The attached spreadsheet lists YTD Hunter Reported Harvest of Bucks and Does, Arranged by Training Area. Hope you find this useful in identifying areas to hunt over Christmas Exodus and as the season winds down! As a result of mature doe harvest throughout the season, many fawns are on their own now which can make them highly susceptible to harvest. Fawns are easily identifiable with their short compact bodies and more square shaped heads (see attached image). Harvest of those animals should be avoided; please pay attention to the size and body shape of deer you consider harvesting and make a conscious effort not to harvest fawns! The data we collected at the check station indicates that fawn recruitment was down again this year (see attached bar graph). Much of this decline can likely be attributed to resource availability. The primary decrease in recruitment appears to be from reduced fawning by 2.5 year olds which is an indication that fewer yearlings (1.5 Y.O.) were bred last season. The fact that field dressed weights of yearlings have been below the long term average each of the past two years further supports the idea that much of the decline may be tied to resource availability. While the decrease is not to a level which is hugely alarming it is something we will continue to keep an eye on and is definitely something hunters must consider as this season comes to a close; and, in future seasons. The number of fawns we carry forward each year will directly correlate to sustainability of the herd, future recruitment, and ultimately hunter success in seasons to come!
Posted on: Fri, 19 Dec 2014 19:46:51 +0000
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