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Ministry of Natural Resources wildlife biologist Bruce Ranta said he expects the deer herd will decline significantly this year – perhaps by as much as half the deer population the district had in 2006-07. “We‘ve had two winters now where the winter severity index (deep snow and freezing temperatures) has been critical for deer survival,” he said, explaining that the scruffy-looking deer are having a difficult time finding food and are being hunted by an increasing number of wolves. “People are finding (the carcasses of) wolf-killed deer all around Kenora,” he said. Considering winter severity models, Ranta expects that up to 40 per cent of fawns could be stillborn this spring, and that the high wolf population will continue to “keep on driving the deer down to lower numbers.” Range is also in terrible condition, with little winter browse left due to maturing forest stands, he said, adding that “it‘s looking fairly grim if you like lots of deer.” However, lower numbers of deer could be good for the area‘s moose population. “You could see a rebound of moose in the northern areas of the district,” with a drop in deer numbers, Ranta said. With 80 per cent of Kenora-area deer infected with brainworm, which is often fatal for moose, it has been a big issue behind the district‘s moose decline, he said. “We have other dynamics at work” as well, including the area‘s changing forest structure, Ranta added. Top of Page |
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September 2, 2010, 8:49 am |