Southern Interior Mule Deer Project Update

[HarryToolips]

The one factor that can't really be quantified with this study unfortunately is the loss of winter range to development....it's happening in quite a few parts of reg 8 unfortunately....

[Ourea]

Dissagree/agree. Emaciated deer that succumb to lack of nutrition will be identified when their collar is retrieved.

I appreciate SSS comment...
"Death by a thousand cuts".

[Ohwildwon]

Geist stated that Whitetail and Mule deer occupying the same area will lead to reduced Mule deer populations through post-partum mortality and lost recruitment.
It is almost always a WT buck breeding a MD doe. Almost never the other way.
Hybrid male fawns are typically sterile, females are typically fertile with an ability to successfully mate with either species.
Hybrid deer typically exhibit predator escape behavior that is between the running of a WT and the stotting of the MD.
This trait leaves them especially vulnerable to predators.

The end result is that nearly 100% of mating between WT and MD results in a recruitment loss from the MD population.

As WTs also exhibit more aggressive territorial behavior and a greater reproductive ability (mostly attributed to the % of yearling females that will conceive on their first rut, compared to MD young), the "balance" is quickly pushed in favour of WT deer dominating the landscape.

I've had an opportunity to observe a 400 square mile area for forty years, an area that see very limited hunting.
Forty years ago MD and WT deer were about even on population and dispersal over the landscape.
Now there are only a handful of MD herds in very specific locations, 1000's of WTs and maybe a hundred Mulies.
These last MD live in the few very steep river banks areas. I haven't seen a MD in a field for 15 years....



There are studies (wild and captive animals) that support Geist's suspicions.

And this is why Biologists recommend a GOS for WT Does..

[Stone Sheep Steve]

True, but unlike much of BC, it's still possible to see hundreds of mule deer in a day in many states

Agreed. They are not where we are yet but so far they are not stopping the downward trend no matter how much effort and money they throw at it.

Definitely not saying that we shouldn’t do what we can to figure it out. Gotta keep trying

[boxhitch]

I have shot 2 hybrid bucks and both were at least 2 years old.

Nice. Did you have time to observe any actions or traits? how they moved etc ? What 'hybrid' features did they have?

[Bugle M In]

I’m sure you noticed the amount of bears in that country of ours.. I’ll be their in the spring looking to fill two tags. With those kinds of bear numbers in the area you can’t tell me their not hard on fawn numbers. I may not know much of anything but I do know they are proficient fawn killers. I don’t know what the bears like about it but they are top to bottom.

Yup, all preds can be a factor.
Wolves and Cougars tend to be a year round killer, and I think Cats are way more effective at taking deer then wolves.
Ever watch a dog try to catch anything compared to a cat!??
And yes, bears at particular times can also be a factor.

And yes, there are a lot of them.
Tons where I was in the EK, and I mean a lot....10x the amount I would normally see.
Cant say about where you are as I didn't see sign bit then again, not much snow, but yes, there was a lot of scat around.

Not sure what the season is for wolf and coyote and cougar up there, will have to check, but if open while bear hunting, take them out also.
So nothing wrong with "getting out there"!! (lots of ways to help, just have to be out there)

[SemperAurum]

The hybrid bucks tended to move and behave more like whiteys. They lived in the thick willows and rabbit bush (muleys were always in the fir timber). The head and noses looked like a whitey. The tails were long and flat like a whitey. White fur underbelly. Antlers had the whitetail shape with the forward main beam with muley tines.

[Walking Buffalo]

The hybrid bucks tended to move and behave more like whiteys. They lived in the thick willows and rabbit bush (muleys were always in the fir timber). The head and noses looked like a whitey. The tails were long and flat like a whitey. White fur underbelly. Antlers had the whitetail shape with the forward main beam with muley tines.

Sounds like you shot whitetails.

When you shoot another hybrid, check out the metetarsal glands.
This is the surest way to determine if a deer is a hybrid without doing a dna test.

[SemperAurum]

Sounds like you shot whitetails.

When you shoot another hybrid, check out the metetarsal glands.
This is the surest way to determine if a deer is a hybrid without doing a dna test.

No,
they were not whitetails. I have shot many dozens of each type of deer in my life and know what I see when it is laying dead in front of my eyes. I watchd the damn things live side by side and feed in the same open areas for over 15 years.

I forgot to mention that the tip of the tails was black

[wideopenthrottle]

No,
they were not whitetails. I have shot many dozens of each type of deer in my life and know what I see when it is laying dead in front of my eyes. I watchd the damn things live side by side and feed in the same open areas for over 15 years.

I forgot to mention that the tip of the tails was black

I saw a group of about 8 deer near canim lake a couple years ago while moose hunting. watched them on a side hill from a road below but did not see enough wood on the 2 small bucks in the group (md 4point only IIRC). i was up with my rifle on a great rest with my buddy looking at them counting points through the binos after a few minutes he tells me "not enough wood on the bucks"...he was behind me, standing beside the truck using the door to rest the binos... as he repositioned for a more stable viewpoint his foot slid off the running board of the truck and he made a loud noise that the deer (@ 400+ yards away) heard and decided to scatter...5 or 6 of them hopped and walked up and over the hill top but 2 raised their white flags and trotted off to the timber/creek buffer...we both then exclaimed at near the same time.."hey those 2 are whitetails"....this was the first time i ever came across MD and WT being together but not in a farm field