A Vicious Cycle for Deer Herd

Historical reproductions by Dick Perue

“It’s just a vicious cycle going from too many mule deer to not enough,” a pioneer hunter quipped recently after reading the hometown newspaper, which reported meetings being held in order to determine why the deer herd in south-central Wyoming is down, while an article from 60 years ago in the “Reflections” section reports there are too many deer.

The headline in the Sept. 28, 1961 Saratoga Sun reads:

Clubs asks Game and Fish to drop 15-day doe season here.

The possible depletion of our mule deer population through excessive big game seasons and multiple deer area and season extensions was the major topic of two recent meeting here. Last Thursday night, the Saratoga Lions Club took action on this issue, and Tuesday evening, the Platte Valley Game and Fish club met in a special session to review the situation.

Both groups felt the proposed 15-day doe season here from Nov. 1 through Nov. 15 should be discontinued by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. This decision was reached in light of the recent expansion of the three-deer area to most of the east side of the North Platte Valley and the extension of a season to Sept. 30.

Several of the ranchers, guides, hunters and businessmen at both meetings felt the reduction in the local deer population has already been adequate.

The recommendations of the Lions Club and the Platte Valley Game and Fish Club have been forwarded to the Wyoming Game and Fish Commissioners. Action on changing any established season must be taken by the commissioners at either a special or regular meeting.

With most of the Snowy Range now on fire, we will be lucky to have any big game left. But, then, that’s another really sad story for later.