Poor deer season, could it have been caused by west nile?

[Chuck from arkansaw]

Perhaps some of the poor deer hunting, low deer numbers, odd behavior, could be attributed to west nile fever.  Will it infect deer?  It is really rough on horses, birds, bats, etc.  I wonder if it is also affecting the deer populations.

[jhm]

Chuck:  I would say the reason the deer harvest was DOWN here in Ar. was partly due to the large acorn crop this year, and the deer wernt moving as they usually do, and the over hunting of the doe in some parts have reduced the number of replacement deer that is always needed to keep the numbers up, I feel that this is going to be a good year as the winter was mild, the deer went into winter in great shape, and since the kill was down last year the numbers of avail. deer should be up, as far as a disease in the deer I believe that if that was the case the farmers,ranchers and the other hunters would be finding dead deer and reporting it, I have several acres of land here at the house, keep feeders out almost all year, and had less daytime activity this past season, than in the last 22 years, but if you spend some time out looking around you will find sign of the deer being there, hope you have a better season this year, if you get into the central part of the state stop by  Greenbrier area by wolly hollow state park.   JIM

[wareagleguy]

Chuck,
I'm no expert but I have seen a cycle that is hard to ignore.  I hunt in the north Alabama area and own some good hunting land and and also a member of a hunting club.  I have noticed that there is a cycle to the deer harvest that runs from year to year.  A few times this cycle may run two years but never more than that.  One year everyone sees many deer and the harvest numbers will be up on both doe and buck.  The next year will be low.  I think the harvest does have influence on the deer population for the next year.  If you have less deer you are going to see less deer.
When the deer management people make population numbers it will be a average so it doesn't count a year-to-year number.  I'll be willing to beat you have a better year next season.

just my 2 cents.