Posted Friday, August 5, 2005

Region-by-region 2005 deer hunting forecast

Archery hunters should see more buck deer in southern Utah when the state's 2005 general archery buck deer hunt kicks off Aug. 20.

General season archery deer hunters may hunt on any area in Utah that's open to general season deer hunting. As of Aug. 2, more than 5,500 permits were still available for the hunt. Permits may be purchased on this Web site, from more than 190 hunting license agents across the state and at the DWR's six offices.

The following is a region-by-region look at deer hunting prospects in each of the DWR's five regions:

Northern Region

Despite heavy snowfall in parts of Cache and Rich counties last winter, archery deer hunters can expect to see good numbers of bucks on the Cache unit this season.

"Hunters may see fewer young bucks as a result of the heavy winter but before the snows fell, the three-year buck to doe average on the Cache and Box Elder units was 17 bucks per 100 does, which is among the best in the state," said Justin Dolling, Northern Region wildlife manager.

The future looks promising for the region, too. Deer herd surveys conducted this past spring found that 90 percent of the fawns born on five of the region's seven deer units in spring 2004 made it through this past winter. Just fewer than 70 percent of the fawns born that spring on the Cache and Ogden units survived the winter.

Northern Region habitat and wildlife managers are hopeful that extensive habitat restoration projects initiated within the past three years will help reduce deer loss during tough winters like the Cache unit experienced this past winter. "Above average moisture is really going to kick start the habitat projects that are in place and should provide abundant forage for mule deer populations across the region," Dolling said.

Because of record precipitation in the Northern Region, especially in the Cache unit, archery deer hunters may find deer scattered when the archery hunt starts Aug. 20. "With good forage and water supplies, deer may not be as concentrated as they have been in past years," said Phil Douglass, Northern Region conservation outreach manager.

Because the deer will probably be scattered, hunters should prepare to do more walking and stalking this year. "In addition to practicing stalking skills, hunters should also hone their spotting skills," Douglass said. "The vegetative growth is heavy in some areas, and it may be difficult for hunters to find and spot deer."

Deer archery hunters are reminded that the two most common violations during the archery hunt are shooting after hours and riding in vehicles with unquivered arrows. "The official shooting hours for deer hunters is one half hour before sunrise to one half hour after sunset," Douglass said. "Road hunting is generally an ineffective hunting method and will be even less effective with the good habitat conditions this year."

Archery deer hunters are reminded to respect private property and Cooperative Wildlife Management Units in northern Utah and to heed no trespassing signs. "We run into several problems every year, especially in Summit County, with hunters trespassing onto CWMUs," said DWR Sergeant Rick Olson. "It's important that they (hunters) know where the CWMUs are."

Douglass reminds archery hunters that some areas in the region are open for Utah's extended archery season, which runs for nearly three additional months after the general archery season closes.

For more information, call the DWR's Ogden office at (801) 476-2740.

Central Region

Despite an abundance of snow this past winter and early spring, DWR biologists say very few deer have been lost in the Central Region.

"Winter storms were generally spaced far enough apart and temperatures remained relatively mild despite the snow, which kept food sources available for wintering deer," said Scott Root, Central Region conservation outreach manager. "Biologists report that the deer in the region are in very good condition, which can be attributed to the abundance of vegetation and water sources that are currently available to them."

The number of bucks will be down from last year, but the future for deer in the region looks bright. "Although the region's three-year buck-to-doe average is slightly under the 15 bucks to 100 doe management objective, favorable habitat conditions may improve this ratio during the upcoming year, " Root said. "Initial post-winter deer counts indicate excellent fawn production on the mountainous eastern half of the region, which will benefit the region's deer herd in the future."

Root says deer will be widely scattered during the archery hunt because of the plentiful water and food sources found throughout most of the region. "Scouting is crucial when deer are not tied to a single water source," he said. "Look for well-used game trails and invest time on pre-hunting scouting trips to learn the habits of the deer."

Root says the western portion of the Central Region, located west of I-15, is primarily desert terrain. "This portion of the region has fewer deer and I'd strongly recommend pre-hunt scouting trips," he said. "Stalking deer with archery equipment in the desert can be very difficult."

Most hunters concentrate on the Tintic, Deep Creek, Oquirrh and Stansbury mountain ranges, but pockets of deer can be found throughout the western portion of the region. "Higher mountain elevations in the desert that have components of deer habitat generally attract deer and are a good place to hunt," he said. "Above average precipitation has provided more watering sources in the desert areas this year, and deer will be more scattered."

Root says the deer herd in the western portion of the region is rebuilding. "The current buck to doe ratio is below the management objective, but fawn production in the area is the best it's been in about four years," he said.

Hunters are reminded that a good portion of the western part of the region includes the Vernon limited entry deer unit and general deer season hunters need to stay out of these boundaries (a boundary description is available in the 2005 Utah Big Game Proclamation).

Fire restrictions also are in place in the western portion of the region. Archers are encouraged to contact either the Bureau of Land Management or the U.S. Forest Service (depending on the public land they're hunting) for the latest fire restriction information.

Hunters who are interested in hunting the extended season archery units within the region are reminded that they must complete the DWR's Extended Archery Ethics Course before hunting. The free course is available on this Web site.

Archers who will be hunting along the Wasatch Front are encouraged to know local hunting restrictions, especially if they'll be hunting around Salt Lake City. "Check with local law enforcement agencies for more information," Root said.

For more information about hunting in the Central Region, contact the DWR's Springville office at (801) 491-5678.

Northeastern Region

The number of bucks in the Northeastern Region will be down slightly from last year, but the deer that archery hunters do find should be fat and healthy.

"I expect buck numbers to be down on the Currant Creek unit this year over previous years," Boyde Blackwell, Northeastern Region wildlife manager, said of one of the region's most popular areas. "We had a very good buck harvest last year compared to previous years. This has reduced the number of bucks available for this year."

Blackwell says hunters will notice a lot more vegetation in the region than they've noticed during the last several years of drought. The increased vegetation will mean healthier and fatter deer this year. It will also encourage good deer fawn production in 2007.

Blackwell says the grasses and other vegetation are still green in the mountains, which will allow archery hunters to move around easier. The abundant vegetation and watering holes will also scatter the deer, and Blackwell encourages hunters to do a lot of preseason scouting. "Hunters need to get out into the areas they plan to hunt prior to the season," he said. "Water holes will not be scarce this year, so the animals should be spread out.

"Sportsmen who do not scout their areas and learn the patterns the deer are following will likely be less successful than those who spend the time in the field prior to the hunts."

In addition to preseason scouting, hunters also are encouraged to know the hunt boundaries in the region. "Check the boundaries and mark them on your map prior to hunting, especially if you're hunting an area you're not familiar with," said Ron Stewart, Northeastern Region conservation outreach manager.

Stewart also encourages hunters to let someone at home or in their camp know where they plan to go and when they plan to be back.

"If you change your mind, notify the person so they can update their information," he said. "Every year division personnel, sheriff departments and search and rescue teams get called in to find someone in cases of emergency or lost hunters. Knowing where to look can save both time and lives."

For more information, call the DWR's Vernal office at (435) 781-WILD (9453).

Southeastern Region

Archery hunters will find more bucks in the Southeastern Region this year, says Bill Bates, Southeastern Region wildlife manager.

"Good fawn production in 2004 and good survival this past winter have strengthened herds across the region," he said. "Most units show both short and long-term upward trends as far as the total number of deer in the herds."

While the number of deer is up in the region this year, all of southeastern Utah's deer herds are still under management objective as far as the total number of deer. Bates says deer habitat in southeastern Utah faces a long road to recovery after years of drought, but aggressive habitat restoration work by the DWR and other agencies is beginning to pay off thanks to normal rainfall during the 2005 growing season. "If the weather returns to a normal pattern, the vegetation in the region will rebound and the deer herds should continue to grow," he said.

Bates says hot temperatures in July drove most of the region's deer to higher elevations. If August continues to be unseasonably warm, deer will be in areas near the timberline and close to water. If the weather cools and monsoonal rains fall, the deer will move to lower elevation areas and will be more scattered.

To find success, Bates encourages hunters to do some pre-season scouting and practice with their bow.

For more information, call the DWR's Price office at (435) 636-0260.

Southern Region

Archery hunters should see more bucks in the Southern Region this year, thanks to favorable winter conditions and abundant spring moisture across the region.

"The Southern Region has had some very cooperative weather over the past few months, and there's a good crop of yearling mule deer in the region," said Lynn Chamberlain, Southern Region conservation outreach manager. "Combine those deer with a good contingent of two-year-old bucks, and we expect hunters will enjoy a fair hunt in the region this year."

Chamberlain says the buck to doe ratio on the region's general season units has climbed slightly to an average of 15 bucks per 100 does. The total number of deer in the region is still below management objective, but deer numbers also have increased slightly over the last two years.

Chamberlain says the weather in southwestern Utah is still warm, so hunters can expect to find deer near high altitude water sources through most of the archery hunt. "Fire danger is extreme in most places, so archers need to be careful with fire," he said.

For more information, call the DWR's Cedar City office at (435) 865-6100.