Population cotrol

[BK40]

First two mornings of season and I saw around 40 to 45 different deer on stand each morning. The property has always held alot of deer but Ive never seen these numbers. Do you think the mild winter added that many. And there I am with one doe tag, 4t. The eastern part of columbia county was cut off completely with doe tags.

[Doc]

I'm not sure how you can be 100% sure that all those deer were different, but the point is made that you have a whole lot of deer there. Just to be able to see that many deer, even if there were some repeats means you are probably over-run with deer.....lol. It sounds like the DEC doesn't really have it right in your area. That wouldn't be the first time, would it?

I really believe that the mild winter had a huge influence on deer populations. I can't remember when doe and fetus survival had conditions so perfect.

[ryanrobb52]

I dont think the DEC will ever have a true handle on deer populations because so many people dont report their deer kills.

[Doc]

I dont think the DEC will ever have a true handle on deer populations because so many people dont report their deer kills.

Ha-ha ..... They have a factor for that. It's another one of those calculated guestimates that they apply to the reported kills. Aren't statistical studies wonderful ..... lol. There's a statistically derived factor for everything. I guess it doesn't always work everywhere.

[ryanrobb52]

Really? I always wondered if they estimated the non reported kills.

[the blur]

I havn't seen 40 deer in the 10 years I've been hunting !!!!!!!!!!

[BK40]

Im confident of the numbers because their all coming from behind me in the morning and traveling past me to bed in the thickets. Im watching a large area 300 yds to the south and 500 yds to the north. Mostly vacant farmland . There is an orchard behind me where they come from in the morning. They finally decided to invest in high fence. Im wondering what that will do to there pattern.

[sampotter]

It may also be they feel safer where you hunt. 2 years ago i had 31 deer come into a 3 acre brush lot on opening morning of gun season. During bow i would never see more than 5 in a day.