deer population

[xbhntr]

I've hunted this area with xbow for 16 years. This farm area has a field and forest ratio of 75% field , 25% forest. The farmers grow soy bean and wheat in the fields which I 'm allowed to hunt. The woods contain red and white oak trees, with evergreen sections mixed in. Last year I got a trail camera, having installing it in many sections of the 100 acres permitted to hunt ; I've come to this conclusion. The deer population is low ! The pics show me that 6 deer frequent the area, 2 coyotes. The food source is there, plenty of trees, but few deer ! What can be done to improve the deer population ?? Any ideas would be appreciated . Ray.

[chris4570]

Don't go solely by what's on your trail cam. I've had mine set out for weeks at a time and had no pics(crappy camera, but still). Ecoaster has had his (a quality cam) set out for lengths of time with no deer on camera either. But the deer are there.

I had his camera set out for perhaps a week and had almost thirty pics. Four or five were bucks. I used a scrape dripper to get the deers attention and hold them for a pic. Can make a world of difference.

[vixenmaster]

Hard Mineral salt block with trophy rack block on top of it. Possibly a feeder in thick area of their trail crossing with sweet feed. Friend if their is 6 deer you saw there are a dz more you ain't seen!. I been hunting tick toters fer well on 48 yrs & they show me new stuff every month of the season!

[MADMAX2]

I also think we are down in numbers this year just did not see the huge amount that we usually see during the Dec shotgun hunt I would see any where from 10-20 animals during the hunt in the past twenty years this year I saw two I think we will know more when the results are released from the MNR.

We may see less tags issued for 2010 if what we are seeing is true.

[DirtyGun]

Rumours are already flying around that the Ontario MNR is going to cut 'extra' tags drastically next year. Of course, at this point it came from someone's brother's cousin's uncle's best friend's sister's cousin twice-removed.

[Big John]

Well I hope extra tags aren't cut. There is to many in the areas where I hunt. I have no problem getting a couple.
In the other areas where I hunt, there is way to many Deer, but you can ask people all day for ever and not get them to give you permission to hunt it. And where you can hunt them is public and you are shoulder to shoulder with others. But still get one or two. We'll see though. MNR always goes opposite of what we think.

[xbhntr]

I have 4 tree stands on this acreage, I'm able to hunt 26 days last season. For every 6 times I hunted, I might have seen 1 deer. It seem to me that most of you hunters see 3 to 6 deer each time you go hunting. While bow hunting this year, I saw 14 deer for 26 hunting days, some the same deer twice. What are your average deer per hunting days sighting? Ray.

[Big John]

Myself, I usually see at least 4 to 6 each outing. That doesn't mean they will come within range though.
However, I do think they get smarter every year. But thats what keeps me going, the pursuit and eventual winning of the Hunt. Learn from "their game plan" and work it to "our" advantage. You may find that the Deer in your area are almost entirely nocturnal feeders givin their scenario. But soon they slip up. I hope you see alot more in the next season. But you may have to relocate for a season and let them re-adjust to the area, without human pressure.

[vixenmaster]

My season is 4 months long, i have saw 13 deer this season, took 4. I would bet there are 20 more i didn't see!

[ghglenn]

Alberta was hit and miss this year. The populations were not in the usual areas, and the predators (wolves and cougars) were abundant!!! There is rumors here that the supplemental tags will be cut as well for 2010. As things stand now, I only have November (rifle season) to hunt with my X-bow, so a horizontal is in the works for next "bow" season. Then Sept-Nov.

[maple]

I'd say the population is down to 'normal'. When my dad hunted in the 70s and 80s it was rare to harvest a deer. Some never did.

The about 15 years ago the number of deer skyrocketed to historically unheard of levels. In 2004 we could get 6 tags here. There has been an absolute plague of deer since then, but now the numbers are declining. Do doubt about it. This year we were down to one each.

Hard winters, coyotes, an increase in tags, all play their part. Of these mechanisms, the only 'controllable' factor affecting the herd is the number of tags made available. So, expect to see a reduction by the MNR next year.

Otherwise, hope for a mild winter.

Maple

[VixChix]

The local property we hunt has few deer to begin with, but in past years I saw deer almost every time I was out. This year I didn't see a single one - in spite of the improved oversight from the treestands. Most of the fall there were only two sets of tracks - a doe with a late fawn. In the last month there have been two more tracks - a buck on the doe which was probably missed in the first estrous cycle breeding, and another mid-sized set of tracks... just passing through. It was truly pathetic this year. Am hoping to be able to get up north and hunt the rifle season this coming fall though!

[xbhntr]

I'm going to try drawing them in this winter. I 'll put out some feed. Last time I tried this the birds and raccoons ate it . Mineral blocks and salt licks doesn't interest them, any suggestions ? Ray.

[VixChix]

We put out corn - the birds and squirrels were well-fed!!!

Might work well where there are more deer....

[hikerman]

Were I hunt I have seen almost no deer, but there are there it doesn't take much for them to change there pattern.