The 2014 HBC White Tail Doe Harvest Cencus

[Salty]

It seems changes to hunting regulations be it increase or decrease in harvest always generates a lot of thoughts and theories especially when the hunting seems to get a little tougher ;) Witness, the relatively new white tail doe general open season in portions of region 8 and 4.

So being as the government isn't doing a lot of numbers tracking any more I thought we could maybe take a stab at this only somewhat scientific 'cencus'. Simply, please post here if you hunted white tail does this season; roughly where it was (MU, near a town x etc.) and how many you and your group harvested if any.

I'll start, two days around Vernon while the doe season was open admittedly not targeting does but might have popped one if it was a gimme - zero doe harvest. We saw roughly a dozen in huntable areas.

Please share any results you may have on this :D

[Stone Sheep Steve]

The Gov't still gets their data through the hunter survey.

No does taken in our household this year.

SSS

[doubled]

No doe taken, saw prob over 200 during the season.

[coach]

No doe for my family either.. Saw similar numbers to what Doubled said.. In fact I saw about 20 more this morning.

[Fisher-Dude]

Region 4, hunted 6 days, I killed 1, GF killed 1, saw 200 maybe more. Could have killed many. It was fun to "hunt" for the perfect setup for my newbie to hunting GF to make the perfect shot. I also shot a buck on that same hunt.

[Salty]

The Gov't still gets their data through the hunter survey.

No does taken in our household this year.

SSS

I've been mailed hunter survey questionnaires in the past but nothing for 3 or 4 years :confused:

Thanks for posting your findings so far hunters, hopefully we'll get lots more it would be interesting to see what a sampling here shows.

[budismyhorse]

This should be interesting.......hopefully there may even be some truth to the horror stories about camps in the east koots with 20 people and 40 does hanging in trees........just heard that this morning. somehow I doubt that but anything is possible!

I didn't hunt does this year but saw plenty during the season. always see 6-10 per day. Usually driving in and out of areas.

[whognu]

whitey info
region 8-1 (heavily hunted area)
80%+ of time spent hunting in the timber (as opposed to road hunting-which is fine yet i need the exercise----in a bad way)
2 of us; 2 hunts (oct 12 - 16; nov 26-28) 2 does, 2 bucks
maybe saw 20 does, 5 bucks; about same as past 5 years
shot a few grouse; had some nice fires; drank a few cold ones; had a few rummers
A-1 all around
whognu

[boxhitch]

I've been mailed hunter survey questionnaires in the past but nothing for 3 or 4 years :confused:Its random , like the leh. Get the feeling you can't win ? )

Held out for wt bow , but not getting the time in so far.

[Salty]

Its random , like the leh.

With my luck sounds like I won't be doing one any time soon in that case :mrgreen:

[.264winmag]

Actual numbers of does sighted in 8-23 are tough to be exact. Sightings from prior to oct. were approximately cut in half by nov. Never harvested one, know of 6 that we're harvested by friends. Talked to local butcher on hanging my mulie in Oct. and he said no room for 5-7 days as cooler is stuffed, more booked in and he's cutting steady to make room. It was an absolute slaughter! This area had the numbers to support the harvest but I know of others that can't, especially in region 4!

[Everett]

Wife and I didn't hunt does this year but two of our hunting partners shot 1 doe each. I personally saw 400 to 500 does this year which is about half of what I normally see but I didn't hunt as much as normal.

[coach]

Actual numbers of does sighted in 8-23 are tough to be exact. Sightings from prior to oct. were approximately cut in half by nov. Never harvested one, know of 6 that we're harvested by friends. Talked to local butcher on hanging my mulie in Oct. and he said no room for 5-7 days as cooler is stuffed, more booked in and he's cutting steady to make room. It was an absolute slaughter! This area had the numbers to support the harvest but I know of others that can't, especially in region 4!

Good to hear! That area around Cherryville is absolutely overrun with whitetails. Hearing lots of reports of predators (wolves) in the area as a result. Also talk of possible CWD.. This is what happens when too many ungulates yard up on private land where they can't be hunted.

[hoochie]

region 3 and 4.
Saw well over 120 Mulie does, only came across 2 white tail doe. One was with the Buck I took ( pre-Doe season) and only one doe seen during season.
The previous year in the same areas for white tail I had seen 10 or more Does hanging out together in groups. Not this year!
No Doe harvested for either my wife or I.

[Fred1]

good to hear! That area around cherryville is absolutely overrun with whitetails. Hearing lots of reports of predators (wolves) in the area as a result. Also talk of possible cwd.. This is what happens when too many ungulates yard up on private land where they can't be hunted.

bingo!! !

[Fred1]

Oh saw lots of does... took one cause she looked too fat to survive...

[GoatGuy]

This should be interesting.......hopefully there may even be some truth to the horror stories about camps in the east koots with 20 people and 40 does hanging in trees........just heard that this morning. somehow I doubt that but anything is possible!


If I recall correctly I think it was 7 people and 13 deer, 4 of them bucks. (insert smiley face)

Oh yeah and 3 of the hunters were brand new, a couple others were relatively new

[CHEAM]

Hunted WT just after the doe season. Seen about fifteen does on that hunt. They all seemed a little skittish for some reason though.

[Salty]

That area around Cherryville is absolutely overrun with whitetails. Hearing lots of reports of predators (wolves) in the area as a result

I'd say that portions of that area are overrun, a fairly small portion, and its all behind fences with no hunting signs! LOL I've hunted quite a bit of 8-23 and I don't find the crown land any more populous with deer there than much of OK fringe country. Didn't see any wolf sign in my trip out there anywhere we were this year saw a grizzly though :???:

[carnivore]

MU 8-14: 1 WT doe down - pepperoni Yum!!

[Gateholio]

If I recall correctly I think it was 7 people and 13 deer, 4 of them bucks. (insert smiley face)

Oh yeah and 3 of the hunters were brand new, a couple others were relatively new

While slightly different numbers, I know of 3 different hunting parties of 4-5 people each that had similar results- Multiple WT does put in the freezer and a few bucks too. :)

[Salty]

Mixed bag so far some parties taking part in the doe GOS some not bout what one would expect. Still hoping for pics of 20 foot poles lined with does for shock and awe factor. lol

[elkhunter1]

Region 4-03
Oct 10 th 2 hours saw 10
shot 2 great eats.

[adamgarbett]

Region 8-8 doe down oct 31st

[Fisher-Dude]

Still hoping for pics of 20 foot poles lined with does for shock and awe factor. lol

If you want to see that, go to Nevertouch in August and check out the Indians' traditional meat pole. It's right beside their traditional reefer truck and traditional F350s.

Yet the Valley's deer population is still on the increase...says something about WT sperm...

[OutWest]

Actual numbers of does sighted in 8-23 are tough to be exact. Sightings from prior to oct. were approximately cut in half by nov. Never harvested one, know of 6 that we're harvested by friends. Talked to local butcher on hanging my mulie in Oct. and he said no room for 5-7 days as cooler is stuffed, more booked in and he's cutting steady to make room. It was an absolute slaughter! This area had the numbers to support the harvest but I know of others that can't, especially in region 4!

Ha, there it is - "slaughter". Must not have hunted around there very long, tons of whitetail shot every year but it barely amounts to a drop in the bucket. Whitetails are thriving. It would be nice if they upped it to a 2 doe limit here in Region 8.


Good to hear! That area around Cherryville is absolutely overrun with whitetails. Hearing lots of reports of predators (wolves) in the area as a result. Also talk of possible CWD.. This is what happens when too many ungulates yard up on private land where they can't be hunted.

Bingo. Heckman FSR cuts through my partners property so we spend a bit of time up H-10,20, Inches etc. Spent a week up there recently with fresh wolf tracks everyday up H-10. No hunters and plenty of whitetail.

[tundra]

Went out Oct 10 after work 5 minutes from home and shot 2 good eating does. Heading out this weekend for the region 8 bow season.

[dana]

Never counted what I saw and am continuing to see with the season still on. Saw lots, more than in previous years. In one weekend hunt in 7a while hunting whiteys, Muleys and grizz, my son shot a doe. We had numerous stalks that weekend trying to get my daughter a doe. The very next weekend in 3, she harvested a doe within the first 5 mins of trying. Then it was my turn. Was willing to take a doe but had a buck run straight at me and was forced to shoot him at about 15 yards.;) We all picked up second tags and came close again several times in 7a. I have seen gobs of whitetail does in 3 in Nov. I have had several within 5 yards of me while I have been looking for Muleys. Still looking to fill my second whitetail tag this weekend. So my tally ain't done yet.

[Salty]

Good luck on your 2nd Dana :) How about some of the towns that we hear on the news pretty much over ran with WT with pets getting hurt etc. like Grand Forks and Cranbrook, anyone thin out some does around these or other conflict areas?

[HarryToolips]

Not much time to hunt this season, but got out twice in oct WT doe season half days...harvested nothing in 3-12 but had em on my T cam, saw 4 in 8-11, but no shooting lane and moving to quick, just like the muley buck I couldn't shoot that day lol...so none yet for me, but goin out tomorrow with the crossbow, plus maybe a couple partial days next weekend too so wish me luck folks lol....

Great thread OP..now just a partial side question, if our WT harvest is so low here in most of region 8 for example, can't we open the either sex bow season a bit more, say til Dec 31st??

[.264winmag]

Ha, there it is - "slaughter". Must not have hunted around there very long, tons of whitetail shot every year but it barely amounts to a drop in the bucket. Whitetails are thriving. It would be nice if they upped it to a 2 doe limit here in Region 8.



Bingo. Heckman FSR cuts through my partners property so we spend a bit of time up H-10,20, Inches etc. Spent a week up there recently with fresh wolf tracks everyday up H-10. No hunters and plenty of whitetail.

Was only my third season living in Cherryville. Hunted it once years before and had decided I'd like to live there cause the wt numbers:) I was just sharing our experience on # of gunshots during doe season and doe numbers decline in the fields, especially down old north fork. The place was absolutely overrun with them 3 years ago, definitely thinned em out this year which was obviously needed. Personally it's working out well for me as I'm running a 50% doe/buck ratio on my land now:) Keep cleaning them does out and leaving the bucks for me, I have a couple beauty up n comers! 7/7 buck/doe ratio on our ten acres, previous 2 years was 13/2 ratio. I know this is only ten acres but I've found the 360 acres of private land I hunt to be swinging the same way. Personally I'd rather see a couple does taken per hunter than a buncha young bucks -3yrs old. Either way it's prolly impossible to clean this area out lol. My buddies come up for the dec. bow season every year, I'll give the report at end of season. Them does are some tasty!

[eastkoot]

If you lived here (Kootenays) you would realize the large decrease in deer numbers. Were I could as a rule see 20-30 wt's, I was seeing 5-6 a day. Bucks were all small ones, what I did see..I think we have done our damage on the whitetail herds with the 2 doe limits.. Easy to come here and kill a few does if you put in the time but if you haven't hunted here the past 30 years you can't know what it was like and has turned into the past few years .... Yes I have deer meat but it's just not the same "hunting". And yes GG I do leave the truck..

[Bugle M In]

Saw vey little does in EK during 1 week hunt, and even fewer fawns with them, less than normal.
But wolf activity was high at the time, old and new sign, so that could also be a direct relation to seeing few whities....
Meaning, their numbers may be the same, and were just hiding more than normal avoiding wolves....or there was a drop in #'s.
Can't be overly scientific with that answer I know, but just what was experienced.

[happyhunter]

Good luck on your 2nd Dana :) How about some of the towns that we hear on the news pretty much over ran with WT with pets getting hurt etc. like Grand Forks and Cranbrook, anyone thin out some does around these or other conflict areas?

Salty, the problem deer in town are mule deer. There are far fewer WT around town then mule deer. There is no thinning out these deer through hunting because these deer seldom leave town.

[Salty]

Sounds like some south island towns with blacktails they're quite happy with a diet of tulips and roses and don't budge.

Thanks everyone for the input so far its interesting to see the different experiences and thoughts on this.

[yota]

my friend, brother and I hunted grand forks for 3 days and we each shot a doe and a buck. it sure was fun filling the freezer.

[Liveforthehunt]

I'd say that portions of that area are overrun, a fairly small portion, and its all behind fences with no hunting signs! LOL I've hunted quite a bit of 8-23 and I don't find the crown land any more populous with deer there than much of OK fringe country. Didn't see any wolf sign in my trip out there anywhere we were this year saw a grizzly though :???:

Good to hear keep hunting those crown areas in 8-23 :) earlier in the season I was seeing on average 30+ deer a day all whiteys up high bucks and does

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Salty, the problem deer in town are mule deer. There are far fewer WT around town then mule deer. There is no thinning out these deer through hunting because these deer seldom leave town.

Maybe in cranbrook but there are scads of whities in the Forks.

SSS

[sawmill]

This should be interesting.......hopefully there may even be some truth to the horror stories about camps in the east koots with 20 people and 40 does hanging in trees........just heard that this morning. somehow I doubt that but anything is possible!

I didn't hunt does this year but saw plenty during the season. always see 6-10 per day. Usually driving in and out of areas.

I live and hunt here,that`s bullshit.Where do you guys hear that stuff?

[hunter1947]

Never have been a believer on shooting female deer hear are my thoughts first off the wildlife management don't known how many does are being taken from any region that has a GOS they keep the season open year after year it was a slaughter on does in over the past three years in the area I hunt for WT deer I have seen a big drop in WT deer and elk over the past 4 years.

The management has to think about the whole picture in regards on managing deer etc hear are a few things they have to and should consider ,,Winter kills ,,predator kills ,,harvest numbers ,,pouching,,road kills from motorized units when deer elk are in there lower wintering grounds.

So what if some does don't get bread the ones that do will at most times give birth to one or two fawns if they are dead there is no new boar en fawns the wolves do take down WT deer does that are caring fawns in the late winter early spring months,,wolfs are a big factor for the decline of WT deer and elk in region 4 and other regions they have to find out on a way to reduce the numbers of wolves and cougars,,the only way I can see is use poison to eliminate the numbers of predators,,I know its bad thing to use poison it kills any animal bird that eats it.

I have been told from a real hard noised hunter that lives on Vancouver island that the wolf population is increasing big time right now it looks like the wolfs are going to reduce the deer population once again on Vancouver island just as the population of deer are on the incline soon the numbers of deer will be reduced to a very low number like it was back in the late 80ties early 90ties when I hunted and lived there ..

Do any of you members have any better thoughts on how to reduce the wolf population ??? trapping reduces a few but not enough to reduce the numbers many of times the wolves will move to lower elevations in the late winter months the wolves move from one registered trap line plot to another one and then again making it hard for the trapper to reduce numbers of wolves in his or hers K-9 trapping area..

[sawmill]

Well Wayne,I shoot does.Got a big beauty dry doe and she is tender as can be.And this year I opted for a fat 2 point buck instead of a mature 5x5.I got way too many 5x5 racks on the wall and the one I shot last day of season last year was tough as John Wayne.The 2 point just melts in your mouth.Plus it gives a big guy the chance to pass on genetics.
No wolves around here that I have seen,no tracks in the snow,nada.
By the way,I got another doe on Tuesday with the wifes brand new Hyundai Tucson at 4 A.M. on the way to work.Son of a bitch blew out of the trees and smoked me on the front left,just ahead of the door.$5000 down the shitter.

[hunter1947]

Well Wayne,I shoot does.Got a big beauty dry doe and she is tender as can be.And this year I opted for a fat 2 point buck instead of a mature 5x5.I got way too many 5x5 racks on the wall and the one I shot last day of season last year was tough as John Wayne.The 2 point just melts in your mouth.Plus it gives a big guy the chance to pass on genetics.
No wolves around here that I have seen,no tracks in the snow,nada.
By the way,I got another doe on Tuesday with the wifes brand new Hyundai Tucson at 4 A.M. on the way to work.Son of a bitch blew out of the trees and smoked me on the front left,just ahead of the door.$5000 down the shitter.

Good for you and your wife Joe on getting your meat for the year there is nothing I can say or do or say to change your mind my post was on what my thoughts are I won't think any different on what my thoughts are for prey recruitment ;-)..

[rides bike to work]

I hunted 4-6 for 10 days beginning of oct on my last day does opened so since we hadn't got a shot at a elk I took a doe on the drive out. Saw lots of does in some areas other areas none. Shooting does wry well could help with wol populations we eat the does instead of them.

We saw more mulies than ever in 4-6 this year( the four point season must be working);)

[Fisher-Dude]

Never have been a believer on shooting female deer hear are my thoughts first off the wildlife management don't known how many does are being taken from any region that has a GOS they keep the season open year after year it was a slaughter on does in over the past three years in the area I hunt for WT deer I have seen a big drop in WT deer and elk over the past 4 years.




Wayne, you just told us that the female season is not the cause of what you're seeing. If elk numbers are down with no cow elk season in the area you hunt, why would you blame the doe season for the decrease in WTs?

[hunter1947]

Wayne, you just told us that the female season is not the cause of what you're seeing. If elk numbers are down with no cow elk season in the area you hunt, why would you blame the doe season for the decrease in WTs?

Shooting WT deer in GOS is what I am seeing as for the rest of the things I said below..

Pat you overlooked my whole point of my post earlier if you read it all you might understand somewhat forget the elk numbers for know I am more ales referring to management not doing the jobs properly meany how many does does the wildlife management know that have been taken from hunters in all management regions in BC you let me know when you can put up a number..

So what if some does don't get bread the ones that do will at most times give birth to one or two fawns if they are dead there is no new boar en fawns the wolves do take down WT deer does that are caring fawns in the late winter early spring months,,wolfs are a big factor for the decline of WT deer and elk in region 4 and other regions they have to find out on a way to reduce the numbers of wolves and cougars,,the only way I can see is use poison to eliminate the numbers of predators,,I know its bad thing to use poison it kills any animal bird that eats it.

I have been told from a real hard noised hunter that lives on Vancouver island that the wolf population is increasing big time right now it looks like the wolfs are going to reduce the deer population once again on Vancouver island just as the population of deer are on the incline soon the numbers of deer will be reduced to a very low number like it was back in the late 80ties early 90ties when I hunted and lived there ..

Do any of you members have any better thoughts on how to reduce the wolf population ??? trapping reduces a few but not enough to reduce the numbers many of times the wolves will move to lower elevations in the late winter months the wolves move from one registered trap line plot to another one and then again making it hard for the trapper to reduce numbers of wolves in his or hers K-9 trapping area..

[.300WSMImpact!]

it will never happen but the only way you reduce wolf numbers is with poison or heli shooting

[hunter1947]

it will never happen but the only way you reduce wolf numbers is with poison or heli shooting


X2 I agree 200%..

[todbartell]

hear are a few things they have to and should consider ,,Winter kills ,,predator kills ,,harvest numbers ,,pouching,

pouching, is that some sort of Kangaroo terrorism?

[hunter1947]

pouching, is that some sort of Kangaroo terrorism?


Yes you got this right regarding poaching..

[Bugle M In]

My opinion, wolves can only be properly reduced by the ministry, by poison or heli, as others stated.
There is not enough trappers that are all on the same page about wolves.
One trapper may be good at getting involved, the other may have interests elsewhere, other species etc.
If the ministry was involved, at least they could take out a entire pack of wolves in any watershed they put their efforts towards.
And also, they would then have the data they need, to follow up on.
To know exactly how many wolves were taken, where they were taken, so on and so forth.
Makes the most sense.
Hunters willing to try to help is nice, but it would be to random to have a beneficial effect...IMO