Where did all the whitetails go

[Norwestalta]

I've found whitetail sheds in areas where I was sinking to my waist in snow. They stay quite high sometimes. Gotta wonder if they get stuck up high and succumb to winter's woes. Of course there are predator issues but I personally think that winters of 2016/17 and 17/18 were pretty bad to the point it drove the population down.

Typically what I've found in a high snow level year is that the elk will break trail and the deer will follow. The elk will also bare off some of their feeding areas which help the deer. The worst scenario for deer is a lot of snow then warm weather that'll build a hard crust on the snow. This is real bad in Nov/Dec when the bucks are done the rut and taking on the groceries.

[WhiteTailAB]

I took a WT buck back to AB with me in Oct.... There was still a 3x3 in that spot that was spared. lol

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Ourea- you’re talking nonsense. Everyone knows that BC is filled with a superior strain of human hunters and that our subspecies of whitetail are the dumbest on the planet.
Well, at least some people think that.

SSS

[Ourea]

^^^^^
Funny stuff right there, love it

[bigben]

Some interesting and diverse opinions on this topic.
Are some areas seeing a drop in WT numbers, that's a given.
Are some areas still holding or increasing in numbers, absolutely.
Are WT expanding into new areas such as Kamloops, absolutely.

So, why the sudden drop in certain areas? I find it amusing when us hunters instantly default to REGULATIONS ARE TO BLAME despite these species being the most studied animal in North America with endless science and data that shines light on population fluctuations.

Here are a few of the quantified drivers that hack WT numbers down dramatically in short order.
1) Winter survival
2) Predation

Hunting is so far down the list it is of minimal short term consequence. Disagree but facts are facts and opinions are just that.

My area sucked this season

Great observation partner like your common sense , it was a tough year for us here too

[Deer_Slayer]

They disappeared to Richmond, along with bears, elk, moose and any other edible animal.

[SemperAurum]

They disappeared to Richmond, along with bears, elk, moose and any other edible animal.

What a stupid, racist comment.

Whitetail numbers down in my home area also. No hunters from Richmond. No big bad Indians shooting all the dos and fawns.

Lots of bears, cougars, and wolvses

[tigrr]

I spend a lot of time in the bush. For 2 years 6 wolves were an issue and we had 1 big male cougar. A trapper got 5 of the 6 and someone got the cougar. The deer population is bouncing back a bit. 3 years ago I would see 1 to 3 deer a year. Today I see 15 a year. I found bull moose skulls close to where the cougar hung out. 3 big bull moose skulls.
118 inches of snow doesn't help deer either.
I think predators have a major impact on deer populations. 6 wolves could eat a deer a week or more. Then a guy sets up a trail cam by a coyote den and watches the male bring back 24 deer fawns to the pups. I watched a black bear search a grassy hill side because it saw a doe lead her fawn there and leave it. The black bear actually found a black bear cub and killed it instead. Its cool living in the bush.

[Islandeer]

They were here long before we were, dodging wolves bears and cats of the super large variety. So think hard, really hard, they have been naturally selected and have evolved into the toughest and most resilient of the deer family, and they will continue to endure and adapt.

All this talk about whitetails being eliminated is complete drivel.

[SemperAurum]

I spend a lot of time in the bush. For 2 years 6 wolves were an issue and we had 1 big male cougar. A trapper got 5 of the 6 and someone got the cougar. The deer population is bouncing back a bit. 3 years ago I would see 1 to 3 deer a year. Today I see 15 a year. I found bull moose skulls close to where the cougar hung out. 3 big bull moose skulls.
118 inches of snow doesn't help deer either.
I think predators have a major impact on deer populations. 6 wolves could eat a deer a week or more. Then a guy sets up a trail cam by a coyote den and watches the male bring back 24 deer fawns to the pups. I watched a black bear search a grassy hill side because it saw a doe lead her fawn there and leave it. The black bear actually found a black bear cub and killed it instead. Its cool living in the bush.

You are infested with blacks and grizzlys around there. I might switch things up this spring and come up and hammer some with the gang. We used to enjoy pounding them at Mackay River in June.