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| Title: | The Hunting Notesfile |
| Notice: | Registry #7, For Sale #15, Success #270 |
| Moderator: | SALEM::PAPPALARDO |
|
| Created: | Wed Sep 02 1987 |
| Last Modified: | Tue Jun 03 1997 |
| Last Successful Update: | Fri Jun 06 1997 |
| Number of topics: | 1561 |
| Total number of notes: | 17784 |
958.0. "Elk vs. Deer" by CSC32::J_HENSON (What is 2 faced commit?) Fri May 03 1991 12:00
I had a somewhat interesting conversation yesterday with a Colorado
DOW Wildlife Biologist and thought it might make for an interesting
topic. This particular biologist works the area I hunted last year
so I check with him on occasion just for an update on the area.
Anyway, he was telling me how the elk population had been increasing
steadily over the last several years and the deer population has been
decreasing. In '84 or '85, there was a rough winter that really
clobbered the deer population and it has never really recovered. In
the early 70s, the deer population was very high. Also, the buck to
doe ratio is now very low. And, last but not least, the elk population
is at an all time high.
All of this is to provide a little background to the following. He
told me that they THINK that the elk are pushing out the deer. There
is limited wintering grounds, and he also suspects that the fawn
crop is getting pushed around by the elk (his words, not mine). They
don't have any hard scientific evidence to support this, but this
is their current theory.
Has anyone ever seen or heard of this type of thing before? I have
been under the impression that elk and deer have different food
requirements and don't really compete in those areas. However, maybe
there just isn't enough room for both. Another possible reason which
I can think of is perhaps the nature of the habitat is changing to
favor elk. That is, the type and quantity of plant life is changing
to favor elk over deer. I didn't think to ask this, so I don't
know how the wildlife guy would see this.
Anyway, this file has been slow lately and maybe this can generate some
lively discussion.
Jerry
| T.R | Title | User | Personal
Name | Date | Lines |
|---|
| 958.1 | | SA1794::CHARBONND | in some 40-mile town | Fri May 03 1991 13:08 | 7 |
| Deer and elk _normally_ have different (but overlapping) food
requirements, or at least preferences. Elk tend more towards
grasses, deer toward forbs and browse. During the critical winter
months they may be in direct competition for the limited food
available. And neither species is going to be too fussy.
Dana
|
| 958.2 | I've seen it happen... | DNEAST::FICKETT_DAVE | | Wed May 08 1991 19:27 | 25 |
|
I have no scientific evidence to add to this discussion, just
first-hand observations.
I have seen a very similar situation between moose and deer. Years
ago there were plenty of deer around our hunting camp - the reason for
building a camp in that particular location. Over the past 5-6 years,
we've seen the moose population/signs increase dramatically while deer
signs are almost non-existant. We didn't bag THAT many deer, so it's
not our fault!
I know each species feeds on sprouts, etc. And a moose will
consume a much higher volume, so it's possible the lack of food for
both is the main factor. I don't think that the deer would mingle
with the moose or elk, so physically "pushing" them out may not be a
reason for the deer to move on.
Just speculatin'. Who's the resident NOTES biologist?
Dave
|
| 958.3 | Moose and Deer... | AIMHI::KELLER | Wherever you go, there you are | Fri May 10 1991 13:35 | 6 |
| You will usually not see Moose and Deer together.
Lots of Deer have a parasite called brainworm. While it does not harm the deer
if Moose get infected they go crazy and eventually die.
Geoff
|
| 958.4 | IT COULD BE | COMET::KELLEYD | | Sat Jul 11 1992 15:26 | 10 |
| HI, GUYS. THIS IS D.J. IN CO. I HAVE HUNTED THE SAME AREA IN SOUTH-
ERN COLORADO SINCE I WAS 14, (I'M 26 NOW) AND IN THAT TIME I HAVE
SEEN THE DEER POP. DROP AND THE ELK POP. RAISE CONSIDERABLY.
MY FATHER TOLD ME THIS WOULD HAPPEN AS SOON AS WE STARTED SEEING
ELK IN THE AREA. HE SAID THAT ELK WILL PHISICALLY CHASE THE DEER OUT
OF THE AREA SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO COMPETE FOR FOOD.
D.J.
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