117 & 121 4 Point Zones. What Are Your Impressions After The Second Season?

[MTMule]

I myself got a decent 10 point in the huckleberry. Scored it at roughly 140. Saw a couple other nice ones. A few more that were not legal walking around in just waiting to be shot. Probably would have been shot if not for the restrictions.  I myself think it's already working after one year. Although overall deer numbers are obviously down, the ratio of decent bucks slightly went up this year.

The main problem I am noticing with these units though is lack of does.

[bearpaw]

Hunter harvest on both bucks and does has been cut back. But, we still have a lot of coyotes, cougar, bear, and wolves eating too many deer. We need to cut the predator numbers back too. 

To answer your question:  I think the buck/doe ratio is improving!

[iusmc2002]

I myself got a decent 10 point in the huckleberry. Scored it at roughly 140. Saw a couple other nice ones. A few more that were not legal walking around in just waiting to be shot. Probably would have been shot if not for the restrictions.  I myself think it's already working after one year. Although overall deer numbers are obviously down, the ratio of decent bucks slightly went up this year.

The main problem I am noticing with these units though is lack of does.

Then you need to drive up and down 395 from Colville to Spokane.  Lots of does WASTED on the side of the road    If there are that many getting blasted by cars, there are many more lurking about in the woods, needing blasted by people that like the taste of lady-deer 

[92xj]

Where I am in 117 we have way to many does.  Seeing 11+ does and no bucks this time of the season.  Early season we had a few more bucks majority being non shooters.

[MTMule]

Hmm, Im not from the area and only hunted for 3 days for the first time since the 90's so I could be wrong. But I know for sure when I hunted in the 90's you could drive up 25 right before dark and see 20-30 does in each field. You would be lucky to see deer in every field now.

Im sure some of this has to do with the increasing population and selling those 5-20 acre chunks.

[bobcat]

Too many does? I just don't think that's possible. Unless they're starving over the winter.

Each doe will have at least one fawn next spring, and half of those will be bucks. The does are needed, if we want the deer population to increase.

[dscubame]

All the 121 deer have migrated to the Blues.

[bearpaw]

Hmm, Im not from the area and only hunted for 3 days for the first time since the 90's so I could be wrong. But I know for sure when I hunted in the 90's you could drive up 25 right before dark and see 20-30 does in each field. You would be lucky to see deer in every field now.

Im sure some of this has to do with the increasing population and selling those 5-20 acre chunks.

I agree that can't help the deer, but this area still has far less human population than states in the east and midwest that have far more deer!

So what is different here in WA than in those other states?

1.  All those fields that used to be worked by farmers putting up alfalfa hay are no longer farmed, so less quality feed.
2.  We have cougars that eat on the average of 25 to 50 deer per year per cougar
3.  We have wolves that eat on the average of 44 deer per year
4.  We have unbelievable numbers of coyotes preying on our fawns.
5.  We also have bear which prey on fawns.

[Maverick]

were killing as many coyotes as we can, not seeing as many in spots as i did last year. havnt killed any since the tourny started....

coyotes, wolves, cougars, bears, cars, and poachers.... its surprizing we have the deer we do. oh and dont forget disease..

[buckcanyonlodge]

Too many does? I just don't think that's possible. Unless they're starving over the winter.

Each doe will have at least one fawn next spring, and half of those will be bucks. The does are needed, if we want the deer population to increase.

If you want more does just let the bucks grow older..... Just ask Douvia.. works every time.  OLDER Bucks = more Does............ Probably should have made it 10 point or better then we'd be overrun with does!               Just don't ask the biologists like I did.