Difference is surprising

[Branden]

I drove 100 miles along I94 in ND the other day. This morning I drove I90 from Idaho to North Bend.

The North Dakota stretch I drove is a lot like Eastern Washington. Lots of agriculture. Temps were in the low 20's in both states. In North Dakota I saw over 200 deer. In Washington I didn't see any. I saw to many pheasants to count in ND and only 1 in WA. Pretty sad considering the terrain isn't much different and there is tons of feed in WA.

Curious what you guys think the reason for lack of animals in WA is? I have my own opinion's just looking more.

Regards, Branden

[JimmyHoffa]

Seen similar going through Eastern Oregon, then get to Eastern Washington and it seemed like the critters vanished.  Other big difference was in Oregon saw a lot more cattle.  Maybe additional feed/water/minerals/pasture management/predator control done for the cattle had bolstered the deer and elk.   

[erk444]

I think it has to do with the # of people too. There is more people in Seattle/Tacoma than the whole state of ND.

[Gringo31]

You may think they are the same looking.....but they are very different.


When you go to Wyoming, Montana etc..... in the "desert" they have water.  There are creeks, streams, drainages and if nothing else, stock watering troughs.  It's generally crappy soil.  The "sand" here is a blessing for row crops.  No rocks and with an abundance of irrigation water makes Grant county one of the largest food producers in the world.  All of this comes at a "cost".  Some of this is the reduction of habitat.  It's a fact and Sunnyside pheasants are a great example.  The value per square foot of row crop ground/vinyard/orchard etc, means owners wanted to maximize their revenues and leaving that weedy ditch row didn't pay.  Those ditches were tiled and farmed. 

ND is a great pheasant state.  They have oceans of CRP.  We have patches they fly into.  Few exceptions might be areas around Endicott and low and behold, you'll see hundreds of pheasants.

Just a couple thoughts/reasons.....  Due to some practices, we have areas of almost wasteland for wildlife.  Those areas are usually due to population, zero habitat or no water. 

[fishnfur]

Good explanation Gringo. 

I was thinking it was something along the lines of fewer Hillary supporters per square mile.

[JimmyHoffa]

I think it has to do with the # of people too. There is more people in Seattle/Tacoma than the whole state of ND.

That thought would make more sense if it was hunters/car accidents/some kind of consumption of the deer resource.  The habitat over his drive 'appears' the same and only compared E Wa.  I'd think if the habitat were the same then the carrying capacity would be the same, so the difference would be predation and hunting/management.  I'd assume there's a good amount of hunting and some predators in N Dakota, so more of a habitat issue.  Maybe the size or fragmentation of the habitat.  But for certain deer species, they really seem to thrive in high human density areas.

[Henrydog]

I driven I90 too many times.  Between George and Missoula I 90 runs through populations centers. Not Seattle persay but regular traffic and center pivot farming.   I see a more critters on Hwy 2, in Wa.  In North Idaho you just go a few miles north or south of I90 and there are deer and elk everywhere. 

[big wood]

 Bet you saw more states in wa

[big wood]

State patrol

[Utah]

Nodak is a Red state..  Critters hate Liberals too..

[Crunchy]

I lived 4 years in Minot ND and loved it.  The winters are horrible.  Its a different kind of lifestyle for sure.  I need mountains, trees, and salmon, but under different circumstances, I would live there for sure.

[cooltimber]

I think it has to do with the # of people too. There is more people in Seattle/Tacoma than the whole state of ND.

  There are more people in western wa,than there are in the states of Idaho,Montana,and Wyoming. fact

[Buzz2401]

There are almost twice as many deer hunters in Washington then North Dakota.  We also harvest almost 30% more deer then they do.  Take that and the lack of predator control and it is easy to see why we see less game.  There is really no sense in comparing our state to others when it comes to hunting because our state has a very unique circumstance.  Get rid of 50,000 hunters and our success rates would be right up there with everyone else's.  Its easy to blame WDFW for lack of success but the only way we are gonna have higher success rates is to limit the number of people in the field and I don't think anyone wants that.