Lack of deer, my rear...

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eyesandgillz
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2013/03/28 23:11:24 (permalink)

Lack of deer, my rear...

Headed up to the inlaws this evening in Ebensburg.
Left at 6:30 pm.  We saw over 100 deer out in the fields on the trip up starting from the end of Toll 66 near Delmont all the way to the Nanty Glo exit on Rte 22.  Saw 3 more deer in the inlaws neighbors yard and a dozen in the inlaws yard when we pulled in.  So, well over 100 deer seen on the hoof this evening.  More fields had deer in them than didn't.  Most deer I have seen since the "hey day" of deer spotting in the early 90's in Warren County and we'd see that many or more on a typical night.  
 
Access may be an issue but there definitely is NOT a lack of deer along the Rte. 22 corridor.  Just think how many deer there were in all the other fields this evening along this route that couldn't be seen from Rte. 22. 
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    pikepredator2
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    Re:Lack of deer, my rear... 2013/03/28 23:26:52 (permalink)
    same thing where i'm at in NW PA.  on any given night there's 25-50 deer in my field.  no doubt populations rebounded.  last winter was so easy on 'em i'm sure there was an extremely low mortality rate and judging by the number of deer i'm seeing now, this winter wasn't that tough on 'em either.  already getting psyched to start shooting the little bastages.
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    wayne c
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    Re:Lack of deer, my rear... 2013/03/29 00:37:50 (permalink)
    Yep.   Easy to think there is overpopulation until you consider the miles traveled and the fact the deer are very visible this time of year.
     
    Not familiar with that area, so can't really comment.

    Been seeing the same ol'  same ol' this year as the last few.   Travel the roads, and you see deer, especially on highly off limits posted lands where you see them year after year....   But overall certainly a far cry from several years ago, and pretty much a steady decline with no real sense of increase.   Harvest stats pretty much bear it out for the area also.
    Then again, 55 to 60k tags for years despite claimed goal of "stabiliaztion" since 2005 will do that fer ya.
    post edited by wayne c - 2013/03/29 00:39:34


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    wayne c
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    Re:Lack of deer, my rear... 2013/03/29 00:42:37 (permalink)
    "this winter wasn't that tough on 'em either"
     
    Id say the jury is out on that.   The winter has had some decent snow totals here compared to usual, and not so much would deer winter kill be the issue as much as it possibly effecting recruitment/fawning.    Winter staying pretty long too.  With the very low average temps of  this March,  Greenups gonna be later.


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    S-10
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    Re:Lack of deer, my rear... 2013/03/29 05:59:53 (permalink)
    I've been out 4-5 days a week on the snow for the last 6 weeks looking for turkeys. Most areas still have very few deer as compared to a decade ago although I have found a couple pockets where there were more than I realized. I have them marked in the memory bank.
     
    I did see enough bucks in the weeks after rifle season to keep me a bit interested in the upcoming season.
     
    I have seen more fisher tracks in 1B than I ever thought possible. Those critters are everywhere.
     
    I have found no winter kills as of yet although as Wayne indicates, this late snow could hurt them. I was in 7" of the white stuff yesterday in one of the gamelands. This time of year is always when you see the deer in the bare fields. Eyes--I used to beaver trap Hosmar run in Garland and in the 90's there were over 175 deer in the field behind the gravel pit in the middle of March. That was impressive.
    post edited by S-10 - 2013/03/29 15:06:36
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    BloodyHand
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    Re:Lack of deer, my rear... 2013/03/29 10:53:39 (permalink)
    You also have to keep in my mind that this time of year ( pre-greenup ) the deer heard together and usually dont go far from the fields in which they are eating out of. Couple weeks ago, I went to the egg farm ( Northrops ) outside of Spartansburg and there were 50-100 deer in the field. That's Amish country folks.
     
    BH
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    Big Tuna
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    Re:Lack of deer, my rear... 2013/03/29 20:32:47 (permalink)
    I been running my beagle pup almost everyday in so called deer woods and brair fields, and timbered woods and we yet to bump deer. I have seen the doe and fawn groups eating in fields in the dusk hours,but I don't think where over populated with deer. I've been running roads 6:00 am on for turkey and see a few deer here and there but not big numbers. The turkeys look good ,big flocks still together and alot of 10 inch long beards. I saw 5 giants, 3 two year olds ,7 jakes and 53 hens in one bunch this morning.  Anther spot had 5 bombers and to many hens to count. I saw 7 deer today.
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    eyesandgillz
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    Re:Lack of deer, my rear... 2013/04/01 08:48:42 (permalink)
    Been making this trip many times every year, for many years, and this was by far the most deer I have seen on this drive.  Maybe it was just one of those "special" nights and all the deer were out in the fields but even so, there are definitely better deer numbers along the Rte. 22 corridor than there has been in years past.  
     
    Took the dog for a walk on the gamelands that aren't too far from my inlaws land and there were tracks all over the place up there (deer and turkey) and lots of yotes, too.  There was still a good foot of snow on the ground on Friday up there and they had just received a fresh couple of inches on Thursday so I know they were fairly fresh.    
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