One full year of APR in 117&121

[thatdamguy]

Hey all  After one full year with the APR's what are your thoughts? I have seen more deer and bucks this year but i think it is mostly due to the last couple mild winters but I'm sure the APR is helping out a little also.

Modern opens this weekend and I will post more hunting/scouting info after I spend some time in the field. Good luck out there this year guys and gals.

[jackelope]

I don't think 1 year will make too much difference. Maybe with the crowds but not the deer. Just my uneducated guess though.

[Wenatcheejay]

I believe many people estimated it will take 3-4 years to begin to see the results. Harvest stats will tell something if people are honest over the next few years.

[bearpaw]

I have noticed a few more of the 2 year old bucks, likely because they didn't get shot as spikes and forkies last year. But I completely agree that to see much difference it will take a few years. We are still not seeing the deer numbers any where close to what we used to have here. Those two back to back hard winters with liberal doe tags after the first hard winter devastated our deer numbers.

[thatdamguy]

I have noticed a few more of the 2 year old bucks, likely because they didn't get shot as spikes and forkies last year. But I completely agree that to see much difference it will take a few years. We are still not seeing the deer numbers any where close to what we used to have here. Those two back to back hard winters with liberal doe tags after the first hard winter devastated our deer numbers.

Bearpaw, are they still giving out doe tags this year for those area's or just a lot less?

[bearpaw]

I have noticed a few more of the 2 year old bucks, likely because they didn't get shot as spikes and forkies last year. But I completely agree that to see much difference it will take a few years. We are still not seeing the deer numbers any where close to what we used to have here. Those two back to back hard winters with liberal doe tags after the first hard winter devastated our deer numbers.

Bearpaw, are they still giving out doe tags this year for those area's or just a lot less?

Not many in the whole NE, they cut doe hunting way back to help the herd recover thanks to Commissioner Douvia's efforts.


(I accidentally modified your post instead of replying, but put it back the way it was.)

[bearpaw]

I have noticed a few more of the 2 year old bucks, likely because they didn't get shot as spikes and forkies last year. But I completely agree that to see much difference it will take a few years. We are still not seeing the deer numbers any where close to what we used to have here. Those two back to back hard winters with liberal doe tags after the first hard winter devastated our deer numbers.

Bearpaw, are they still giving out doe tags this year for those area's or just a lot less?

I think there might be a few more deer overall too, not completely sure. I wasn't invited to go out with Dana Base on his transect counts this year, so don't know how that went.

[boneaddict]

It takes about 3 years to really notice.   Its going to be really hard to come up with scientific data with all of the other influences happening in the area. MOSTLY wolves, and believe it or not even the economy.  Lots of factors happening.   Anecdotally it seems to be just common sense that if you let a couple bucks live that would normally get shot, then there will be more of them and they will be bigger.  Having lived through the Methow years when the change happened I was very happy about it.  Eventhough I pretty much had self imposed limits on smaller deer,    because fewer smaller bucks were shot I saw more and more branch antlered deer later on after the season.  SAME WITH ELK, prior to the antler restrictions on elk, it was much harder to see let alone harvest a branch antlered bull.  Seems pretty evident how that has improved in the Blues and here in the Yakima units.

[thatdamguy]

I have noticed a few more of the 2 year old bucks, likely because they didn't get shot as spikes and forkies last year. But I completely agree that to see much difference it will take a few years. We are still not seeing the deer numbers any where close to what we used to have here. Those two back to back hard winters with liberal doe tags after the first hard winter devastated our deer numbers.

Bearpaw, are they still giving out doe tags this year for those area's or just a lot less?

I think there might be a few more deer overall too, not completely sure. I wasn't invited to go out with Dana Base on his transect counts this year, so don't know how that went.

I believe there is and I saw a recent article that Dana wrote, (for the life of me I cant remember where it was LOL ) and it said that numbers are making a steady increase but still not back to where they used to be.

[boneaddict]

I am curious how it is going to work with whitetails.    There are alot of whitetails in that region that have never been seen, EVEN with the event of trail cameras.   I love finding sheds of bucks, or seeing sheds from deer that know one has seen.   I love some of the bucks I stumble onto in the rut that I swear the ground swallows up after the rut.   Trail camera have shed some light on some of the real nocturnal monsters that live in that country.
that was before APR.  Now with some escapement I am interested in what is going to happen.   Rattling should improve.   We have some issues with 2 poitns with muledeer.  I am interested to see what comes from whitetails.  I see a ton of young bucks that are aleady 4 points.    REALLY curious about what is going to happen.

[thatdamguy]

I am curious how it is going to work with whitetails.    There are alot of whitetails in that region that have never been seen, EVEN with the event of trail cameras.   I love finding sheds of bucks, or seeing sheds from deer that know one has seen.   I love some of the bucks I stumble onto in the rut that I swear the ground swallows up after the rut.   Trail camera have shed some light on some of the real nocturnal monsters that live in that country.
that was before APR.  Now with some escapement I am interested in what is going to happen.   Rattling should improve.   We have some issues with 2 poitns with muledeer.  I am interested to see what comes from whitetails.  I see a ton of young bucks that are aleady 4 points.    REALLY curious about what is going to happen.

Very well put!

Yes there is seriously countless nocturnal monsters in those units, I also love shed hunting and it never fails myself and partners always find some beauties in our hunting areas that we never see on camera or in person for that matter . I honestly believe that this APR will no longer be needed in 3 or 4 more years.

[boneaddict]

I love what it has done in my Methow country.   There are plenty against it. Some meat hunters, some trophy hunters.   I have been eyewitness of the benefits from it.   I am glad it is still in effect.   I think with some minor tweeking, the two point problem could be resolved.   Too much focus of the local bios in saving the wolf to worry about deer though.