Hard Winter May Affect Deer Hunt In Unit 67

A tough winter with high mule deer fawn mortality has lead wildlife managers to reconsider options for two mule deer hunts in eastern Idaho.

Since fawn mortality monitoring began in 1998, mule deer fawns in Unit 67 near Heise have generally gone into the winter heavier than most of the other fawns measured in the state. Even with this head start some died each winter, but this year the numbers were the worst ever recorded in Unit 67 and have caused wildlife managers to consider some deer hunt changes to the 2006 big game regulations.

"It's important to take note how numbers vary from area to area," regional wildlife manager Daryl Meints said. "The deer at Heise had an especially tough winter; this has caused us to recommend changing some deer hunting opportunities that we had previously hoped to expand."

Meints was referring to two controlled hunts and any change would not affect published regulations for general deer harvest in Unit 67. The Idaho Fish and Game Commission will consider a request to reduce the number of permits originally set for hunts 1058 and 1061.

These adjustments reflect how game managers attempt to use all available information to manage wildlife populations and provide hunting opportunities. Population swings, such as the recent winter kill, drive home the point that wildlife cannot be stockpiled and surpluses need to be hunted when they are available because a variety of factors can cause a downward swing at any time.
Before this winter, more deer were in the Heise area than had been counted since 1995.

"The fawns came into the winter lighter than previous years," Meints said. "This was due to diminished summer and fall habitat conditions."
Of the 25 radio-collared fawns in the mortality study, 21 have died so far-12 from malnutrition, four from coyote predation, one from mountain lion and four from unknown causes.

Unintentional human disturbance, along with poaching, also affected wintering deer. Therefore, earlier this winter, when it appeared that the deer were heading into trouble, the Bureau of Land Management and Fish and Game established an area closure to provide the remaining deer as much protection as possible.

For information about these proposed changes or information related to the fawn mortality study, contact Fish and Game in Idaho Falls at 208-525-7290.

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