Methow Valley deer

[Igor]

Has anyone had a chance to check things out in the Methow?

My son has been there for a few days, and is seeing hundreds of deer per day, including some bruiser bucks.   Mostly he has been in the burned-out area.  He says lots of deer, but very little to no browse available.

So far there is not a lot of snow, but with very limited browse, I really wonder how they are going to make it through the winter.

[bearpaw]

I was wondering how those deer are doing too? I heard WDFW was feeding deer, is that happening?

[Man Tracker]

As of early this week, limited feeding in the Pateros/Brewster areas to keep deer out of orchards.  Unknown how successful.

[elkfins]

I was wondering how those deer are doing too? I heard WDFW was feeding deer, is that happening?

Yes.  I received this email from WDFW on Dec. 16th.

WDFW NEWS RELEASE 
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091 
http://wdfw.wa.gov/   

December 16, 2014

Contact: Jim Brown, 509-754-4624

WDFW feeding deer to protect orchards
near Pateros in Okanogan County 

OLYMPIA – State wildlife officials are temporarily feeding deer to protect orchards in the Pateros area but say widespread feeding of Okanogan County mule deer is not needed at this time.

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) northcentral regional director Jim Brown said most deer are faring well thanks to mild weather and below-average snow cover in the wake of the largest wildfire in state history in July. 

The Carlton Complex fire scorched tens of thousands of acres of wildlife habitat, including some traditional mule deer winter range. But a mild, rainy fall has produced some of the best forage for deer in recent years, both inside and outside of the burn area, Brown said.

“Deer often concentrate during the winter near Pateros’ fruit tree orchards – independent of the effects of fire – and cause damage,” Brown said. “Until more deer fence is repaired, we are using feed to draw deer away from the orchards.”

Brown said the current feeding effort is designed to limit orchard damage without disrupting the deer’s normal diet and potentially causing health problems. WDFW uses specially-formulated feed to fulfill – on a short-term basis – the deer’s nutritional needs. 

In general, WDFW and other wildlife managers discourage the public from winter feeding of deer and other wildlife because it can harm the animals, said Kristin Mansfield, WDFW wildlife veterinarian. Deer, for instance, need to feed on many different kinds of plants to maintain a nutritionally balanced diet. Mansfield noted that some well-intentioned people have been feeding deer fruits and grains. 

“Fruit and grains are not a normal part of a deer’s diet at this time of year and can be extremely difficult for deer to digest,” Mansfield said, adding that a steady diet of such high-carbohydrate fare can elevate the animals’ stomach acid levels and cause serious illness and even death.

Mansfield said she appreciates people wanting to help animals in what seems like harsh conditions. “But most feeding just makes us feel good and can end up being bad for the animals,” she said. “Fruit is too high in carbohydrates and lacks the nutrients deer need to stay healthy. It’s a bit like letting your kids eat nothing but candy bars.”

Supplemental feeding also disrupts the natural foraging patterns of deer and concentrates the animals into one location, said Scott Fitkin, WDFW district wildlife biologist. Having too many deer in one area makes them vulnerable to disease, predation, poaching, and motor vehicle collisions if feeding stations are near roads.

Fitkin added that attempting to maintain a deer population out of proportion to its available habitat through supplemental feeding can be counterproductive to the animals’ long-term health. 

“All those deer will mow down any shrubs trying to re-sprout, setting back both the quantity and quality of healthy winter range for years to come,” he said.

Nearly $10,000 raised last month by the Mule Deer Foundation through its Methow Valley chapter will all be used locally for range restoration activities such as shrub plantings and re-seeding the area burned by the Carlton Complex Fire.

About half of the deer fawns born annually don’t survive the winter in Okanogan County, Fitkin said. However, deer that are in good shape at the beginning of winter can generally survive on fat reserves for two to three months with minimal forage. 

“The long range forecast for this winter bodes well for these deer -- above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation,” Fitkin said. “We are prepared to provide supplemental feeding, on an emergency basis, if extreme weather conditions develop.” 

For more information on winter wildlife feeding, see  http://wdfw.wa.gov/living/winter_feeding/wildlife.html  .

 


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[Skyvalhunter]

Heres to Fitkin!! Lets give him a hand to the back of the head. Hey I know Scott lets give out additional doe permits so the hunters will shoot the pregnant does and let the yearlings fin for theirselves thru the winter. 

[bigmacc]

Heres to Fitkin!! Lets give him a hand to the back of the head. Hey I know Scott lets give out additional doe permits so the hunters will shoot the pregnant does and let the yearlings fin for theirselves thru the winter. 

+1  , you nailed it Sky!.....

[vandeman17]

Heres to Fitkin!! Lets give him a hand to the back of the head. Hey I know Scott lets give out additional doe permits so the hunters will shoot the pregnant does and let the yearlings fin for theirselves thru the winter. 

Those doe permits bring in $$ though. Who cares about biology 

[Okanagan]

When it comes to winter feeding deer around orchards, why not haul the pruned limbs off away from the orchard and let the deer eat them?

  In mid-winter I've seen piles of pruned limbs scattered through orchards that have to be disposed of somehow.

That's more normal and healthy forage for browsers than hay or grain.  It is what the deer are after and for feel good greenie points, that forage comes off of the benches and slopes that were once winter grounds for the deer.  Prime winter ground is usually prime orchard and view home property.

I'd think volunteer groups like Boy Scouts and maybe some hunters could organize to haul the cuttings.
 
This does not address the larger topic of whether winter feeding should be done, nor the ramifications of having more deer survive than would have made it on that land in that particular winter.   But if we are going to feed, especially if it turns out to be a bad winter with humonguous winter kill happening, pruned limbs look like a quality forage that is handy to the problem.

Dumb idea?  Good idea?    People who know more about it may fire at will and I'm sure you will!

[builtfordtough]

Sounds like that would be a logical solution

[sandman76]

Typically foliage is gone when pruning is done

[DOUBLELUNG]

My job takes me between Wenatchee and Pateros and Brewster on a regular basis.  Deer in Okanogan county are thinner than in Chelan and Douglas, but not showing signs of starvation at least at the lowest elevations.  There is a decent greenup of cheatgrass and Sandberg bluegrass due to mild conditions, as long as we don't get deep crusted snow things look pretty good.  We do monthly eagle counts on the Wells reservoir, in past years when the eagles leave the Columbia midwinter it has been a good indication off a significant deer die-off.  So far eagles on the reservoir have been stable to increasing. 

Having had mild conditions through the first half of winter, I'm optimistic there won't be a severe die-off.  Some deer with strong fidelity to winter home ranges will die in the heart of the hot burns; others will move for better feed.  The question won't really be answered until 2017; 2.5 year old bucks normally make up the largest year class in the harvest, if the 2016 buck harvest declines dramatically, that will be fairly definitive.

[Okanagan]

Typically foliage is gone when pruning is done

Good comment, and the nutritional value of winter pruned twigs is a major question.  I've seen them eat leaves but more often, from watching deer and checking what they browsed, they seem to regularly eat twigs and prefer the small tips and bud ends of brush and small trees.  My understanding is that wintering deer eat the bud ends and twigs of fruit tree limbs and that's what gets them in trouble with orchardists.  (Mule deer LOVE rose bushes and I've seen them eat a rose bush to the ground.)   Orchard prunings would have to be eaten pretty soon after the pruning though in winter I'd think they would retain whatever nutrition they have for many days.

 

[DOUBLELUNG]

Orchard prunings are nutritious and preferred forage. 

[Sitka_Blacktail]

Typically foliage is gone when pruning is done

Good comment, and the nutritional value of winter pruned twigs is a major question.  I've seen them eat leaves but more often, from watching deer and checking what they browsed, they seem to regularly eat twigs and prefer the small tips and bud ends of brush and small trees.  My understanding is that wintering deer eat the bud ends and twigs of fruit tree limbs and that's what gets them in trouble with orchardists.  (Mule deer LOVE rose bushes and I've seen them eat a rose bush to the ground.)   Orchard prunings would have to be eaten pretty soon after the pruning though in winter I'd think they would retain whatever nutrition they have for many days.

 

Correct, it's the buds with the new growth that have the good nutritional value. One of the main staples of Sitka blacktails in winter is blueberry and huckleberry plants as long as the snow level allows the deer to get to the bushes. They nip the buds off the plants which in turn acts like pruning and stimulates the plants regrowth.

[DOUBLELUNG]

My job takes me between Wenatchee and Pateros and Brewster on a regular basis.  Deer in Okanogan county are thinner than in Chelan and Douglas, but not showing signs of starvation at least at the lowest elevations.  There is a decent greenup of cheatgrass and Sandberg bluegrass due to mild conditions, as long as we don't get deep crusted snow things look pretty good.  We do monthly eagle counts on the Wells reservoir, in past years when the eagles leave the Columbia midwinter it has been a good indication off a significant deer die-off.  So far eagles on the reservoir have been stable to increasing. 

Update: today's bald eagle count around the reservoir more than doubled from mid-December, from 40 to 92.  Tells me two things: not a lot of dead deer to pull eagles off the reservoir, and most of the waters north of Brewster are now frozen.  Eagles are still eating mostly coots, with a side of waterfowl and fish carcasses. 

[huntnphool]

My job takes me between Wenatchee and Pateros and Brewster on a regular basis.  Deer in Okanogan county are thinner than in Chelan and Douglas, but not showing signs of starvation at least at the lowest elevations.  There is a decent greenup of cheatgrass and Sandberg bluegrass due to mild conditions, as long as we don't get deep crusted snow things look pretty good.  We do monthly eagle counts on the Wells reservoir, in past years when the eagles leave the Columbia midwinter it has been a good indication off a significant deer die-off.  So far eagles on the reservoir have been stable to increasing. 

Eagles are still eating mostly coots

 Thanks for the update.