How can there be a buck survival problem when I see older bucks every season?
Deer habitat is not uniform across the District. Pockets of higher quality habitat exist adjacent to lower quality habitats, and some areas are hunted intensively while others have little hunting pressure. Data collected across GMUs show a decline in the age of bucks in the population. In some places bucks may be older and have higher survival rates, but the overall population is experiencing a decrease in average age. A hunter who has the advantage of hunting a large acreage with high quality habitat and low pressure probably sees a greater number of older bucks than hunters in other areas. However, those areas are not representative of a GMU or the District. If there are unique areas within a GMU that require special management emphasis, WDFW will establish “Deer Areas” with tailored seasons. These, however, are only created for the overall benefit of species management, not to serve individual hunters.
