It’s Groundhog Day again.

[TOGIE]

it's a struggle in colorado trying to get the non hunting crowd to understand that probably the single biggest limiting factor to sustaining an ungulate population at a certain level is, wait for it... winter range and critical winter range.

it comes up in arguments about the primary purpose of the state wildlife areas our state purchases, which so coincidentally often are on winter range, and why the recreational crowd is so limited in what they're allowed to do on them and, more importantly, when they're allowed to do it.

 

[375H&H]

So what's the deal with WA's low deer numbers? Not that I've ever given it much thought, but why so low?

Some other thoughts in addition:

Mule deer only occupy half the state of Washington, but statewide in the much larger state of Colorado which frankly has far better habitat/management.

Predator numbers are higher in Washington.

Logging has been reduced in some areas resulting in less clearcuts and less deer.

 

[ShootsManyBullets]

General OTC tags with no caps doesn't help populations. Explain how that's actually management?

 

[TOGIE]

no otc deer in colorado

 

[Irrelevant]

Some other thoughts in addition:

Mule deer only occupy half the state of Washington, but statewide in the much larger state of Colorado which frankly has far better habitat/management.

Predator numbers are higher in Washington.

Logging has been reduced in some areas resulting in less clearcuts and less deer.

It's much better to look at OR vs WA instead of CO vs WA. The climate and ecology is just too dissimilar between WA and CO.

While those are all your points are true. IMO, they can't factor in all that much. If you go with a OR vs WA comparison it's harder to point much blame on logging has been reduced in OR too, especially east of the crest. And they have just as many, or at least close to the same, amount of predators.

General OTC tags with no caps doesn't help populations. Explain how that's actually management?

Antler point restrictions...

 

[375H&H]

It's much better to look at OR vs WA instead of CO vs WA. The climate and ecology is just too dissimilar between WA and CO.

While those are all your points are true. IMO, they can't factor in all that much. If you go with a OR vs WA comparison it's harder to point much blame on logging has been reduced in OR too, especially east of the crest. And they have just as many, or at least close to the same, amount of predators.

Antler point restrictions...

If comparing Oregon to Washington, Oregon has at least 50% more suitable habitat (larger state). It also has significantly less irrigated crop land compared to the Columbia Basin (as you mentioned) so just by available habitat alone it’s clear why Oregon has more mule deer. There also is not a large city in the eastern half of Oregon…except for Rome.

 

[FI460]

There also is not a large city in the eastern half of Oregon…except for Rome.

Can't believe you're just gonna do Juntura dirty like that.

Not really any otc mule deer opportunities remaining in Oregon either.

 

[trb]

As a passionate masochist myself, I fully respect this hunt and write up. Great stuff.

Very curious extreme low density. Couldn't agree more with what @Oak said. I have seen some great bucks straight chilling in CO easily within earshot of some real backcountry tomfoolery and ruckus.