Post by: huntnphool on February 11, 2008, 05:11:02 PM
Okanogan buck-doe ratio slightly off, good fawn crop
FEB. 7, 2008—Each year in late November or early December, WDFW does its end-of-hunting-season flyover, getting mule deer counts primarily to see what the buck-to-doe and fawn-to-doe ratios are.
This year, the news on the first front wasn’t what they’d like, right around 16 bucks per 100 does in all of the Methow and the Okanogan Valley west of the river.
“That’s definitely below what we’d like to see,” says wildlife biologist Jeff Heinlen, who participated in the study. “Fifteen to 100 is our bare minimum, the point where we don’t want to drop below and where we start making cutbacks, so we’re right near that border.
“Two years ago we did have a lot of snow, especially in the Methow, and our fawn survival was pretty low, so that accounts for part of this. We would have had younger bucks out of that age class by now. And we did find that 44 percent of our bucks were 3-point-or-better, which for the Okanogan is pretty high.”
However, Heinlen notes that WDFW’s Okanogan deer hunter check stations tallied fewer hunters than any of the last 13 seasons. If that’s an accurate indication of hunter participation, it might explain why that 3-point percentage was so high and should mean at least a few more quality bucks will be in next season’s harvest.
Another piece of good news was the 73 fawns per 100 does, a ratio that indicates a good breeding and summer survival rate.
“We did see less deer totally than in our best years, no doubt because of those two winters,” Heinlen adds, “but there are still lots of deer in this county. In (one GMU) alone we counted 3,661, and all our other major GMUs still have their share too.”
EDER SURVEY: For the first time ever, WDFW surveyed their new purchase, the Eder Ranch parcel, 3,300 acres east of Oroville. This is a prime piece of winter range and will be an ongoing quality hunt opportunity, based on permit drawings. Last fall, 10 modern rifle, five archery and five muzzleloader permits were issued.
“That’s primarily whitetail country now,” Heinlen says. “We counted a total of 516 deer on the parcel, and again our buck-doe ratio wasn’t high, 17 per 100, with 52 percent greater than 3-point, and 61 fawns per 100 does.”
— Leroy Ledeboer
Post by: WDFW-SUX on February 11, 2008, 05:15:05 PM
Its going to be grim next year. :(
Post by: SuperDave on February 11, 2008, 08:37:37 PM
Post by: muleracks on February 14, 2008, 10:32:19 PM
More recently, I fear that the whitetail have put pressure on the Okanogan winter range; by feeding there all summer. Besides the docile personality of the mule deer does not help it compete at the winter hay stack or in the bush. Thank God for Lake Chelan for slowing their migration south.
Post by: Colville on February 15, 2008, 08:10:03 PM
Post by: bobcat on February 15, 2008, 08:49:26 PM
Post by: muleracks on February 15, 2008, 09:10:39 PM
Seems like "any whitetail" hunts would work in the Okanogan. But then there are those whitetail hunters who would object to such a plan. Managing wildlife isn't as easy as it sounds.
Post by: TheHunt on February 19, 2008, 10:33:45 AM
Seems to be a good use of our Advance Hunter Ed graduates. :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
End Humor
Post by: boneaddict on February 19, 2008, 10:47:52 AM
First of all, if you wnat to get an accurate account of the hunting pressure, amount of hunters and so forth, move your frickin check stations around.......not in the same place, the same time every year for decades, especially when there is a road right next to it that you can just as easily take and not have to stop and "waste" your time dealing with having your vehicle searched, measurements taken, interveiws etc. The way they gather statistics just blows me away.
Next, three point or better for whitetail....whoopppeeee. Half of last years fawn crop has three points or more for whities.
I thoought the last blast of statistics was the herd was in great shape, lots of animals, yeah right....... :bash:
Post by: WDFW-SUX on February 19, 2008, 10:51:03 AM
Quote
I thoought the last blast of statistics was the herd was in great shape, lots of animals, yeah right.......
:chuckle: I though that was funny too.
Post by: Alchase on February 19, 2008, 11:58:32 AM