Winter Deer

[baldopepper]

A few of the backyard deer this winter.  Seem to be wintering well but this pic was just before the heavy snow Sat/Sun..  Hope this nasty stuff doesn't stick around long as most of the animals in the area seem to be doing fine so far. 

[Calvin Rayborn]

Awesome pic! 

[Skyvalhunter]

Thanks for helping them out by feeding them

[baldopepper]

Thanks for helping them out by feeding them

Thanks for helping them out by feeding them

We don't feed them much, I spread a little corn but leery of spreading very much.  They actually love the big south facing slope below the house and I have a salt block out that they  like. I enjoy having them come visit, but they eat virtually any type of plant you try to grow - good excuse not to try any extensive landscaping.  (roses seem to be their favorite).  We invaded their area so I try my best to minimize the impact.

[wolfbait]

How's your fawn count?

[baldopepper]

Fawn count was quite good on the mule deer this year. had several sets of twins that hung around all summer with very few dry does.  Whitetails were not so good.  I'd estimate at least 50-60% dry does.  Wolves haven't been around us much this year, but Mtn. lion population in our area is getting out of hand.  Lots of sightings and sign, seems every year we see more.

[buckcanyonlodge]

I'm feeding 100+ deer just up the road from you. I started the summer with 12 mulie fawns...we have 5 now. Local whitetail fawns almost none!! Migratory whitetail that showed up in Jan. have a pretty fair number of fawns..lots of orphans.

[baldopepper]

Yes, I've seen your herd.  I think the lions are very rough around us and for some reason seem to be harder on the whities than the mulies.  Stumbled across 3 different kills this year and all three were whitetails. Lions are getting pretty  brazen with more than a few being seen in broad daylight and not showing a whole lot of fear. You're more exposed to heavy cover than we are so I suspect they're harder on your groups than they are ours. Hope you responded on the WDFW form about them giving out 225 whitetail doe permits-I think we're a long ways a way from any doe shooting around there.   

[buckcanyonlodge]

Found this yesterday 400 yds from the house. Carcass was not there 5 days ago. Snowed yesterday until 11 o'clock in the morning..Cat visited the carcass after that. In broad daylight within 50 yds of Bissell Rd. In plain sight.

[baldopepper]

Geeze-that was a hungry cat. Not surprising, my brother came across one last year up Harvey Creek not 25 yards off the road. He stopped his rig, got out to take pics and it never moved. Just glared at him and finally walked slowly back into the brush. Never really worried about em when I was out in the woods but having second thoughts these days.