Methow Deer Forecast

[NRA4LIFE]

Crud.  As if it wasn't hard enough.  Really hoping to draw MT now....

[WDFW-SUX]

Boneaddict, Did you see any of this years fawn crop or are they all gone?

[boneaddict]

Alot of the dead were young ones.  There are still a few, but obviously not enough to stay par or recover from normal losses.  Interesting enough, they were all femal fawns that were dead.  I found almost all if not all of the skulls to check, and all were does or female fawns.  Typical in teh bird world, you lose the hens first as chicks and there is a majority of males that survive when conditions are not optimal.  More robust.

[PacificNWhunter]

Thanks for the update bone- I was wondering how the deer herds were fairing over that way. Last year was my first year over in the Methow valley and it's got to be one of prettiest places I have ever been. I made several trips over prior to the snow after hunting season because I was hooked on the country. I am still getting used to the area and kind of planned on basically camping around a few different spots during hunting season and hopefully running into some horns. Sounds like it is going to be tough hunting. I saw a kitty late Nov. up off the twisp river road and found a cougar kill up near Mazama. I guess they need to take a few of the cats out like their doing to the sea lions!

[RubblesPH]

Bone - If I draw another Lion tag, I'll help you clean that cat out of there.  Don't have to worry about me knowing your shed hunting spot....not my thing. 

RubblesPH

[Skyvalhunter]

Don't we all know Bones Shed hunting area it's the whole Valley!!!

[boneaddict]

I'm hoping you'll be running your hounds with my tag this year.  You'll learn all sorts of country.

[DOUBLELUNG]

That bluebird picture tells a tale - that bitterbrush has been overbrowsed by too many deer for too many years.  If it's representative of the browse in that area, that big die-off is not surprising, and maybe what needs to happen there too.  Bet there's not been a seedling bitterbrush survive there for a long time ... we may hate it, but the only way for winter ranges to rejuvenate is for the deer herd to get crushed periodically.  It usually gets too political for WDFW to put them in freezers .. so they get to starve and get put in scavengers instead. 

[boneaddict]

You are 100% accurate.  There isn't a leaf of bitterbrush left on that mountain.  The bitterbrush looks like nothing but deadwood left for the most part on everything.  I ran across the occasional other plant like willow or any of the other brushes and they are hammered.  It was interesting to me that I ran into a flat of Sage.  I'm unfamiliar with the terms, I've heard Russian sage, or blue, but the normal upright sagebrush that has the blueish leaves.  NOT the bitterbrush that many call sage brush, and it wasn't touched.  Apparantly it isn't a staple, or a pallatable plant.  I never knew that.  I am hoping that a couple of the fires up there help rejuvanate alot of the winter range.  There have been some doozies on both sides of the valley.  There is some good bunch grass growing versus all of the typical cheet.  I hope thats good.

[DOUBLELUNG]

It's actually a good sign the sagebrush isn't browsed, though I'm not sure what species you are seeing (Wyoming big, fringed or silver are the most likely).  Sagebrush has pretty good protein and energy - BUT the plants produces a lot of volatile compounds that inhibit digestion, so deer pay a price for eating it.  (One of those prices is reduced antler mass.)  Ceanothus (buckbrush) is about as good as it gets, and in a mild winter they'll be in it all winter long. Unfortunately, the hard winters, there is too much snow on it.  Virtually all of the woody plants that come back after fire are good browse, but they are only available for 5-15 years post-fire at typical winter range elevations. 

Anything green growing, including cheatgrass, is good early spring forage.  Problem with cheatgrass is it can get into a too-frequent fire cycle, and wipe out the browse with a 3-5 year fire return interval. 

[boneaddict]

I'll see if I can get you a picture.  Lots of it in the Wenas.  I thought it was funny that it was untouched, and everything else was hammered.  Apparantly isn't one of the favorites.

[mkcj]

Bone what part of the methow were in we have had a cabin and land just out of winthrop for 40 year have not gotten up there this year yet though to take a look around

[boneaddict]

Twisp