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Deer #’s down statewide???

What I have been seeing the last 6 plus years is deer with respiratory infections. Either current or past, I asked my veterinarian about what I was seeing when it started showing up. I have gutted several younger deer that have what looks like bright yellow jello through the whole body cavity. I have gutted several older deer where the lungs were stuck to the ribcage. This is a 4.5 yr old buck I shot this week, everything in the chest cavity had to be cut away from the ribs.
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daniel93077 said:
2022:
Ringgold County 240 Acre Farm (CRP, Timber Strips, River): Had many bucks across all age groups that made it through the season and were on the farm the entire time.

Page County 360 Acre Farm (170 in CRP and Timber Strips): Found two bucks from 2021 that were almost definitely EHD. Deer numbers relatively low overall.

2023:
Ringgold County 240 Acre Farm (Same as above): Year started strong, after Mid-Oct extremely concerning decline in buck/overall deer numbers. Never found any EHD deer but I have to think it was a contributing factor in the decline. I'd say overall numbers 70% lower.

Polk County 240 Acre Farm (110 Acres of Timber/Remainder in Crops) Near Red Rock: Deer numbers, ratios, age structure good through the entire season. No signs of EHD

2024:

Polk County 240 (Same one as above): Deer Numbers still good. Farm has more carrying capacity but overall healthy population with no signs I've seen of EHD (did smell a possible dead one once near the pond but couldn't locate it)

Montgomery County 470 (80 acres of timber and creek bottom, remainder in crops): Relatively even buck/doe ratio. Seem to be missing most the 3.5 year old age class. and all but one of the 3 bucks older than that are bully scrubs. Most subtantial cover for a couple miles around. I was told in its prime it'd hold 200 deer during the winter. I didn't see anywhere near those type of numbers when I picked up the farm this past Feb. I estimate the farm hold 25-30 (roughly even buck/doe). I found two likely EHD kills from 2023. I haven't seen signs of if there yet this year....overall nice running water source though the whole farm so hopefully that's helping.
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This is a darn good summary & analysis!!!!!!!!

crietveld said:
What I have been seeing the last 6 plus years is deer with respiratory infections. Either current or past, I asked my veterinarian about what I was seeing when it started showing up. I have gutted several younger deer that have what looks like bright yellow jello through the whole body cavity. I have gutted several older deer where the lungs were stuck to the ribcage. This is a 4.5 yr old buck I shot this week, everything in the chest cavity had to be cut away from the ribs.
315763b4ff1b531569b326a28db82e56.jpg



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crietveld said:
What I have been seeing the last 6 plus years is deer with respiratory infections. Either current or past, I asked my veterinarian about what I was seeing when it started showing up. I have gutted several younger deer that have what looks like bright yellow jello through the whole body cavity. I have gutted several older deer where the lungs were stuck to the ribcage. This is a 4.5 yr old buck I shot this week, everything in the chest cavity had to be cut away from the ribs.
315763b4ff1b531569b326a28db82e56.jpg



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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I’m going a year back in my memory…. I think I recall that what u are seeing is the after effects of ehd. Inflammation that causes that scaring & maybe opens things up to other issues (say infections). Im 90% sure I recall this being viral related & after effects of major inflammation.
 
crietveld said:
What I have been seeing the last 6 plus years is deer with respiratory infections. Either current or past, I asked my veterinarian about what I was seeing when it started showing up. I have gutted several younger deer that have what looks like bright yellow jello through the whole body cavity. I have gutted several older deer where the lungs were stuck to the ribcage. This is a 4.5 yr old buck I shot this week, everything in the chest cavity had to be cut away from the ribs.
315763b4ff1b531569b326a28db82e56.jpg



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Very true and have heard others say of seeing the same conditions that you are talking about and have related it to EHD.
 
We had a mixed season. Overall saw a lot of deer, but a couple of drives we saw less than last year. A couple of drives we saw 20 plus deer similar to last year. The biggest thing is 2 years in a row lots of really small does, and limited mature does. I was watching a field one night with a dozen does eating beans. Only 2 were mature size. Saw LOTS of bucks also. One guy in our group had spoke with a friend who hunted first season. Said they normally kill 30 plus I believe but only got a dozen. Similar to others it can vary from mile to mile.
 
Now that I know there are WAY to many deer around me, I may pop in a stand today and zap a doe.
Haven't sat in a stand since Halloween and am having withdrawals.
 
Still going down in my area. This is the 2nd year I decided not to shoot any does, and I have less does now than 2 years ago. Nothing has changed as far as pressure on neighboring properties. My cams are taking 1/2 the pics they used to. I went multiple days during 2nd season not seeing a deer. I used to go entire falls seeing deer on every sit.

I work with a couple guys that party hunt in different groups. 1st group only trophy hunts and claim to only shoot 160+. They saw 3 bucks 1st season killing a 130 and a 140. They found 15 dead heads of all sizes. The 2nd group is the definition of brown its down. They filled 13 of 20 tags shooting 2 forks, a spike, 2 does, and 8 fawns while complaining about not seeing many deer. They found 2 deadheads. Both groups hunt public and private over 3 counties.
 
8bitnes said:
First released September 2024, this map is from the Iowa DNR's deer population study. This was part of a new law in 2022 that requires the study occur every three years. Full study report is available here and is an excellent, though lengthy read - https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/DF/1462727.pdf
These numbers would be pre-EHD this fall. The next report isn't due until 2027

Here is the methodology of arriving at the numbers below:
Researchers used several methods to calculate the population density, including an observation survey from bow hunters, buck harvests, deer-collision reports and a nocturnal spring spotlight survey where DNR staff drive on approximately 50 miles of gravel roads in each county and count the number of deer they see in a spotlight. The report states the bolded was the primary method of data collection while the others were items used to measure fluctuations year-to-year.

View attachment 128750

Other notable items in the write-up include the following:
* 12 counties have shown an increase in deer population since 1996
* antlerless harvest grew from 2001 (23,000 deer) to 2011 (123,000 deer), a 500% increase on harvesting anterless deer
* The report found the minimum tangible value of deer to Iowa is $181 million per year. USFWS data suggest that the tangible value of deer to the state of Iowa is upwards of several $100s of millions per year
* Deer cause a minimum amount of $129 million in vehicle collision costs annually
* Approximately 0.31% of harvested row crops are damaged or lost annually, with a conservative estimated cost of $5.2 million
* Specialty crops, like fruits, vegetables, nuts and Christmas trees are more susceptible to damage from deer. Surveyed farms reported, on average, 24% of their farmed acreage was affected. The ISU researchers who worked on the report calculated that, collectively, specialty croppers in Iowa experience $3.4 million in deer-related losses annually and spend an additional $832,000 per year on deer management strategies.
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I understand that the approach to this study is widely used and widely accepted. I also recognize that my personal observations are not scientific but I am pretty good at math especially when using both my fingers and toes but…. I have thermal hunted the coyotes pretty hard the last two months and this count is SIGNIFICANTLY off. I have used a hand scanner trying to locate coyotes and in some setups can see 160 acres or 80 acres and a few spots close to 320 acres where deer should be feeding at night. I have covered enough sections to question the per section average in the Iowa counties I hunt. I know of a handful of areas that are tightly held in big blocks that may offset the average some but no way is this accurate on average. Just my opinion but it is very difficult for a deer to hide in a field from a thermal. Just my opinion. I do realize the population study estimate was prior to any harvest but even factoring in the harvested deer it isn’t close.
 
So I ran a few numbers on the population estimates and current harvest data this morning. Based on the square miles in my main county and the population estimates the current harvest is 7% of the estimated population for this county. While statewide a 100,000 deer harvest is between 20 -25% of the total herd….. I’ve been wanting to run the population estimates per county and see what that puts the state population at but haven’t had the time to research every county. And I am in southern Iowa where population and habitat is supposed to be better than average per the survey chart.
 
Muskrat24 said:
I understand that the approach to this study is widely used and widely accepted. I also recognize that my personal observations are not scientific but I am pretty good at math especially when using both my fingers and toes but…. I have thermal hunted the coyotes pretty hard the last two months and this count is SIGNIFICANTLY off. I have used a hand scanner trying to locate coyotes and in some setups can see 160 acres or 80 acres and a few spots close to 320 acres where deer should be feeding at night. I have covered enough sections to question the per section average in the Iowa counties I hunt. I know of a handful of areas that are tightly held in big blocks that may offset the average some but no way is this accurate on average. Just my opinion but it is very difficult for a deer to hide in a field from a thermal. Just my opinion. I do realize the population study estimate was prior to any harvest but even factoring in the harvested deer it isn’t close.
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Also completed prior to any EHD outbreaks
 
8bitnes said:
Also completed prior to any EHD outbreaks
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Correct. The problem I see though is these are the population numbers that tag numbers and season decisions will be made from until 2027? And the area I am talking about did not appear to have had a significant EHD outbreak this year. I am not saying there weren’t any but have not came across any in ponds or creeks while I have been farming or hunting. Now the MO county I hunt is a different story on EHD.
 
Muskrat24 said:
Correct. The problem I see though is these are the population numbers that tag numbers and season decisions will be made from until 2027? And the area I am talking about did not appear to have had a significant EHD outbreak this year. I am not saying there weren’t any but have not came across any in ponds or creeks while I have been farming or hunting. Now the MO county I hunt is a different story on EHD.
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That is a massive problem to make three years worth of decisions off data already known to be very unreliable
 
8bitnes said:
That is a massive problem to make three years worth of decisions off data already known to be very unreliable
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I'm not sure that's actually the case. They eliminated antlerless tags in western Iowa after last years EHD wipe out. So they were able to react the next season.
 
IowaBowHunter1983 said:
I'm not sure that's actually the case. They eliminated antlerless tags in western Iowa after last years EHD wipe out. So they were able to react the next season.
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Those tag decisions were made before this study was conducted. Agree though, they do make some adjustments as they go
 
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