Post by: huntnnw on April 19, 2015, 09:47:46 PM
Post by: Todd_ID on April 19, 2015, 09:58:18 PM
Post by: coachcw on April 20, 2015, 01:23:10 PM
Post by: CAMPMEAT on April 20, 2015, 01:58:42 PM
Post by: bobcat on April 20, 2015, 02:01:13 PM
Or in one word- habitat.
Post by: buglebrush on April 20, 2015, 02:12:31 PM
My guess is that the decrease in mule deer in the NE is due to the suppression of forest fires over the last several decades.
Or in one word- habitat.
Definitely a jungle up there. We may get too much fire this year though. Pretty dry this year, and there is way too much fuel! :bdid:
I think we don't give enough credit to the damage mountain lions / wolves do to Mule Deer. And we all know that the spineless WDFW has refused to address the predator issue.
Post by: CAMPMEAT on April 20, 2015, 02:19:03 PM
My guess is that the decrease in mule deer in the NE is due to the suppression of forest fires over the last several decades.
Or in one word- habitat.
You wanna hear something funny bobcat. The forest circus posted in our little paper that this spring is going to be good for prescribed fires...
Doesn't make sense, since it's nearly 70 degrees right now and dry....
Post by: MooseZ25 on April 20, 2015, 02:21:27 PM
Post by: vandeman17 on April 20, 2015, 02:36:36 PM
My guess is that the decrease in mule deer in the NE is due to the suppression of forest fires over the last several decades.
Or in one word- habitat.
My thoughts as well. A lot of the area up there isn't conducive for mule deer to thrive and now with all the predators, they are fighting an uphill battle. We used to see a handful of mulies in the fields and bordering little hills but its been a while since I have seen one up that way.
Post by: CAMPMEAT on April 20, 2015, 02:58:57 PM
Post by: Colville on April 20, 2015, 02:59:05 PM
Post by: bobcat on April 20, 2015, 03:05:43 PM
I think you guys must be in a different state. We have a lot of muleys up here. My wife saw nearly 30 in one group 2 weeks ago coming home from work. I saw about a dozen today going to Republic..... They do disappear for hunting season though. :chuckle:
You're talking unit 101, this thread was mostly in reference to the units east of there.
Post by: CAMPMEAT on April 20, 2015, 03:26:43 PM
I think you guys must be in a different state. We have a lot of muleys up here. My wife saw nearly 30 in one group 2 weeks ago coming home from work. I saw about a dozen today going to Republic..... They do disappear for hunting season though. :chuckle:
You're talking unit 101, this thread was mostly in reference to the units east of there.
I know that. Most people stay with a certain area and don't look elsewhere. Look at all the guys that say they've hunted someplace for 30 years and don't expand. The 105 is a hop, skip and a jump from here. If you read the topic line only, it says nothing about the 105, until you read what the op wrote. So, it's open game.
Post by: Miles on April 20, 2015, 03:54:59 PM
Post by: WAcoyotehunter on April 20, 2015, 04:10:31 PM
Post by: 2labs on April 20, 2015, 04:19:55 PM
I think you guys must be in a different state. We have a lot of muleys up here. My wife saw nearly 30 in one group 2 weeks ago coming home from work. I saw about a dozen today going to Republic..... They do disappear for hunting season though. :chuckle:
You're talking unit 101, this thread was mostly in reference to the units east of there.
I know that. Most people stay with a certain area and don't look elsewhere. Look at all the guys that say they've hunted someplace for 30 years and don't expand. The 105 is a hop, skip and a jump from here. If you read the topic line only, it says nothing about the 105, until you read what the op wrote. So, it's open game.
Yep. And 204 is a desert! Don't go their.
Post by: browney5er on April 20, 2015, 09:32:42 PM
habitat. The high country hasn't burned in years. The "good ol' days" for mule deer were a result of the huge 1910 fire.
Amen, My dad hunted parts of gmu 111 starting in the late 50's and continued into the eighties when my brother and I started hunting with them. When you look at pictures of the high country from the sixties and even the seventies, It was wide open all the way to the bottom. That same country now is almost completely choked out with new growth. There are still meadows on top but now with the lack of habitat, they also have wolves to deal with. I know in that part of the state the decline in mule deer started as the habitat disappeared. The introduction of wolves has just enhanced it.
Post by: huntnnw on April 20, 2015, 09:43:21 PM
Post by: mfswallace on April 21, 2015, 05:56:19 AM
Its probably a combo of everything mentioned. Cats in the area I hunt are a big deal and there are lots! plus a ton of bears..wolves have been in this area for alot longer than the big talk of recent.
:yeah: Mostly predators though 99% Mules' unlike Whiteys can thrive almost anywhere if not decimated by predators
Post by: WAcoyotehunter on April 21, 2015, 06:34:51 AM
It's not only happening in NE Washington. Mule deer decline is occurring across the west. It is not "mostly predators". Deer numbers are declining in areas where there is serious hound pressure on cats and wolves are not recovering. It's a habitat issue.Its probably a combo of everything mentioned. Cats in the area I hunt are a big deal and there are lots! plus a ton of bears..wolves have been in this area for alot longer than the big talk of recent.
:yeah: Mostly predators though 99% Mules' unlike Whiteys can thrive almost anywhere if not decimated by predators
Post by: bobcat on April 21, 2015, 06:35:38 AM
Post by: huntnnw on April 21, 2015, 06:44:23 AM
Post by: WAcoyotehunter on April 21, 2015, 06:44:30 AM
I'd say more like 10% predators, 90% habitat.that's probably fair.
Post by: andrew_in_idaho on April 21, 2015, 06:49:20 AM
Its probably a combo of everything mentioned. Cats in the area I hunt are a big deal and there are lots! plus a ton of bears..wolves have been in this area for alot longer than the big talk of recent.
:yeah: Mostly predators though 99% Mules' unlike Whiteys can thrive almost anywhere if not decimated by predators
So you're saying mule deer are more adaptable than whitetails. I think you've got that one backwards. Whitetail deer have been expanding range into traditional mule deer range for years not the other way around. Mule Deer are declining throughout the west and it is always blamed on predators because no one wants to admit that human encroachment on winter range as well as lack of logging and burning has lessened the carrying capacity of most mule deer habitat
Post by: huntnnw on April 21, 2015, 06:50:59 AM
Post by: boneaddict on April 21, 2015, 06:51:21 AM
I think the predators are having a bigger impact on recovery from the big winters, but you can also blame that on habitat.