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Show Winter deer losses may affect hunt Deer losses In Utah this winter may affect the 1973 deer hunt, according to Division Di-vision of Wildlife Resources game biologists; but due to Improved water ranges a-round a-round the state, the effect will not be as critical as that felt in former years. Homer Stapley, assistant game m a n a gement chief, noted that very heavy losses occurred in the severe winters of 1948-49 and 1951-52; and moderate losses were seen in 1964-65, when weather conditions con-ditions were similar to this year's. He stressed that losses this year could have been much greater if deer numbers num-bers had not been reduced or range conditions improved. Some deer mortality can be oxpected during winters of heavy snowfall, but poor range conditions compound lie protolem. The losses in the late 40's and 50's were due, a large part, to the poor range conditions. con-ditions. Sportsmen were Informed In-formed of the problem and supported the Division's program pro-gram to cut the deer herds and improve the range. Their license dollars footed the bill for the rehabilitation and development de-velopment of critical deer winter ranges throughout the state, and now a return can be seen for the ... expenditure of those funds. Stapley noted that the areas with fewest losses this winter were those that were previously rehabilitated with the sportsmen's money. Normally, fawns are lost first, followed by yearlings and old bucks. Mature does winter best. |