My Eastern oregon deer outlook....

traks44 · 10-17-2006, 05:00 AM

first off I am not a biologist but hear is what I see happening........

Whitetails numbers in many areas are growing rapidly. So rapidly i am afriad I am seeing less and less mule deer in some areas and more whitetails. IMO ODF needs to start allocating more tags and more damage controlly hunts. I know whitetails have a place among hunting too but it is getting very bad. Farmers and ranchers do not take to them very kindly either in my expericence because they are a change, people dont like change over here, or atleast the majority and I see private access not being a problem. I saw 5 bucks harvested in places 10 years ago had never had a whitetail. Conservation is soing great. In places where farmers and ranchers fenced off creek bottoms and river bottoms is where we see the most growth. Places like ukiah and meacham are also growing in population though.

I guess what I am getting at is in the next 10 years years we are gonna see a big change, depending on who you are it could be good or bad. MY prediction whitetails are gonna grow so rapidly and fast and adapt so well they will run the mule deer out. Mother nature deals with population with disease and that what I think we are setting ourselves up for with this whitetail population. THey are expaning range, are more agressive, and seem to be dominant over mule deer right now in alot of areas and moving rapidly.

IMO, ODFW needs to start planning for the future now and start keeping the whitetail numbers in check because in 10 years if something is not done. There will no longer be mule deer in places that usually had good hunting. Ounce again deping on who you are a good thing or bad thing, but I have seen enough this year to worry me.

just a couple thoughts I thought I would share......

baltz526 · 10-17-2006, 05:29 AM

yes, eastern whitetails seem to be the rats of the deer world. they are replacing muledeer in some areas. but if you look at the states to the east, there are large sections of country where they have shared habitat since they where allowed to repopulate. in areas with agriculture and whitetails in the muledeer winter range, there may be little hope for rebuilding the muledeer herds.

Small Fry · 10-17-2006, 08:25 AM

I have to agree with you on the numbers and how quickly they seem to be taking over areas.

We have hunted Mount Emily area for years and I never saw a WhiteTail until 3 or 4 years ago. Now their everywhere.

I have a Doe tag this year and I plan on doing my part using it on a Whitetail.

cwh · 10-17-2006, 08:53 AM

When pheasant hunting around Pendelton, we saw lots of whitetail, probably 90% of the deer we saw were whitetail. I was surprised to see them in such high numbers. Was wondering if anyone was concerned with the rapid growth in the population.

Limbhanger · 10-17-2006, 10:59 AM

I agree 100%. The Whitetails seem to be much more adaptable and appear to thrive in more varied habitats. Sure looks like a prime example of natural selection and survival of the fittest happening right before our eyes.
I wonder if they will eventually displace the Blacktail numbers on the westside once they take hold.
They are saying that Whitetails will be knocking on Alaska's door within the next 5 to 10 years.

Trick · 10-17-2006, 11:50 AM

I've seen whitetail does in the Desolation unit every year for the past decade. Have they always been there?

Haven't really noticed anymore from any year to the next, but I hunt in a pretty limited area.

oregoncritters12 · 10-17-2006, 12:07 PM

Correct me if i'm wrong, but i just finished a book titled "Mule Deer something." Very interesting book and it talked alot about this same issue. One of the main reasons this was very interesting to me is this. The book stated that a whitetail buck could breed a muley doe and it would take, and that a mule deer buck could NOT breed a whitetail doe. Like i said, correct me if i'm wrong, but if this is the case and the book seemed to be very scientifically based, Whitetail deer will easily take over before long. The book stated within the next 60 years if i remember correctly.

Ras · 10-17-2006, 01:05 PM

I read something similar a couple of years ago; along the lines though of whitey's rutting earlier, and the bucks getting a hold of the early-heat muley does before the bad boys kick it into gear

Would love to see MORE late-season whitetail hunts across the NE; someone better wake-up quick.....it's getting late

.

Ras

jschainsaw · 10-17-2006, 01:50 PM

I think we need to have an extra season for them. Draw a tag kill a deer!!!

huntinfool · 10-17-2006, 09:07 PM

Whitetails are more aggressive and will eventually drive the Mule deer out, sad but true. This trend is already happening in much of the west.

Rank Amateur · 10-17-2006, 09:16 PM

I have seen whitetails Does in Desolation unit too, we saw 4 this year and in a different place than in the past.

C-lice · 10-17-2006, 09:19 PM

Don't worry. The wolves and cougars will thin out the whitetails.

Steelie King · 10-19-2006, 07:07 AM

I believe that if you wait the whitetail will be mainly foothill area deer where the muley's will still be a high mountain, wheat field deer. Whitetails are also more prone to the blue tounge and that is 99% fatal to them. I dont belive that shooting more whitetails will fix tha problem. It will however reduce the deer population even more and reduce the number of tags. Remember that ODFW uses a "deer" count not a mule deer or a whitetail deer count to determine the anount of tags. Happy hunting.

ehunter · 10-19-2006, 01:06 PM

Similar to other rocky mountain states isn't it? Whitetails in the bottoms and Mule deer in the mountians.

dewfish · 10-19-2006, 03:04 PM

Well you opened up a can of worms!! I don't agree fully with the outlook of whitetails takeing over muledeer. They do however co-exist. Their are many states with both populations and have had for decades. It might be a good thing right now with the declineing mule deer population due to predation. The predation is the cougar kills and the spring bears praying on fawns and calves. The nature of mules to be more of a loner then the whitetails to be much more a social breed. I have moved 3 units in the last 7 years due to cougar predation takeing out the muture buck population. The older bucks are way down this year acrossed the eastern state. Why:Big bucks are loners. Whitetails on the other hand are more social and are not affraid of people or populated settings. I would look at your hunting opputunitys being expanded. I would love to see some one put up a bill for hound hunting bears and cats before I worry about whitetails.