Long Island Deer
 

I have lived on Long Island for 12 years and have seen lots of deer but it seems like they are gone ! I think the Coyotes that I have heard many times this summer and fall have taken them all out ! Any Thoughts on this ?

Last years hard winter did a number on the local deer population. From what I heard (hearsay, not confirmed) in Belknap county alone the kill rate for the 2014 deer season harvest is down nearly 50%.

Starvation and predators are most likely the main reason for this. It will cycle back up and the NH Fish & Game will make any appropriate changes it deems necessary to ensure a healthy and not over populated herd are kept up and in balance.

Dan

NH Fish & Game
 

http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Hunt...r_forecast.htm

I guess they are saying the deer population is healthy. No indication of island deers.

I remember about a dozen years or so ago that there were so many deer on long island that you could feed them out of your hand. Times change.

Preliminary 2014 Harvest
 

Here's the preliminary 2014 deer harvest only up to November 16th.

http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Hunt..._November2.htm (Does not include Archery)

http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Hunt...ke_October.htm (Archery only)

As you can see the harvest is down 11% statewide but down 40% in Belknap county. Once the final numbers are tallied now that the season just officially ended, I'm sure Belknap county will be closer to 50% down...

Dan

We saw a few deer over the summer but their numbers do seem to be way down.

With the abundance of acorns this year, there's no real need for the deer to move too far.

I have a game camera in my yard on Long Island. In the past few months, I've only got a picture of one deer, but there's not a lot of acorns in the yard either. Last year, maybe got pictures of a dozen or so deer during the same period.

Have another game camera on another property, no acorns there either. Probably have the same number of deer passing through there this year, but most of the activity is nocturnal.

DPC when you moved to Long Island 12 years ago the population of deer was still quite high... The harvesting of deer on the Island was really just getting going and starting to have a positive effect. In that time, the heard on the Island has been cut down dramatically. Thus deer sighting are far less frequent on the island, now then they where 12 years ago. However now when you do see a Deer they are far healthier then they where 12 to 15 years ago.

I saw plenty of deer this summer all doing quite well... I don't believe the island has a coyote problem...I have not heard them ever on the island. One thing I have noted over the last 4 or 5 years, is that because only certain area's of the Island are open to hunting, the area's where the deer frequently have changed. I have a land owner by me that has allowed hunting... I used to find signs of deer in my yard all the time, not so much anymore....

All in all don't worry about not seeing a deer constinently, I don't think the deer population on the island is in jeopardy... Cherish the moments a little bit more, when you see a nice healthy deer...

Regardless of what you think of them a harsh winter is a real crappy way for them to go. Realize that's mother nature but it still must be slow and miserable for the animal.

I took this picture on Long Island in the 90's, before they first thinned the herd. As you can see, the deer had no fear of me and would look for and approach cars looking for a treat. When they did thin the herd it must have been easy pickins. :(

While trying to conduct some work on his cell last week, my son was sitting on my porch (Hauser Estates Rd.) talking and looking around, when across the street, through the trees, he saw like 20 deer, all following each other through the field...guess they're all in the Kona area:confused:

I too recall some years back going to the island and bringing them marshmallows and other treats. Some would come right up to the open car window and take them from your hand. I suppose I was adding to the issue of them getting used to easy food but at the time it was a kick to do. I'm all for keeping them "thinned" out for their own good but it just seems sad to not see them around like years past.

I remember that. It was hard to drive through. The deer were everywhere.

years ago........
 

We would go down to Long Island around dusk, throw some apples on the side of the road, and wait for the deer. It wouldn't take long, they would come out of the woods to eat the apples. I got some really great photos of deer this way.........

Deer on Rattlesnake
 

3 years ago there were a lot of deer on Rattlesnake. Our neighbor actually went into his workshop under his cabin in the Fall and surprised a fairly large group of deer taking shelter there! When we went up in the winter later that year, there were deer tracks all around our cabin.
2 years ago, suddenly there were none to be found. It was thought that the coyotes scared/ate them off the island.
This past summer, while hiking the island trail, we spotted two good sized bucks keeping an eye on us as we passed by them +/- 100 yds away.

Like the acorns and the black flies, it all cycles. Am curious to see the situation up there this February during our annual snowshoe trek out there.

Is this on Long Island??