Granted that may be more of a criticism of the hunter than
    the hunted, but it seemed like a good enough reason to 'splain how I
    just had to spend the kid's college money and get an Idaho deer
    license. 
    
    Does anyone have any suggestions about the Idaho area? The out of state
    fees were about the same as Colorado and can be ordered by phone and a
    credit card. As of today ( 2/16/94) there were about 4,000 tags left.
    
    BTW, I was just kidding about the kid's college money, it was the next
    Jeep payment.
    
    Jim Windle

    
       I'am not sure where they go but I have some friends that go to 
    Idaho about every three years for Elk and Mule Deer. On one trip
    about 6 years ago one friend shot an Elk which measured to be a new
    state record, but after the drying period back home and they were 
    remeasured he missed by so little. They have their tags for this year
    and I just made my mind up that I wasn't going. I beleive the tags
    were $476 for both. If I was going I had palnned on flying out as I
    don't call sitting in a cab of a pick up truck for 52 hrs non stop
    much of a vacation.

    Idaho:
    Staff big game biologist Lonn Kuck confirms that Idaho's mule deer 
    herds have been struggling since the late 1960s. "But numbers in late 
    1992 were up. That became a problem when drought-stricken winter 
    ranges couldn't provide the forage needed to keep all those deers
    alive." Kuck says the winter was harsh in places, "but not brutal. 
    Had there been forage to fatten the deer in fall and give them 
    maintenance nutrition on winter ranges, we'd have seen the usual 
    30 to 40 percent fawn loss. Fawn mortality in central and southwest 
    Idaho averaged 76 percent." Though survival of adult deer last winter
    was near normal (69 percent of males, 84 percent of females), IDF&G
    canceled all its late doe hunts. The dip in yearling numbers this fall
    kept many hunters from killing bucks. "Yearlings comprise about 60
    percent of our harvest," Kuck points out, adding: "Deer were fat after
    a summer of record rainfall. They didn't move nuch during the fall,
    which was unseasonably dry. These factors, combined with low deer 
    numbers, depressed the kill." Southeast Idaho, for several years a 
    trophy-hunters honey-hole, may have taken a beating last winter. "We
    won't know until later this spring, after we've tabulated hunter
    success and finished our aerial counts," says Kuck. Reductions 
    in antlerless quotas appear likely for 1994. Buck tag allocations 
    are under scrutiny now.
    .
    William Tuttle
    
    

    
    Thanks for the encouragement. I've made contact with a person here in
    CXO who has friends up in Idaho who have pretty current knowledge about
    current conditions.
    
    Yeah, the $476 is a bit steep, but the $27.50 I spent here in colorado
    last year was a total waste. Besides, I'm dying to hunt the same turf
    as Elmer Keith did.
    
    Jim 

    I have hunted Mulies in Utah, Colorado and Montana.
    I have found that the cost of going to Montana is not so bad.
    Mule deer populations in Utah have been affected by something called
    red tonge or something like that.  The herds have been devistated.  I
    did not hunt Utah last year because of this.  In the past of ten
    hunters 9 were successfull last year one scrawny buck was taken. It
    will be years before the numbers come up.  Colorado I think is two
    commercial.  Hay stay at the Hilton and we process your meat, great for
    the wife (she also likes cricket records) but a little tame for me
    thanks very much.....
    JOe