Ideal weather could mean a few more deer
Archery hunt starts Aug. 15
Source: http://wildlife.utah.gov/
Published: Jul. 30, 2009
The weather was nearly ideal for mule deer this past winter and spring. And that means archers heading afield for Utah's general archery buck deer hunt could see more deer in many parts of the state.
The state's general archery buck deer hunt begins Aug. 15. The archery deer hunt and the state's general archery elk hunt are the first hunts in Utah this fall.
"These past eight months have been ideal for mule deer," says Anis Aoude, big game coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources.
"Last winter was really mild—the snow stayed up high, and the valleys and the winter ranges were warm," Aoude says. "Fewer deer probably died this past winter than would have died during a normal winter."
Aoude says the mild winter was followed by a long, wet spring. "The state received plenty of rain clear into June," he says. "The rain provided a lot of good, nutritious vegetation for the does. And that helped the does provide plenty of milk for the fawns they gave birth to earlier this summer."
Aoude says the nutritious vegetation will also help bucks grow bigger antlers. "When deer have vegetation to eat like the vegetation they have now, even two- to three-year-old bucks can grow some nice antlers."
The Northern Region is the region where hunters could notice the biggest difference in the number of deer they see.
A harsh winter in 2008 killed many of the fawns that were born in 2007. As a result, many hunters in the region noticed a big drop in the number of one-year-old bucks they saw last fall.
"The herds in the Northern Region still have a long way to go, but thanks to the mild winter we had this year, hunters should see a few more deer this fall. And many of those deer will be yearling bucks," Aoude says.
The following are deer hunting prospects for each of the DWR's five regions:
Northern Region
Archery hunters should see more deer in northern Utah this fall.
"The number of deer has increased following a mild winter and a wet spring and early summer," says Randy Wood, regional wildlife manager. "Hunters should see more yearling bucks this fall."
Wood reminds hunters that the Northern Region includes large chunks of private property. "It's a good idea to get written permission from landowners before planning a hunt to an area that has private property," Wood says.
Wood says pre-season scouting will improve your success. "And please remember that you're hunting in bear country," he says. "Keep your camp clean."
Wood provides the following preview for each of the region's general season hunting units:
Box Elder unit
This past winter was mild on the Box Elder unit, and the unit received lots of spring rain. The vegetation is lush and tall. The deer are very scattered and are not concentrated near water as they have been in past years. The number of bucks should be up from last year. After last fall's hunting season, the number of bucks was just over 14 bucks per 100 does in the western part of the unit. In the eastern part of the unit, the number of bucks was 22 bucks per 100 does. Biologists estimate the number of deer on the unit at 14,300 animals. That's 72 percent of the unit's desired objective of 20,000 deer.
Cache and Ogden units
Biologists estimate the total population on the Cache unit at 15,000 deer. On the Ogden unit, they estimate the total population at 7,500 deer.
Fawn production was good in 2008. And very few fawns died during the winter of 2008-09. That means more yearling bucks should be available to hunters this fall. Half of the bucks will be yearlings. With good spring moisture, expect to find deer dispersed across the high country. The best place to find deer is at the edges of timber and open meadows in the mornings and the evenings.
After last fall's hunting season, the buck-to-doe ratio on the Ogden unit was just over nine bucks per 100 does. On the Cache unit, the ratio was more than 10 bucks per 100 does. These numbers are below the unit objective of 15 bucks per 100 does. The low buck numbers were mostly the result of heavy winter losses during the winter of 2007-08.
Morgan/South Rich and East Canyon units
Thanks to a mild winter and good over-winter survival, deer numbers are increasing on both units. The number of yearling bucks is increasing, and many mature bucks have been observed too. After last fall's hunting season, the buck-to-doe ratio on both units was just over 25 bucks per 100 does. Deer should be spread throughout the units, with the greatest number found at higher elevations. That's where the best forage is this time of the year.
Chalk Creek and Kamas units
Deer on both of these units use both high and low elevations. Deer at low elevations use agricultural fields for food and irrigation flows for water. At higher elevations, there's abundant water and forage. For these reasons, the deer will be scattered. You'll need to do some preseason scouting to find them.
After last fall's hunting season, the buck-to-doe ratio on the Chalk Creek unit was 33 bucks per 100 does. On the Kamas unit, the ratio was 19 bucks per 100 does.
The Chalk Creek unit is almost entirely private property. You must have written permission from landowners before hunting on private land in the unit.
The Kamas unit is mostly private property, but there is Forest Service property in some of the higher elevation areas. The deer will be scattered because of abundant water and forage. You'll need to do some preseason scouting to find them. Deer hunting on the unit should be good.
North Slope/Summit unit
Archery and muzzleloader hunting is usually good on this unit. Most of the deer start leaving the area before the general rifle hunts begins in October.
Central Region
The winter of 2007–08 was tough on deer in north-central Utah. That rough winter, coupled with a hot summer just a few months later, means archery hunters may not see the number of deer they're used to seeing in the region.
While the overall number of deer in the region is down a bit, the deer seen by hunters should include a decent number of bucks. The three-year buck-to-doe average in the region is at the management objective of 15 bucks per 100 does.
"Last fall, about 12 percent of the archery hunters in the region took a deer," says Scott Root, regional conservation outreach manager. "The harvest success in the region is usually between 15 to 16 percent during the archery hunt."
Root says archers who have scouted the region this summer and DWR biologists expect a little better success this year. "Our biologists and several archers we've talked with have seen decent numbers of older age-class bucks."
Root says there's plenty of vegetation and water in the eastern part of the region. And that will probably keep the deer scattered. "Deer have been seen at all elevations, from residential foothills to high elevations," Root says.
However, if the dry, hot weather continues, Root says watering holes could start to dry up. "And that would improve hunting at the watering holes that remain," he says.
Important reminders
Archery season ends Sept. 1 on two units
Low buck-to-doe ratios on the Nebo and Oquirrh-Stansbury deer hunting units means both units will have shorter deer hunting seasons this fall. For example, the archery deer hunt on the two units runs from Aug. 15 until Sept. 1. The other general hunting units in the region will remain open for archery hunting until Sept. 11.
A boundary description for both units is available at www.wildlife.utah.gov/maps/2009_biggame. Once you reach that part of the site, click on the "General season buck deer units with shorter season dates" selection.
Until Sept. 2, only Central Region archers can hunt extended area
If you're interested in hunting the Wasatch Front Extended Archery Area—but you don't have a Central Region archery buck deer permit—you can't hunt the area until Sept. 2. Until Sept. 2, only Central Region permit holders can hunt the area.
Archers may take a deer of either sex on the area from Aug. 15 until Nov. 30. From Dec. 1 through Dec. 15, the only deer that may be taken are deer without antlers.
Park City is now part of extended archery area
The area surrounding Park City is now part of the Wasatch Front Extended Archery Area. But hunters should be aware that most of this area is private property. You must have written permission from landowners before hunting on private property.
A map and boundary description for the Wasatch Front Extended Archery Area is available at www.wildlife.utah.gov/maps/2009_biggame.
You can find the map and the boundary description by scrolling down to the "Extended archery-deer" category.
Northeastern Region
The harsh winter of 2007–08 took a toll on deer herds in northeastern Utah.
"The winter of 2007–08 was hard on the deer herds," says Charlie Greenwood, regional wildlife manager. "A lot of fawns died. The loss of those fawns will affect the number of bucks available to hunters for the next few years."
Greenwood says after last fall's hunts, the buck-to-doe ratio on the region's public-land units averaged 14 bucks per 100 does. That's just under the minimum objective of 15 bucks per 100 does.
"Overall, hunters should expect lower success than they're used to finding in the region," Greenwood says.
Greenwood reminds archery hunters that Sept. 1 is the last day they can hunt on the South Slope (Vernal) unit. "The buck-to-doe ratio on the unit is low enough that we've had to shorten all of the deer hunts on the unit," he says.
Southeastern Region
The overall number of deer in southeastern Utah is still below the population objective for the region. But the number of bucks compared to the number of does is improving.
"Buck-to-doe ratios are improving across the region," says Brent Stettler, regional conservation outreach manager. "For example, on the Central Mountains-Manti unit and the LaSal Mountain unit, the ratio is 17 bucks per 100 does. On the Abajo Mountains unit, the ratio is 20 bucks per 100 does."
While the number of bucks compared to does is improving, the overall number of deer in the region continues to hover below the region's population objective. "On the Central Mountains-Manti unit, our biologists estimate the deer population at 20,000 animals. That number should be closer to 40,000 deer.
"The LaSal Mountains unit, with an estimated herd size of 7,400 deer, stands at only 57 percent of its herd size objective of 13,000 animals," Stettler says. "However, the Abajo unit has rebounded to 85 percent of its herd objective with a current population of about 12,800 deer."
Stettler says lots of rain fell in the region this past spring and early summer. That precipitation has provided good forage for deer across southeastern Utah, and Stettler says the deer appear healthy. They're also widely dispersed.
"In July, the rain turned off and the heat turned on," he says. "Those factors combined to move deer into drainages near water or onto cooler north-facing exposures. You'll find most of the deer in the region at medium or high elevations."
Stettler encourages you to do some pre-season scouting. "Once you've selected an area to hunt, learn where the springs, seeps and creeks are in the area," he says. "Get to know the game trails, the bedding areas and the routes deer might use to escape hunters once the hunt starts."
How hunting pressure might affect the deer is another important factor to consider. "Make sure you consider that factor as you put your overall strategy together," he says.
Southern Region
Prospects look bright for archery hunters in the Southern Region. The number of bucks per 100 does on most of the region's units is higher than the minimum objective.
"Hunting should be good this year," says wildlife biologist Dustin Schaible. "The number of deer on the Panguitch Lake unit is over the unit's population objective. In addition, there are good numbers of bucks. After last fall's hunting season, we counted 19 bucks per 100 does."
Schaible says the total number of deer on the Mount Dutton unit continues to increase. And the number of bucks does too. "The buck-to-doe ratio on the unit was 22 bucks per 100 does after last fall's hunts," he says.
Schaible says the Panguitch Lake unit is fairly easy to access. For that reason, it usually draws more hunters. "It can become crowded," he says. "The Mount Dutton unit, on the other hand, attracts hunters who want to get off the roads and do some backcountry hiking."
DWR biologist Jim Lamb says both the Monroe and Plateau units have good numbers of young bucks. "We've had great moisture this summer, so the deer may even have some better antler growth," Lamb says. "The deer will be high for the opener. Also, it may be hot, so remember to dress your deer quickly and cool the meat down."
Because the three-year buck-to-doe average on the Monroe unit is low, Sept. 1 is the last archery hunters can hunt on the unit this fall.
Wildlife biologist Jason Nichols says the Southwest Desert unit had a good buck-to-doe ratio after last fall's hunts: 27 bucks per 100 does. "The overall number of deer on the Southwest Desert unit is small, but the population is slowly increasing," he says.
After last fall's hunts, the buck-to-doe ratio on the Zion unit was 25 bucks per 100 does. "There are a lot of deer on this unit, but there's also a lot of private land," Nichols says. "Before hunting on the unit, make sure you have written permission from landowners."
The Pine Valley unit had a buck-to-doe ratio of 21 bucks per 100 does after last fall's hunts. "This unit has a lot of deer, but the unit also draws a lot of people," Nichols says. "The deer on this unit migrate early to their winter ranges."
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