Whitetail Deer Numbers

[pawam pionki]

Good day, anyone have an opinion on Unit 47 deer numbers for this year. Last November the Parrysound 33 fire pushed them somewhere?

PP

[smokeeter]

The last 4 yrs have been bad for the deer heard ( at least in the area we hunt in 47), two bad winters back to back. I'm sure this past winter didn't help the numbers.

[Species8472]

I'm gonna guess bad. We had over 2 feet of snow in the bush for more than 80 days and peaked at 3 to 4 feet. Deer were using the roads and the OFSC trails to get around in March. Was up on the weekend to clear the 60+ trees that came down on the driveway over the winter and where i normally see sign there was none. This is between Powasson and Restoule.

[ninepointer]

Just got back from our camp near Restoule. No deer sign in the bush. Its got nothing to do with the fire near Parry Sound. The herd has been unable to recover from from the devastating winters of 2013 & 2014 yet the MNRF sees fit to continue to issue 4000 doe tags. MNRF is tone deaf and flying blind.

[Muskyhunter]

Just got back from our camp near Restoule. No deer sign in the bush. Its got nothing to do with the fire near Parry Sound. The herd has been unable to recover from from the devastating winters of 2013 & 2014 yet the MNRF sees fit to continue to issue 4000 doe tags. MNRF is tone deaf and flying blind.

Dont forget MNRF also shut down the supplemental deer feeding that helped the deer through the tough times. That is something they did for 80 plus years with a positive affect. I remember the fall before they stopped feeding everyone in our camp had a doe tag as well as a surplus doe tag for 49. MNRF knew there was going to be a massive winter die off that year and figured they would cash in first.

Throw in the cancellation of the spring bear hunt and the implementation of wolf licenses, combined with a couple of bad winters - no wonder our deer herd is in jeopardy in the North.

[MikePal]

I remember the fall before they stopped feeding everyone in our camp had a doe tag as well as a surplus doe tag for 49.

I think you missed the link...the MNR's responsibility is to manage the deer population so that the herd can maintain it's sustainability. If they are issuing doe tags to everyone and have surplus tags they are obviously trying to cull the herd.

To continue feeding them to survive the winter would be counter productive to their mandate.

[SongDog]

I gave up deer hunting and moose hunting in 49. Have 4 awesome hounds and they only lifted one doe last year ( I didnt go then either) there is moose but dont get a tag till about every 5 years and calf hunting is not something I will take a week off work for.

Sucks because we have a great camp to hunt at but the deer #s just aren't there.

Another camp about 45 min north of us in 49 also runs hounds and they got skunked last two years. They invite me every year as well but again, the population just isn't there.

Keep shotgun hunting at home, until no more land to hunt, lost another 400 acres this year as a large horse farm just sold. Sad state of affairs in my hunting grounds.....

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[jaycee]

The deer herd around here seems fine and in good shape.
The neighbor around the corner from us , counted 25 in his back field 2 weeks ago, and last week there were 14 one morning , he said quite a few looked very pregnant.