Deer in cariboo 5-2d

[LYKTOHUNT]

What happened to the deer in the cariboo in particular to 5-2d Some of the folks in our group have moose tags so we have been out looking for moose and in our travels we have seen very few deer. In the past years we each would see at least 10-15 deer a day,now sometimes we do not see any. I ask the question with what I am sure is the reason, that being wolves .
We hear them howling everyday and see them often. Anyone else that hunts this particular area have any ideas or is experiencing the same thing?

[srupp]

Yes thats the problem....only happened recently,,past 12 months..some of the folks that live in that area areamazed at the wolf sign,,,,,:shock:

steven

[Hunting Junkie]

The combination of wolves, and over hunted last year since the cariboo wasn't antler restricted too many got kill. Hope things will turn around after a couple of years of new reg in place.

[sceddy]

What about region 5.3A. Wife has a doe draw for Oct. Have the wolves hit there to ??. Heading up on Friday for a week.

[LYKTOHUNT]

The combination of wolves, and over hunted last year since the cariboo wasn't antler restricted too many got kill. Hope things will turn around after a couple of years of new reg in place.
In the particular area we hunt there is very little hunters to be seen and I spend quite a bit of time there, so I do not think it is a result of hunting pressure.Yes the new regs will likely help save a few deer but that is purely by accident as the new regs were put in place for entirely different reasons ,that being the buck to doe ratio being out of sync and some other political blunders.

[rifleman]

In the particular area we hunt there is very little hunters to be seen and I spend quite a bit of time there, so I do not think it is a result of hunting pressure.Yes the new regs will likely help save a few deer but that is purely by accident as the new regs were put in place for entirely different reasons ,that being the buck to doe ratio being out of sync and some other political blunders.
get out the popcorn!!!!!

[LYKTOHUNT]

get out the popcorn!!!!!
What does corn have to do with anything?????

[todbartell]

5-02D, is that Nyland Lake area? I had flat top LEH there last year. Deer sightings were hard to come by, it was a fairly tough hunt, but in the end Gatehouse and I conquered the flat tops

[LYKTOHUNT]

5-02D, is that Nyland Lake area? I had flat top LEH there last year. Deer sightings were hard to come by, it was a fairly tough hunt, but in the end Gatehouse and I conquered the flat tops
Yes that is correct and I have to admitt it was tougher last year but with what we have seen this year it will most likely be even worse this year. I put in for a doe tag there this year late season and actually got a draw,however with what I see I am not sure if the area can afford another dead doe, I may not take one that is if I can find one or may elect to try with my bow only.

[Brew]

I just got back from 3-31 and 5-2. we set up camp and the wolves starting howling. We went to bed and all night long they ran around our tent. in the morning we saw the tracks 3 feet from the tent. Big tracks as well. Almost the same size as my hand. Ran into a native while packing up and he said the wolves are terrible in there now. We did not see many deer either, I think its a combination of wolves and the massive beetle clearcuts. Only saw 3 deer and a cow and calf moose the whole weekend.

[PGK]

Wolves ate all the game! Deer like rabbits in 5-02d. I counted 42 driving from quesnel to nyland lake and back on the road in late aug. The wolves didn't eat them all in a month. Get out of the truck and off the quad.

[Summit 512]

I hope you guys are poping them Wolves you see.....there is getting to be way to many.

[horse280]

Ya know;deer are curious friendly creatures!I surmise that the deer found us cariboo hunters to be surly and quite frankly a little rough and gruff;if you fly east,it isn't far to that unattainable rough clearwater country where everyone is friendly and happy,the deer really like this,so that is where they are hanging out,mixin margaritas and such until that renowned ruttin time,c'mon boys she's early yet wait till the snows...good luck...the horse

[coquitlam]

We also noticed on the Hurley outside of Pemberton more wolf than deer tracks. We need a Provincial Wolf cull as done years ago. But if you did that today you would see it on CNN and European news so fast

[LYKTOHUNT]

Wolves ate all the game! Deer like rabbits in 5-02d. I counted 42 driving from quesnel to nyland lake and back on the road in late aug. The wolves didn't eat them all in a month. Get out of the truck and off the quad.
Yes you probably did see that many deer down along the river and in the farmers fields but I am talking about up in the bush higher up and as far as getting out of the truck well how do you know how I hunt, once my truck is parked at the camp it gets o miles on it and my boots get more miles than my quad. I have 25 years hunting this same area I do know what I am talking about as do several others in my group who have even a longer history in this area.

[KevinB]

I'd agree with Tuffer. Been hunting an area in 5-2d on and off for awhile.
I do agree there are more wolves in the area than there used to be, but they haven't and aren't going to eat all the deer. What do you think all these wolves are eating if there aren't any deer or moose around.


Large scale harvesting does change deer location and movement and you can't expect that you'll continue to see the same number of animals in the same places that you used to. My take on it, is that there used to be a lot fewer clearcuts and lots of timber, so there were fewer areas of good summer/fall food and consequently it was easier to find deer. Now there's mostly big bald clearcuts and 25 foot tall pine plantations, and it seems reasonable that you'd see fewer deer even if there are just as many overall numbers. The rancher we know down along the Quesnel River has as many deer in his fields as he has ever had.

[LYKTOHUNT]

I'd agree with Tuffer. Been hunting an area in 5-2d on and off for awhile.
I do agree there are more wolves in the area than there used to be, but they haven't and aren't going to eat all the deer. What do you think all these wolves are eating if there aren't any deer or moose around.


Large scale harvesting does change deer location and movement and you can't expect that you'll continue to see the same number of animals in the same places that you used to. My take on it, is that there used to be a lot fewer clearcuts and lots of timber, so there were fewer areas of good summer/fall food and consequently it was easier to find deer. Now there's mostly big bald clearcuts and 25 foot tall pine plantations, and it seems reasonable that you'd see fewer deer even if there are just as many overall numbers. The rancher we know down along the Quesnel River has as many deer in his fields as he has ever had.
Yes I agree that with all the logging going on it will change the deer,s habits and habitat but that doesn,t change the fact that there are way more sightings,howling and tracks everywhere. We also were talking to one of the ranchers who was up looking for cows and he was saying he has less deer on his fields than normal and has lost stock to wolves.
It also seems to make sense that they would not be down along the river where there is more people and traffic around.
Maybe that is why there is a season for wolves in 5-2 with no bag limit.
Of course I know that they have not eaten all the deer,that would be stupid what I am saying is there are way less deer than what I have seen in the 25 years I have hunted there but way more wolf sign and sightings