donniedent Report post Posted April 3, 2012 Let me rephrase that. If deer numbers are down due to drought, the carry capacity is lowered and coyotes are taking fawns that would already die... Compensatory mortality. Only where predation is an issue is it additive mortality. Carrying capacity is nearly impossible to asertain. If there isn't a drought or bad winter kill, it can be over harvest, disease, range loss or predation. Mule deer management is a tough buisness. There are many factors that contribute to the situation. To say it just predators or just drought is way to elementary. That's why our own dept seems to move so slow. It takes time to figure out why the herd numbers are dropping. Lower tag numbers doesn't do a whole lot but put more bucks on the ground, it does not effect total herd numbers. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
