Mike Stevens' Outlook on the Deer Herd 2023

The Long Winters of the Jackman Area take their toll

Winters are long and cold in the north country where we call home. Shoveling, salting and plowing almost become daily rituals up here. Normally 100-150 inches of snow each winter blankets the mountains and seldom a day goes by when the topic of deer doesn't enter our conversations. Recent winters have been relatively mild. Less snow and warmer temps have aided their survival. This, coupled with a the gang of coyote hunters that kill up to 30-50 coyotes a year around the town of Jackman, Maine, with their awesome hounds has made a huge impact in the revival of our deer herd.

The winters of 2007-08 left us with a depleted herd of deer, as deep snow and easy hunting for the coyotes filled the deer yards with dead deer. That was over ten years ago, but mother nature and determined hunters have once again made the Moose River Valley a buck hunter's paradise. It's no secret, the deer in our area come to town in the hundreds each winter. Once here, the locals feed them and accept their presence. It goes further than throwing a can of corn behind the house.

Feeding the Deer -- A Controversial Practice

Research has told us to feed the deer with the right food. Cattle sweet-feed has been deemed the best food for our winter friends and local businesses sell hundreds of pounds each winter to support our herd. Sure, we've heard all the BAD reasons not to feed the deer. Most folks pay no attention to them including me. I figure, man wiped out most yarding areas around Jackman through logging, leaving the deer searching for not only food, but thick softwood cover to block the wind and minimize deep snow. So let man (us) help in the rebuilding of the herd.

On any given night, we have 15-25 deer in our yard. I have neighbors that feed more. Lots more. I have seen yearling deer that weigh 40-60 pounds come to the feed. In my opinion, these tiny deer would never make it in the wild during winter. They would be easy prey for coyotes and starvation. Also, old rut torn bucks find salvation here also, as they rest and eat to rebuild themselves for the upcoming spring. A big argument deer feeders get is motor vehicles kill town deer and vehicles are damaged. Well, as I mentioned above, feeding tiny youngsters and old warriors in our backyard saves many deer. More than if they lived in the woods. It's a fair trade off. As far as vehicle accidents, people and truckers know the town feeds hundreds of deer and any smarts tell you to SLOW DOWN.

Thank a Coyote Hunter for your next Big Woods Buck!

As a guide and hunter, I can not thank the coyote team that controls the numbers of these deer killers in our big woods. Big Woods Bucks teammates Hal Blood and Rick Labbe, along with other locals and their team of hounds have made a huge difference in the demise of the 'yotes. It's common to see their snowmobiles fly through town with several dead coyotes strapped to their dog boxes. They have made a difference, a big difference. I spend endless hours in the woods and, I can tell you, finding a coyote track somedays is not easy. This is awesome.

If you're a deer hunter that travels to the Big Woods of Northern Maine to hunt in the future, remember the hard work and time that the locals have spent bringing the great deer hunting back to this region. It's a team effort and it works.