Archers can look forward to successful deer hunt

The archery deer hunt opens at first light on Aug. 19.

Early predictions are the hunt will be good, which simply means a few more deer will be tagged this year by the expected 16,000 bow hunters.

The reasons, said Craig McLaughlin, big game coordinator for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, are related to weather and numbers.

"Across most of Utah, the number of deer is continuing to climb at a slow but steady pace," he said. "This year, hunters are likely to see an increase in the number of yearling bucks. Overall, we had good survival this past winter. The state has received good precipitation over the past two years. More moisture on the ground translates into more deer on the ground. The does are also in better shape and that allows them to care for their fawns better, which helps more fawns make it through the winter."

Based on surveys conducted after last fall's rifle hunt, biologists estimate 296,000 deer were in Utah at the start of last winter. That's 7,000 more animals than the 289,000 deer estimated in the state after the 2004 fall hunt.

McLaughlin noted that most of the state's hunting units have ratios of 17 bucks per 100 does, "which is the highest average we've seen since 2000." The statewide management plan calls for 15 bucks per 100 does.

And, as noted, fawn survival this past winter was high — 70 fawns per 100 does — which will translate into a higher number of yearlings or small one- and two-point bucks.

Just how successful hunters are will, of course, depend on a number of things, most notably weather conditions.

Currently, McLaughlin said deer are holding in the mid- to high-elevation areas. If it remains hot and dry, stalking deer will be difficult. The hot, dry weather could, of course, help to concentrate deer around watering holes. If it rains, stalking will be easier, but the deer will remain scattered, and getting into the higher-elevation areas will be difficult.

Two things that will greatly increase success are prehunt scouting and time spent on a practice range.

Scouting an area, especially if it's a new hunt camp, is a big benefit. Among other things, it can help the archer find the different trails deer travel.

And, even though new compound bows have made archery easier, it takes a certain amount of skill or pure luck to hit a target, even at close range.

There are still a couple thousand archery tags available.