Darwin vs Winter

[Canadian_Goose]

I got to thinking, and although it happens frequently, it isn't often productive. I was thinking over the past few years we have seen increased deer populations up here due to mild winters. Now does this that there will be simply more deer for me to shoot, or that the weaker and smaller deer that should have been taken out by winter are still in the gene pool...

thoughts?

[PAstringking]

Re: Darwin vs Winter

In PA i know that when we have a mild winter that the next year we have the opposite, a harsh winter. I always think that weather patterns even themselves out somehow.

Deer populations might go up this year but next year you could loose twice as many.

just my .02

[gitcha_some]

Re: Darwin vs Winter

i dont know but in maryland i dont think the winter ever gets harsh enough to actually start killing off deer due to the fact that even if we get three feet of snow most of it will be gone in a couple days, our temps and weather change everyday

[Canadian_Goose]

Re: Darwin vs Winter

we have had two or three mild winters in a row where we have had little snow and warm temps.

[superguide]

Re: Darwin vs Winter

The shallow end still gets taken out even in the mild winters-no matter how good conditions are. I think the big increeae comes from just more multiple births-a easy winter helps a few older bucks steal an extra year or two.

[wtnhunt]

Re: Darwin vs Winter

Afraid deer populations here are at a pretty dramatic decline, at least where I live and hunt, and it is not in any way related to the weather.

Think in your situation nature where your herd is thriving will help weed out the weak despite the weather, whether it be through predation or lack of food.