What’s up with the decrease in Wisconsin’s deer population?

I have watched the deer population charts for the last few years and have seen the population steadily decline over the last 7 years. I got to thinking what could be the cause for it? Wolves, over hunting, car kills, other predators? I started doing some research and the math doesn’t add up. Here is what I came up with using mostly the Wisconsin DNRs figures.

1200 sq miles in Clark county – 30% for uninhabitable hunting land.
840 sq mile of deer habitable hunting land.
2005 was 105 deer per habitable square mile
2012 was 37 deer per habitable square mile

2005 deer population 88200
2012 deer population 31080
Difference -57120
% 65% decrease

Now to what I thought was the cause is the fact that wolves eat 15-20 deer a year.

Estimated wolf population in Clark County 2005 25 x 17.5= 437
Hunter kill 4673
5110 total deer kill




Estimated wolf population in Clark County 2012 150 x 17.5=2625
Hunter kills in 2012 4451
7076 total deer kill

Since the introduction of the wolf back into Wisconsin’s North woods I thought the wolves where the cause of the decrease in deer numbers. After I did the math I am even more confused about the decrease in population then I was when I started. What isn’t factored in is other predator kills, bears and coyotes play a big part in the fawn mortality rate but is that enough to drop the population by 65% in the last 7 years?

Let’s just say the reproduction rate is 0 for the last 7 years and you use 6000 deer killed as an average for the last 7 years that’s still only 42000 deer. Did the other predators/ car kills take out the other 15000+ deer?
I would like to know what you guys think.
For the record I rounded off the numbers so they aren't exact figures but they should be close.

 

I'm just as confused as you are. I hunt Taylor county public land with some relatives and the last few years have been terrible. You will be lucky to see a deer all weekend. The number of gunshots during the weekend has also go down. My uncles tell me about how they we see deer all the time 8 years ago.

I think that predators play a part in the decline but I would also be interested to see how many deer were harvest now vs then and how many hunters there were now vs then. I imagine that the amount of hunters has increased and that has played a role in the decline as well.

Does the DNR really know how many wolves there are? Couldn't their estimates be way off?

We will have to see what next year brings, hopfully more deer!

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You have to wonder how accurate the numbers were in 2005 as apposed to 2012,...how human population growth has affected the area, surely the 840 available ares in 05 has drastically changed since then. That is a pretty big swing though,..

 

I was told that the bear numbers are allot higher in the northern part of the state then ever. They can feast on them new born fawns. I'm guessing its probably not the problem but figured I'd share what I was told.

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I hunt Marquette county often. I seen normal numbers of deer during bow season, with multiple deer each sit. This is public hunting grounds. During the 9 day gun season I hunted 6 full days on the same land and seen 1 deer 300 yards away. Out of our 6 person party, we seen a total of 5 deer, 3 were yearlings. Like others said, no shots on neighboring properties or very few in the near vacinity. Worse season in years.

 

The growth rate for the county is 3.38% I don't believe that has a lot to do with it but it was a good point. Also it's square miles not acres.

 

That's the question that needs answering. Let's say that the they estimated the wolf population off by 10% low every year for the last 7 years that would almost double the wolf count. Instead of 150 wolves there is 300 then multiple that by 17.5. That's 5200+ deer, that's a lot but still not enough.

 

Yeah, seen my mix up as you posted,...regardless, your numbers are interesting,...do you guys have a state biologist with the DNR that might could shed some light on the topic?

 

You also have to factor in the morality rate of the winter kills. I no where I hunt in Outagamie county, I am not seeing the 2.5 and 3.5 year old deer, bucks or does. The winters have been more harsh over the last 5 years compared to the 5 before that. When I doe would have twins or triplets they were having singles or none at all. So that affects everything for the years to come. Than figure predators and the hunting pressure and it takes a while for the population to bounce back.

Beefie

 

While I agree that numbers a down and have been in decline for a number of years, I think its silly how everyone always compares numbers to the records highs of the late '90s & early 2000s. Where people questioning how the herd grew so fast back then?

 

I don't think there is one single reason.

1. Harsh winters the last few years.
2. Bear pops are at an all-time high.
3. Not nearly as much logging being done which is causing less good deer habitat with the maturing forest
4. Management practices being applied these days give deer more places to hide in big groups on land that is not pressured much.
5. Gun hunters hunting the same stand for 20 years and not being flexible to move around.
6. Food plot hunters sitting in box blinds and not going into the thick stuff where the deer are during gun season.

 

High altitude auroral research project. (HAARP)


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I can't speak for Wisconsin as I don't live or hunt there. But one thing I and many others have noticed is leasing is becoming much more popular. 2 guys leased over 500 acres next to my moms farm. They are hunting the field edges and not entering the timber, thus making one big *** sanctuary. Neither hunter has shot a deer this season, bow or gun season. No one disturbing those deer has decreased my sightings on our property big time. It's easy for me to say "there are no deer", but thats not really correct. The deer are still around, they just aren't being forced on to neighboring properties, namely, mine.

 

I think this is becoming more and more popular as well. People who have hunted the same properties and stands are complaining that they don't see anything when in all reality the deer have shifted patterns to "better" land.

 

See below

 

Is your question why the DNR numbers are lower or actual numbers are lower?

 

Love the chart and the way each line mirrors each other.The increase in population came with fewer doe tags. When I started hunting you had to apply for a doe tag and about 1 in 4 got it. Less does being shot means more offspring each year as I stated the deer kill doesn't match the decline.

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QUOTE=Fitz;827282][/QUOTE]

 

Lets just assume the DNRs numbers are correct.

 

Now that is funny.


In the north I think it is predators and a maturing forest. With the maturing forest being the biggest factor.

I can't argue for the south because there is no way the pops are going down there.