Mild winter leads to high fawn-survival rate

[Axle]

The 'squirts' is also called scours. I've seen it in deer on the west side but not often. I've seen the scours wipe out a lot of deer in western Oregon in the spring and early summer. Washington is much thicker and it is harder to see the deer out and about and when one dies, it does so in the thick stuff where nobody can see it.

The reason they want to tout a high fawn survival is to keep up the notion that wolves and cougars are not taking a toll on the game populations. I'm sure fawn survival is higher this year but it is a small thing considering what our herds have gone through the past 20+ years. To sell this idea to everyone (deer herds are fine and growing) keeps their agenda alive (adding more predators). Even some hunters will buy into until they aren't allowed to hunt due to extremely limited ungulate numbers. Hunters who have been successful for many years are far too smart to buy into bad propaganda.

[mulehunter]

Hey Wolfbait, Its hard to JUDGE who is right. If I was YOU I wouldnt buy WDFW TAGS like I WILL NOT!!  So Scott fitkin have to FIGURE OUT HOW to FOOL People to make PROFITS So he can keep his JOB! Anyway he just hope that WDFW thank him for all his *censored* talk after Deer Tags Increase purchased after read this.    

 “I saw more bucks with antler than ever before,” said Fitkin. 

People DOESNT EXPEIRENCE this such thing when U or I saw those DEAD FAWNS from WOLVES Trust me I have see A LOT and they DONT!
 
No worry if thing way you BELIEVE just because YOU SEE and they dont. So Just dont buy TAGS!  My Suggest.... maybe just buy SMALL GAME kinda cheaper and just to keep you busy hunting on Coyote's pups LEGALLY!


Mulehunter  

[bearpaw]

If the Methow had 2 bad winters in a row like NE WA did and then one mild winter, there's no way deer numbers can recover with 1 mild winter.

The doe deer coming off a hard winter do not have a high rate of fawns. Often the fawn rate is lower than the mortality for the rest of the year from all causes. Thus you still have a small deer herd going into the mild winter (this last winter). Now that we are into the spring after that mild winter, the herd has had no chance to grow. Until fawns are dropped in June it is impossible to begin to have a recovery. Then it usually takes several years of good fawn crops and mild winters to significantly grow a herd. Throw predators into the equation and if the herd numbers are too low, a recovery may never occur for many years and the herd may cointinue to decline. This is exactly what has happened in Idaho's Lolo Zone.

It was the tough winters that started the Lolo decline, but a growing wolf population nailed the lid on the coffin.

[AKBowman]

The 'squirts' is also called scours. I've seen it in deer on the west side but not often. I've seen the scours wipe out a lot of deer in western Oregon in the spring and early summer. Washington is much thicker and it is harder to see the deer out and about and when one dies, it does so in the thick stuff where nobody can see it.

The reason they want to tout a high fawn survival is to keep up the notion that wolves and cougars are not taking a toll on the game populations. I'm sure fawn survival is higher this year but it is a small thing considering what our herds have gone through the past 20+ years. To sell this idea to everyone (deer herds are fine and growing) keeps their agenda alive (adding more predators). Even some hunters will buy into until they aren't allowed to hunt due to extremely limited ungulate numbers. Hunters who have been successful for many years are far too smart to buy into bad propaganda.

They pulled the same BS up in AK. ADF&G does a great job compared to WDFW its just 100X harder up there being that it is 10X the size with little to no access anywhere. Anyhow, there are wayyyy too many predators (bears/wolves) than ungulates (moose, caribou, sheep) in a few areas. The ADF&G realized it and opened the area back up to arial wolf hunting, upped the limit to 5 black bears and 2 brown bears a year and two years later things were back in check in that GMU (still too many wolves if you ask me)

Between the bears/wolves/cougars the deer in Okanagon dont have a chance. Studies in MT have shown the constant stress put onto the herds by too many predators (mostly wolves) can do real strange things as well like the herds are more likely to develope diseases, not eat well, water well etc from the constant stress.

[bearpaw]

The Wildlife Commission has postponed the final wolf plan until next year. Hopefully with the newest data coming out of Idaho and Montana proving the fact that unmanaged wolf populations spell doom for ungulate herds, the Wildlife Commission will adopt a plan that results in fewer wolves and the ability to manage sooner.

There is no doubt that the WDFW policy on Endangered Species is a lost cause, our only hope is to generate as many letters to the Wildlfie Commission asking for reasonable management and asking for replacement of Dept personnel who doctor the data to support wolves. This is unacceptable behavior and does not accomplish the requirements set forth by legislative mandate.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is dedicated to preserving, protecting and perpetuating the state’s fish and wildlife resources. The department operates under a dual mandate from the Washington Legislature to:

- Protect and enhance fish and wildlife and their habitats.
- Provide sustainable, fish- and wildlife-related recreational and commercial opportunities.

Department policy is guided by the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission composed of nine citizen members appointed by the Governor. Department operations are led by a Director and an Executive Management Team. The Director is appointed by the Fish and Wildlife Commission.

I urge all of you to write the Wildlife Commission and point out that wolves must be managed responsibly so that legislative mandates are met and that any doctoring of data by WDFW personnel is unacceptable and reason for dismissal.

[HuntingFanatic]

I went over to the Twisp area this past week to try to shoot a coyote and to hike around looking for sheds. I saw around 250-300 separate heads of deer in a moderate to short hike. I put the sneak on what I thought was a group of 25 feeding in one of these "green" areas I popped my head over the ridge and quickly realized that it was more like 150 head, just feeding on the grass. They were seriously just move and chew with their head down! Most of the other groups I saw were still feeding in the sage.  I am from the west side and dont get over to the methow nearly enough. So I wont even pretend to know the state of the "herd". The deer I saw looked plump and healthy. There is one thing I do know as fact.....I need to work on my coyote hunting!!!! I tried to play watch keeper over these herds of deer....I however was unable to get a shot off at any of the 3 coyotes I saw stalking the outskirts! Holy hell they dont stay still! I should have just taken a long poke at them(350-400 yds) I know my rifle can do it. I just got overzealous and tried to stop them/call them in. Two of them looked at me then trotted off shaking their heads. The third(biggest) ended up taking a long circle around behind me. There were a few times I just about squeezed one off....but I swear to god he knew when to move and eventually was never to be seen again!

Like I said these are my observations. In the past I have given the wdfw the benefit of the doubt....but know I am a bit more skeptical.

[wolfbait]

Mulies are migrating to their summer ranges now and to many it looks like we have plenty of deer, but not the 20,000 that the pro-wolf biologist fitkin claims. For those of you who hunt the Methow, times are changing here just as the rest of Washington will change. You will be looking at hunting the same as Idaho has experianced with the Lolo elk.