Hunters advise wildlife biologists on deer and elk management

What populations of deer and elk should be maintained in Oregon and what should the ratio be for buck deer to does and bull elk to cows? Those were questions that Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) biologists asked more than 50 people at a meeting held February 23 at the Redmond High School.

Almost without exception, those speaking at the two-hour meeting supported increasing mule deer and Rocky Mountain elk populations as well as increasing the male-female ratios, even if it would result in fewer hunting tags, shorter seasons or tightening of hunting requirements for legal game.

Other recommendations from the hunters included mandatory reporting of hunting results to produce more accurate data and requiring bow and arrow hunters to follow the same regulations followed by firearm hunters in choosing a specific wildlife unit to hunt.

“Adopting proposed recommendations could result in fewer mule deer tags this season,” ODFW wildlife biologist Brian Ferry said.

ODFW scheduled this meeting, the only Central Oregon meeting of 21 being held throughout the state, seeking public comment on proposed changes in big game management objectives, Ferry explained.

Other wildlife biologists also were present including Bend-based Steve George.

“Mule deer management objectives were last reviewed by ODFW in 1990 and elk management objectives in 1994,” Ferry said. “While deer objectives have not been met in most units, there has been great success with elk, as well as with antelope” he added.

Working groups of hunters, public land managers and private landowners drafted the proposed objectives for this revision, he explained.

While all of the state’s 68 wildlife management units were briefly reviewed, most discussion focused on the Central Oregon Region.

That region stretches from the Cascade Mountains to the west to the Ochoco Mountains to the east and from the Warm Springs Reservation to the north to the Gilchrist-Paulina country to the south.

Within this region are the Upper Deschutes Unit south of Sisters, the Metolius Unit north of Sisters, the Grizzly, Ochoco and Maury units north and east of Prineville and the Paulina Unit southeast of Bend.

In the upper Deschutes and Metolius units in the Sisters area, population and buck-doe ratios would remain unchanged for mule deer if proposed objectives are adopted.

Deer populations recently have fallen short by about 40 percent in the two units, but the buck to doe ratios are right on target.

For elk, current population falls short by about 38 percent in the Upper Deschutes Unit, but has exceeded the current objective by 25 percent in the Metolius Unit.

However, because of the great increase in forage in the Metolius Unit following the B & B Complex Fire, the Forest Service has recommended an increase of more than three times the elk population in that unit.

No change in bull to cow ratio is recommended in these units. Current ratios meet the objectives at this time.

For mule deer, the buck to doe ratio objectives are set at 12, 15, or 25 bucks for each 100 does. For Rocky Mountain elk, bull to cow ratio objectives are set at 10, 15, or 20 bulls for 100 cows.

Many factors impact the population and ratios including the carrying capacity of the land and social pressures, Ferry explained.

Among these are winter survival of fawns and calves, loss of habitat to human development, hunter success during the fall seasons, loss to predators, damage to private lands, available forage, movement of the wildlife, and other factors.

Surveys are made on the ground and by aircraft following the fall hunting seasons and again after the winter in March to determine populations and ratios, he said.

Biologists pointed out that improved survey information on populations and ratios has also helped determine proposed new objectives.

While many of those commenting were suggesting specific management tools to reach desired populations, the biologists kept reminding the audience that remarks were to address onlyobjectives.

The opportunity to comment on how to reach approved objectives will come at a later date.

Complete information on the proposal may be obtained from the Bend, Prineville, or Salem offices of ODFW.

Written comments may be mailed to ODFW Wildlife Division, 3406 Cherry Ave. N. E., Salem, OR 97303-4924 or e-mailed to [email protected]

Written comments on proposed objectives will be accepted by ODFW until May 1.

The policy-making Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission will adopt final objectives at its meeting on May 12-13 in Prineville.