Post by: wolfbait on July 17, 2023, 05:56:26 AM
Post by: bearpaw on July 17, 2023, 07:07:49 AM
https://cowboystatedaily.com/2023/07/16/guest-column-why-game-and-fish-should-have-fed-deer-this-winter/?utm_source=Klaviyo&utm_medium=campaign&_kx=03QhdhzlvjEwc5SAgf0fx06umFkyTHl9Uc97HTi5MXeNGGMZDqRLeqPZMZUnznjw.UXPtrV
Great article by a man who was in charge of the former feeding program in Wyoming, he is right on the mark!
Post by: GASoline71 on July 17, 2023, 08:14:50 AM
"Within the Wyoming Game and Fish Department there is a segment of employees that are vehemently and philosophically opposed to feeding big game under any situation.
They have gathered support from some environmental groups and the Geological Survey in Bozeman, Montana. Department administrators have allowed these individuals free rein to promote their cause and has reached the point that much of the public and other department employees actually believe the non-native food sources does more harm than good."
Enviros and their ilk gaining access into Game Departments anywhere they can.
Gary
Post by: RB on July 17, 2023, 08:50:19 AM
Post by: SuperX on July 17, 2023, 09:43:39 AM
Great article, always wondered how they determined feeding Deer was bad, people have been doing it for years and they do just fine.
I think it's a new trend due to the spread of CWD and how feeding deer can cause it to spread
Post by: boneaddict on July 17, 2023, 11:22:05 AM
Post by: buckfvr on July 17, 2023, 11:51:57 AM
Post by: bearhunter99 on July 17, 2023, 12:11:06 PM
Post by: GASoline71 on July 17, 2023, 12:18:59 PM
Rather than acknowledge this man as being correct on the matter, they will stay the course and discredit his entire narrative. There is zero chance any game department admits they were wrong in any way. My experience with wdfw is their managers will argue in support of their misinformation and lies to the point of death, they will take it to the grave rather than give in.
Unless it's in regards to managing predators. Then its protection over management.
Gary
Post by: ducks4days on July 17, 2023, 12:40:24 PM
Rather than acknowledge this man as being correct on the matter, they will stay the course and discredit his entire narrative. There is zero chance any game department admits they were wrong in any way. My experience with wdfw is their managers will argue in support of their misinformation and lies to the point of death, they will take it to the grave rather than give in.
The commission doesnt need to discredit his narrative, they have been able to achieve most of their goals by placing their fingers in their ears and shouting "LALALALALALA" when competent biologists begin speaking. No point in taking the risk of trying to fight against hard numbers when you can just ignore them.
Post by: bigmacc on July 17, 2023, 01:10:51 PM
Pretty much sums it up.👍 Man I miss having a “real game Department” in this state and not just an extension of the government and it’s anti hunting lobbyists agendas.Rather than acknowledge this man as being correct on the matter, they will stay the course and discredit his entire narrative. There is zero chance any game department admits they were wrong in any way. My experience with wdfw is their managers will argue in support of their misinformation and lies to the point of death, they will take it to the grave rather than give in.
The commission doesnt need to discredit his narrative, they have been able to achieve most of their goals by placing their fingers in their ears and shouting "LALALALALALA" when competent biologists begin speaking. No point in taking the risk of trying to fight against hard numbers when you can just ignore them.
Post by: hunter399 on July 17, 2023, 01:38:01 PM
No need to spend money on feed.
When they make money regardless of ungulate population.
They can let it go to endangered species before they start losing enough money to care.
Post by: elksnout on July 18, 2023, 09:48:49 PM
elksnout
Post by: Karl Blanchard on July 19, 2023, 11:00:57 AM
Less than 3800 deer survived out of a herd of 28,000? :yike:That's the estimated impact based on collared animals.
elksnout
https://wyofile.com/whats-in-store-for-the-devastated-wyoming-range-deer-herd/
Post by: Mtnwalker on July 19, 2023, 02:05:00 PM
Less than 3800 deer survived out of a herd of 28,000? :yike:That's the estimated impact based on collared animals.
elksnout
https://wyofile.com/whats-in-store-for-the-devastated-wyoming-range-deer-herd/
Ugh what a bummer
Post by: ducks4days on July 19, 2023, 03:55:45 PM
Less than 3800 deer survived out of a herd of 28,000? :yike:That's the estimated impact based on collared animals.
elksnout
https://wyofile.com/whats-in-store-for-the-devastated-wyoming-range-deer-herd/
That number seems to track with the supplemental info in the article
Quote
By the time UW professor Kevin Monteith, who leads the lab, briefed WyoFile in early June, roughly 70% of the herd’s collared does and 60% of collared bucks had been lost to winter. Every single collared fawn born in 2022 was gone. A single yearling had been hanging on, he said, but it too died on May 15, the opening day of the delayed shed antler hunting season.
Post by: kodiak10 on July 19, 2023, 05:25:15 PM
Even though I do not know wyoming, I bet the effects of this year's snowpack will last a long time. Must be terrible for local communities that rely on hunting tourism / out of state tags to help their small communities.
Post by: Special T on July 19, 2023, 07:02:45 PM
https://www.fieldandstream.com/story/hunting/do-bait-bans-really-help-fight-against-cwd/
THIS commission has tried to push for a baiting ban state wide with a couple of instances of CWD. NO reason exists to ban it state wide because we have 2 natural passage divisions. 1 the Columbia river. 2 the cascade mountains. have no doubt that CWD is a problem. We as sportsmen need to avoid Deer urine, Make sure to de bone and skull cap our takes out of state. I have read studies that show small bait sights like what we are currently limited to have less affect than apple orchards or hay fields. Why? They do not draw from larger geographic areas in which we see deer migrate to. CWD is a real threat! WE have to do our part.
It is obvious to many here that most of the commission are anti hunters, and will use every convenient opportunity to chip away at hunting. Perhaps a lack of winter feeding had some influence by the commission, perhaps not. WDFW IS feeling pressure from the Commission and it is one of the reasons Im a supporter of the WWC lawsuit against the Governor.
Post by: Special T on July 19, 2023, 07:18:31 PM
The bottom line is the disease is working its way across Wyoming and will be here, if not already in the Wyoming Range deer herd. Given, I am not a disease expert and can only use a layman’s approach to assessing the situation.
Using the most recent information as presented in Cowboy State Daily, less than 3,800 survived last winter from the 28,000 head that entered the winter. CWD will likely be present and will affect the herd’s ability to recover its former numbers. It seems to me that had feeding begun early enough to save most lives, the herd would have had a better chance to recover. Given the buck/doe ratio as presented in the 2021 Annual Report and the reported adult survival rate for last winter, less than 2,700 does are left to rebuild the herd. This deer herd may never recover given the presence of predators, the potential effects of CWD, and the possibility of more harsh winters."
Given the amount of predators we have we can only assume the same... and that some folks would like to have a much smaller herd... reducing hunter numbers. We have heard that some Commissioners fee we have no need for Recruitment Retention and Reactivation (R3) and their motives should bee easily seen through.