Mule deer study in the Okanagan

[Tim Tam Slam]

Wondering if anyone has the info to contact the researchers doing this study? I’m sure we could rally a few members in here and bcwf / bha guys/gals to help in the collaring etc. if that’s what’s lacking?

or maybe petition these foundations to start a fund directly funding this research attempt? Isn’t better mule deer numbers what we’re all after anyways?

helping this study get the resources it needs to be accurate and comprehensive will not only bring the inadequate funding of this project attention to the powers at be, but will give us a starting point to bring back the loss in population (which at this point seems undeniable)

my two cents... but seriously, if there’s a way to contact them shout it out!

[Ourea]

Wondering if anyone has the info to contact the researchers doing this study? I’m sure we could rally a few members in here and bcwf / bha guys/gals to help in the collaring etc. if that’s what’s lacking?

or maybe petition these foundations to start a fund directly funding this research attempt? Isn’t better mule deer numbers what we’re all after anyways?


helping this study get the resources it needs to be accurate and comprehensive will not only bring the inadequate funding of this project attention to the powers at be, but will give us a starting point to bring back the loss in population (which at this point seems undeniable)

my two cents... but seriously, if there’s a way to contact them shout it out!

If you read any of the pressers or articles on this project it calls out all the parties involved.
Major undertakings like these need funding to happen, they don't come cheap.
Volunteers are well down the priority list on what assets are required to pull projects like this off.

[Tim Tam Slam]

Ahhh i see.

do you think there’s anything we can do to help?

[Wild one]

Just a thought but maybe if you supply volunteers with in-depth information on the project and create avenues they could use to generate $ for these projects you might get a combination of a little funding and public education at the same time

Not my show and understand only so many hands are needed to run the project but a wise man would find a way to utilize FREE man power to generate something beneficial to the cause

Just an idea but like I said not my show

[mike31154]

The Vernon Fish & Game sent out emails last year to all members with contact info for the biologist should we wish to volunteer. I sent him an email offering my services. Received a reply email to the effect, 'thank you, I'll be in touch...'. That was months ago, haven't been contacted since. I reckon they have it covered.

[Tim Tam Slam]

Thanks for the PM Ourea, appreciate shedding more light for me on the issue as I was really in aware of the current info and studies we have out there on this boundary population. Check out this link sent to me:
http://www.bcwf.net/index.php/southe...e-deer-project
says it’s $2,000 per deer to collar and get more info on. If you look at the report that shows road access within 500m It’s shocking....

good news is looking through the photos on the link, the habitat can recover really quick through the burns and deactivated areas. I’m more convinced now that it’s a habitat loss issue (there’s only so much area they can hide and have safety/ eat/bed comfortably as well as avoid predators (including us hunters). Deactivating more of these roads and seriously studying the road density/effects on the landscape before more forestry/logging is done seems like a sure bet.

I’m not normally a “rally the troops” kind of person (online at least), but man - we could probably do some more on our parts to raise holy stink about this and get it to the attention of More influential people than us! I’ll be posting about this on Social Media trying to get the word out and get some donations going too.

hopefully the chapter of BHA in the lower mainland is doing something about this too, will be reaching out to them too. (Just signed up for the year with them to see what they plan on “doing” with the funds/group).

Hop on the wagon folks!

[Bugle M In]

Thanks for the PM Ourea, appreciate shedding more light for me on the issue as I was really in aware of the current info and studies we have out there on this boundary population. Check out this link sent to me:
http://www.bcwf.net/index.php/southe...e-deer-project
says it’s $2,000 per deer to collar and get more info on. If you look at the report that shows road access within 500m It’s shocking....

good news is looking through the photos on the link, the habitat can recover really quick through the burns and deactivated areas. I’m more convinced now that it’s a habitat loss issue (there’s only so much area they can hide and have safety/ eat/bed comfortably as well as avoid predators (including us hunters). Deactivating more of these roads and seriously studying the road density/effects on the landscape before more forestry/logging is done seems like a sure bet.

I’m not normally a “rally the troops” kind of person (online at least), but man - we could probably do some more on our parts to raise holy stink about this and get it to the attention of More influential people than us! I’ll be posting about this on Social Media trying to get the word out and get some donations going too.

hopefully the chapter of BHA in the lower mainland is doing something about this too, will be reaching out to them too. (Just signed up for the year with them to see what they plan on “doing” with the funds/group).

Hop on the wagon folks!

Yup, it's the habitat loss in my opinion as well.
I have seen areas that had preds like wolves and managed to survive although a constant pounding would do damage.
But back then I think wolves in the area had a large area to move in, thus some areas would get hit one year and then left alone for a couple, but with pops so high, they are so crowded now that they end up sticking in the same area and that's when it gets bad.

But, its the loss of the forests for proper feed, without poisons, and areas for bedding/shelter and avoidance that I think
has created the big problem.
It was right after all the logging, on a large scale that did the area in.
Interesting thing is, access has been denied for years, yet declines happened anyways.
I think the loss of mature growth is the big factor, in several of the areas I go to, and there in different Regions.
With the beetle came to logging, thus the roads and a great path for Preds to move in.
I think that is the order it went that got things so bad.

And when it comes to MD, whats left to winter in if it gets cut down or built on.
Different Regions, different issues but some similarities as well so this study should be a great step.
What I like is the fawn collaring, as that is the key to what happens to them and whether they can repopulate an
area or not.

[bighornbob]

The Vernon Fish & Game sent out emails last year to all members with contact info for the biologist should we wish to volunteer. I sent him an email offering my services. Received a reply email to the effect, 'thank you, I'll be in touch...'. That was months ago, haven't been contacted since. I reckon they have it covered.

Like most things volunteers are only interested in the glory work (not saying this is the case for you or the original poster).

I have organized the volunteers for a few sheep transplants in the Kamloops area and there was never a shortage of people offering their services when it came to handling the sheep under the net. Some people would just show up as a friend mentioned it to them and some were pissed off when they did not get to participate just because they showed up. When I needed some people to look into getting Alfalpha bails or digging holes in the frozen dirt for the posts that hold the net, people were always too busy.

There was a core group of guys (mostly retired) that could be counted on doing all the “dirty work” weeks before the actual sheep capture. Also I only had to make one phone call and I would get 10 guys out to do the dirty work. And I only called one guy and then that guy called two people and so on.

Cant speak directly to this project, but I bet the Bio makes one call to a volunteer that he knows from doing other “dirty work” and the numbers are taken care from there.
Like I said I bet there would be a ton of guys that would love to handle the deer, but not too many that are willing to show up and set up and take down chairs and tables for a meeting about the project.

BHB

[scott h]

As stated in the article, fires help wildlife.

Absolutely fires create perfect areas for wildlife. The problem is when forestry companies spray round up over those same areas to prevent competition for their newly planted conifers. Thousands of acres are sprayed every single year throughout the province and basically removes that browse that feeds deer, elk and moose (basically everything). The practice is insane and yet it will happen again this year.

[338win mag]

Of course fire helps, its the lifeblood of this land, trouble is we cant have massive fires like the ones historically, but when we do have fire the roads are not blocked or access curtailed, its ludicrous.