Far Fewer NE Deer

[johnsc6]

The WT and Elk are way down in norther Idaho as well, mostly winter kill some wolf predation although the wolves seem to concentrate on the moose and elk more, the big bulls that stay in the deeper snow are SOL when the wolves find 'em. Not scientific, but the wolves and deep snow combined seem to be the perfect storm for high stress/low survival in the winter. The whitetails breed like rats but the elk recovery will be much slower, took 10 years last time.

[jagermiester]

our current lack of deer is simply due to deep snow in the winter. However, shane is absolutely correct, the WDFW could help us rebound deer numbers faster by reducing antlerless harvest and eliminating all 2nd deer tags

If deer are dying due to winter kill we may as well be able to harvest them dont you think?

[bearpaw]

my thoughts too.....

[SHANE(WA)]

whats funny was the winter of 96, they eliminated all 2nd tags, no question, these past 2 winters have been worse

[Palmer]

We hunt an area North of Newport.  Back in 05 and 06 we harvested about three to four deer each year plus another two or three that other hunters in the area harvested.  Three of which were does. 
I've seen about 30 deer in the nearby field back in 03 so I know there must be perhaps 100 deer in the near vicinity.
In 07 before the first big winter hit, a landowner set up feeders with timers out in front of a tree house that they hunted out of.  We must have heard approx. 5 - 6 shots a day from that area.  They were probably hosting friends over there.
This past year of 08, however, I didn't hear many shots.  We harvested three bucks.  Only one was a year and a half.  The others were 5 - 7 years old according to the taxidermist.  I guess many of the young ones didn't survive the winter.
We scouted the area this past labor day weekend and I saw alota sign.  So I'm  satisfied.
We did see a wolf a few years back.
I suspect that the successful harvest of the nearby landowners probably helped the population through these last two winters, especially if they were feeding them through December.  The 07 winter let up after the late fall snows and cold temp.