I'm just sayin'
Post-Winter and Spring Deer Surveys Completed in FWP Region 6
GLASGOW, Mont. – Post-winter and spring surveys of mule deer and white-tailed deer in Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks’ (FWP) Region 6 have been completed.
For Region 6 mule deer, 11 trend areas are examined from the air each year. While total deer counts tend to be variable, FWP biologists said the 2010 surveys generally indicate mule deer in most areas are near the long-term average (LTA).
Exceptions include some areas north of U.S. Highway 2 and in the Glasgow area, where mule deer numbers are well above the LTA, wildlife biologists said, but fewer mule deer were observed during surveys in the Malta and Havre area. That’s partly due to deer migrating during winter conditions, as well as some winter mortality.
Fawn-to-adult ratios are another important component in deer populations. The observed fawn-to-adult ratio is an indicator of population growth and expected recruitment into the mule deer population.
In general, biologists said the eastern half of Region 6 saw higher fawn ratios coming out of winter (50-68 fawns:100 adults), which indicates a stable to growing population. The western half of the Region saw lower fawn ratios (23-38 fawns:100 adults), which represents the low end of population stability. This was likely due to winter mortality, which has not been seen in most recent years Biologist get concerned when low fawn ratios are observed over multiple years, which has not been the case in Region 6.
Data from deer surveys is only one factor in deer management, which also includes season setting and quota-setting decisions, as well as weighing input from private landowners, hunters, the general public and other natural resource management agencies. Chronic wasting disease (CWD), which is moving further south in Canada toward the Montana border, and game-damage complaints are other large factors that must be considered when management decisions are being made.
Mule deer quota recommendations for the 2010 deer season include:
o Most hunting districts north of Highway 2 and in the Glasgow area (HDs 600, 630, 631, 632, 640, 641 and 670) will continue to see liberal numbers of antlerless mule deer B-tags.
o Hunting districts that include lands south of Highway 2 (620, 621, 622, 650, 651, 652, 680 and 690) will see more conservative numbers of antlerless mule deer B-tags this year.
o Pending final approval from the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission, the HD 620/621/622 complex would be reduced from 800 to 500 B-tags; in HD 611 the reduction would be from 600 to 400; and in HD 650 the reduction would be from 300 to 200. In HD 600 B-tags would be increased from 300 to 800 because of agricultural game damage problems last winter.
Other FWP Regions west of Region 6 have seen some sharp decreases in mule deer numbers. As a result, hunting seasons and quotas have been restricted there, and more hunters are expected to travel to Region 6 this year.
“Hunters may want to plan ahead and apply for B-tags through the drawing,” said Region 6 Wildlife Program Manager Mark Sullivan. “There will likely be fewer leftover tags this year.”
Biologists said winter and spring surveys of white-tailed deer in Region 6 found numbers continuing to be very high along the Milk River, especially in Valley County. Whitetail populations in the Missouri River bottom and areas south of the river decreased due to an outbreak of epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD), but whitetail populations elsewhere are near the LTA.
As a result, antlerless white-tailed deer quotas, which are managed Region-wide, will remain at 5,000 for the 2010 season, pending final approval from the FWP Commission.
“This year, nonresidents can also purchase the single-Region, antlerless B-tag for whitetails, which was only available to Montana residents in 2009,” Sullivan said. “This will help with additional antlerless whitetail harvest where needed. It also serves as a non-resident prerequisite license during special deer management seasons, should they be needed.”
Post-Winter and Spring Deer Surveys Completed in FWP Region 6
GLASGOW, Mont. – Post-winter and spring surveys of mule deer and white-tailed deer in Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks’ (FWP) Region 6 have been completed.
For Region 6 mule deer, 11 trend areas are examined from the air each year. While total deer counts tend to be variable, FWP biologists said the 2010 surveys generally indicate mule deer in most areas are near the long-term average (LTA).
Exceptions include some areas north of U.S. Highway 2 and in the Glasgow area, where mule deer numbers are well above the LTA, wildlife biologists said, but fewer mule deer were observed during surveys in the Malta and Havre area. That’s partly due to deer migrating during winter conditions, as well as some winter mortality.
Fawn-to-adult ratios are another important component in deer populations. The observed fawn-to-adult ratio is an indicator of population growth and expected recruitment into the mule deer population.
In general, biologists said the eastern half of Region 6 saw higher fawn ratios coming out of winter (50-68 fawns:100 adults), which indicates a stable to growing population. The western half of the Region saw lower fawn ratios (23-38 fawns:100 adults), which represents the low end of population stability. This was likely due to winter mortality, which has not been seen in most recent years Biologist get concerned when low fawn ratios are observed over multiple years, which has not been the case in Region 6.
Data from deer surveys is only one factor in deer management, which also includes season setting and quota-setting decisions, as well as weighing input from private landowners, hunters, the general public and other natural resource management agencies. Chronic wasting disease (CWD), which is moving further south in Canada toward the Montana border, and game-damage complaints are other large factors that must be considered when management decisions are being made.
Mule deer quota recommendations for the 2010 deer season include:
o Most hunting districts north of Highway 2 and in the Glasgow area (HDs 600, 630, 631, 632, 640, 641 and 670) will continue to see liberal numbers of antlerless mule deer B-tags.
o Hunting districts that include lands south of Highway 2 (620, 621, 622, 650, 651, 652, 680 and 690) will see more conservative numbers of antlerless mule deer B-tags this year.
o Pending final approval from the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission, the HD 620/621/622 complex would be reduced from 800 to 500 B-tags; in HD 611 the reduction would be from 600 to 400; and in HD 650 the reduction would be from 300 to 200. In HD 600 B-tags would be increased from 300 to 800 because of agricultural game damage problems last winter.
Other FWP Regions west of Region 6 have seen some sharp decreases in mule deer numbers. As a result, hunting seasons and quotas have been restricted there, and more hunters are expected to travel to Region 6 this year.
“Hunters may want to plan ahead and apply for B-tags through the drawing,” said Region 6 Wildlife Program Manager Mark Sullivan. “There will likely be fewer leftover tags this year.”
Biologists said winter and spring surveys of white-tailed deer in Region 6 found numbers continuing to be very high along the Milk River, especially in Valley County. Whitetail populations in the Missouri River bottom and areas south of the river decreased due to an outbreak of epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD), but whitetail populations elsewhere are near the LTA.
As a result, antlerless white-tailed deer quotas, which are managed Region-wide, will remain at 5,000 for the 2010 season, pending final approval from the FWP Commission.
“This year, nonresidents can also purchase the single-Region, antlerless B-tag for whitetails, which was only available to Montana residents in 2009,” Sullivan said. “This will help with additional antlerless whitetail harvest where needed. It also serves as a non-resident prerequisite license during special deer management seasons, should they be needed.”
