Peace Whitetail Trail Cam Pics (deer numbers seem way down in my spot)

[gbear]

Thought I would post up a few trail camera pictures of a few bucks so far this year I have seen on my trail cameras. For those interested in just the best one, I saved him till last, lol. Not sure if all points are scorable, but there looks to be about 17 points in total.

Not sure if other hunters in the Peace are experiencing the same as me, but there seems to be way less whitetails then last year. The buck quality and quantity seems to be way down in my spot. My best stand location for the last 3 years has basically turned into a dud this year. There are only 3 different bucks on camera there, when typically years there are 15-20, with at least 2 shooter bucks. I’ve gotten good bucks out of it the last 2 years. This year, I don’t think I would go for any of them there. Last year I was getting over 3000 pictures a week, and this year it’s right around 1200. So, even the number of does seems to be down in that area.

Lucky for me, I tried an old spot of mine and it has some deer in it, and the best one below.

I’m not exactly sure what is going on, but either winter was much harder on them last year then I originally thought, predation has gotten a lot worse, or the oil and gas activity has caused them to move. I know they haven’t just gone nocturnal, because the trail camera is out 24/7. I wouldn’t mind to hear opinions or facts from other area hunters.

On another note, some butthead stole my partner’s ground blind on him. It's the same as can be seen in the background of a few of my pictures. It wasn’t even a very portable model as it was kind of an accordion style that was made from plywood with a black tarp and some 2x2’s holding it stretched out. It essentially takes 2 people to carry it.

Ok, this pics not a buck, but a cool picture with the herd of elk in the background:
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/MDGC0552.JPG
Ok, here comes some bucks:
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/MDGC0697.JPG
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/MDGC1333.JPG

ok, it just told me I can't add more then 5 pictures, so the best guy will be below in a reply

[gbear]

Here are a few pictures of the best guy;

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/MDGC1399.JPG

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/MDGC1400.JPG

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/MDGC1403.JPG

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/MDGC1731.JPG

[The Dawg]

Good lord man, go get him!!

[mark]

1200 pics a week.....and numbers are down????? Must be nice! That last one is a nice buck for sure!

[d6dan]

I guess that last guys days are numbered eh gbear?. He's got some character to him..

[warren0427]

I agree 100% with u gbear, numbers seem way down. Talked to few different hunters and farmers and they all say the same. Haven't seen the numbers or the quality. There are some but not what it's usually like up here, especially in November. Not sure what happened to them. It's seems kinda weird to have such a noticeable drop, when there isn't a real apparent reason. Bad winter etc.

[moose2]

Were finding the same thing deer #s seem down for both species , but really noticable on the mulies. We haven't got a picture of a shooter yet , last year we had a few nice ones. I will post a couple of pictures up. Were getting lots of pictures , but it seems to be the same dozen or so animals.
Mike

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/mid_nov_tc_079_Large_.jpg (javascript:;)

A very small drop tine buck

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/mid_nov_tc_197_Large_.jpg (javascript:;)

mom licking calf

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/mid_nov_tc_383_Large_.jpg (javascript:;)

A young 4x4 WT

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/TC_nov_2011_033_Large_.jpg (javascript:;)

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/mid_nov_tc_363_Large_Large_.jpg (javascript:;)

[whitetailsheds]

Hey Rob.....good stuff....that's a nice buck...sorry to hear of the blind, have some suspicion as to who I hear?
My blind and bait have been totally sad this year. I can say for baiting the same spot for the last 7 years, that numbers are down this year over 50%. The camera is capturing way less does, and the bucks the same. For the activity being consistent over those years, this year is totally different.

[ElectricDyck]

Here are a few pictures of the best guy;

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/MDGC1399.JPG

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/MDGC1400.JPG


http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/MDGC1403.JPG

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/MDGC1731.JPG

OMG What a fricken pig! !

[hunter#1_300]

alsome pictures, spent 10 days up in the peace where i hunt every year, deffintaly noticed a decline in the deer population from last year mainly mule deer to. Would love to catch someone steelin, we had 2 trail cameras get stolen from us when we were up there followed our tracks in the snow to both our stands but left are treestand. had some awsome pictures just in 4 days had 2 bucks fighting and a couple outher bucks but dont got them now:mad: recked are hunting trip. They didnt try to get your camera to? or do you have it locked up

[hunter1947]

Maybe you are right on stating that the numbers are down in your hunting area ,one reason may be that why the numbers are down was a bad winter kill off this early spring or predator probes ??? WT deer do return to the same areas every year in hi elevations in your area I don't know if you are up hi or low in elevation if you are down low in your hunting area the WT deer would be there year around.

As you said the numbers in your area are down and what is your thoughts on why there down in numbers ??? ,the trail cam pictures are fantastic thanks for posting them up that one buck the non typical he would be a decent buck to take in my books..

[Ponderosa]

have also noticed deer #s to be down this year, but I figure it's winter kill from last year. seen and heard of lots of deer found dead early this spring. we had all that snow really early this spring then some warm weather that put a heavy crust on top ot it, it had to have been really hard on the deer ( not to mention easy for the predators)

[digger dogger]

Ive also heard deer #'s are way down, in the Peace!

[BCHunterFSJ]

I have a section of land in the Buick area north of FSJ and am also finding whitetail numbers way down. No shooters at all on my 3 trail cams. Things are also complicated due to the presence of 4 grizzlies that devour my baits...
I have talked to many ranchers and farmers in the Upper Cache and Montney areas and they also say that there are practically no deer on their lands. Maybe last winter was tougher on them than I thought, but it seems like something has gone terribly wrong... Any wildlife biologists on this forum??

[doubled]

You would be surprised at how many deer fawns and moose calves get eaten by bears. Was talking to a reputable person the other day and he said they found a bear scat pile up north that had 13 deer hooves in it. That is 4 fawns for one bear alone. Doesn't take much of that to start clearing out numbers.

[7mag700]

Numbers are definately not great (though last year was no better from what I saw). In a day of road hunting you might see 30 - 50 deer, all small or spiker bucks and does, with a few 3 pointers thrown in. However, I think this year the deer I've been seeing are as good looking as I can remember, beautiful fat, shiny, healthy animals. One 3x3 whitey I put my scope on looked so nicely coloured and glossy he could've been wearing peacock feathers :P If we have a decent winter I'm betting next year is gonna be pretty good up here.

7m7

[BCrams]

I have a section of land in the Buick area north of FSJ and am also finding whitetail numbers way down. No shooters at all on my 3 trail cams. Things are also complicated due to the presence of 4 grizzlies that devour my baits...
I have talked to many ranchers and farmers in the Upper Cache and Montney areas and they also say that there are practically no deer on their lands. Maybe last winter was tougher on them than I thought, but it seems like something has gone terribly wrong... Any wildlife biologists on this forum??

Heard wolves aren't making it very easy on the Buick whiteys. With 4 grizzlies now conditioned to hang around with a known food source they can rely on, I'd count your grizzlies returning next year to mess things up!

Hearing the odd report about lower deer numbers from others but also reports there's a few more deer than last year and year before with nice animals around.

[d6dan]

have also noticed deer #s to be down this year, but I figure it's winter kill from last year. seen and heard of lots of deer found dead early this spring. we had all that snow really early this spring then some warm weather that put a heavy crust on top ot it, it had to have been really hard on the deer ( not to mention easy for the predators)


A Bad winter last year combined with an open season on any buck and doe and a heavy wolf predation, might have something to do with the numbers your seeing?. Maybe its time to go back to a 20 day season in November?. My brother whom some on here know, hasn't seen that many quality bucks this year. The numbers just aren't there like they were 4-6 yrs ago.

[BCrams]

Maybe its time to go back to a 20 day season in November?. My brother whom some on here know, hasn't seen that many quality bucks this year.

And here we go again regarding a social reactionary response due to supposedly low deer numbers to go to a 20 day mule deer season.

[d6dan]

And here we go again regarding a social reactionary response due to supposedly low deer numbers to go to a 20 day mule deer season.

Well Rams, where did they go then?. Its a thought and nothing more. After all isn't that what this threads about?. If you read my post, I didn't target mule deer specifically.

[BCrams]

Those years of 'high' deer numbers was not natural based on available wintering habitat, in particular for mule deer which spread far and wide throughout the agriculture zones during the years of mild winters. Agriculture fields are not natural 'wintering food'. The mule deer that typically survived are all those which were utilizing mule deer winter range habitat while those mule deer way out and away from typical winter range habitat died.

A lot of conflicting reports, some of which I believe and some of which I don't.

[Jetboat]

I have a section of land in the Buick area north of FSJ and am also finding whitetail numbers way down. No shooters at all on my 3 trail cams. Things are also complicated due to the presence of 4 grizzlies that devour my baits...
I have talked to many ranchers and farmers in the Upper Cache and Montney areas and they also say that there are practically no deer on their lands. Maybe last winter was tougher on them than I thought, but it seems like something has gone terribly wrong... Any wildlife biologists on this forum??


The deer numbers are definately way down here in Montney. Normally our dog has his paws full keeping moose and herds of deer out of the bale yard but not this year. In fact I've only seen one decent muley buck worthy of cutting a tag on, but I'm gonna give them a pass this year as they just aren't many around. As for whitetails, I've only seen a few so-so bucks in the Buick and Prespatou areas. But we are seeing a lot of coyotes and wolf sign is abundant. The cougar population is also on the increase with a lot of sightings between Montney & Prespatou. Hard winters combined with strong populations of predators could be taking it's toll. I know what I'll be shooting this winter...

[CBH]

Gbear, beauty pics! That last buck is a beauty in my books. Sorry to hear about your buddies blind, wouldnt you love to catch the thieves in action!

I have been using cracked corn, alfalpha pellets etc for my trail camera with just ok results. Are you using a mineral lick or bait? Any advice or guidance would be much appreciated!

[7mag700]

The deer numbers are definately way down here in Montney. Normally our dog has his paws full keeping moose and herds of deer out of the bale yard but not this year. In fact I've only seen one decent muley buck worthy of cutting a tag on, but I'm gonna give them a pass this year as they just aren't many around. As for whitetails, I've only seen a few so-so bucks in the Buick and Prespatou areas. But we are seeing a lot of coyotes and wolf sign is abundant. The cougar population is also on the increase with a lot of sightings between Montney & Prespatou. Hard winters combined with strong populations of predators could be taking it's toll. I know what I'll be shooting this winter...


Yeah, lots of wolf sign up around Mile 98 and 132 area. I thought I've been seeing a lot fewer 'yotes than last year though.

7m7

[moose2]

Here is a link from the fort st john news talking about the deer #s
http://energeticcity.ca/article/news/2011/11/23/deer-population-down-peace-region
Mike

[BCrams]

Slimmer pickings indeed in the Peace.

Dad did get a nice white-tail and a few others were passed up. I also cut a whitetail tag on the weekend.

[warren0427]

Willy? I think thats wills deer.

[d6dan]

Willy? I think thats wills deer.

No, its not..I deleted it just now?..I don't know why..But I think I will post it again.

[warren0427]

I heard he got one, just haven't seen the pics yet. Nice deer!

[d6dan]

I heard he got one, just haven't seen the pics yet. Nice deer!

Willie shot a 4x5.

[Aim-High]

We just got back from 10 days in the Peace. Numbers of bucks was definatly way down from previous years. I only saw 1 shooter in those 10 days and he is still walking.