Forest fires
destroyed
more than
110,000 acres
of forest land
in Grant
County in
2015.
MARISSA
WILLIAMS
PHOTO
WILDLIFE
POPULATIONS
Big game populations are ready for hunting season in
Grant County.
Despite stress from recent fires, hot summers and harsh
winters, elk populations have steadily increased, and deer
populations have held steady, according to Ryan Torland, the
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife district biologist for
Grant County.
Though the recent fires did directly kill a handful of deer,
and possibly elk, they haven’t adversely affected overall
populations, he said.
Based on this winter’s census, Torland said the Northside
Unit has about 6,500 deer and 2,700 elk. The Murderers Creek
Unit has about 6,200 deer and 1,900 elk. The Desolation Unit
MyEagleNews.com
REMAIN STRONG
DESPITE RECENT
WILDFIRES
BY RYLAN BOGGS
has about 1,000 deer and 1,500 elk, he said, and the Beulah
Unit has about 500 elk.
Some cases of epizootic hemorrhagic disease and
adenovirus hemorrhagic disease have been observed in deer
herds, Torland said, but nothing that worried him too much.
Torland estimated, based on this winter’s populations, there
are 150 bighorn sheep in the Aldrich Mountain area and 100
in the McClellan area, as well as 65 mountain goats in the
Strawberry Mountain Wilderness.
Although deer and elk populations have not been affected
by the fire, Torland expressed concern that bears may cause
problems for residents while searching for food sources to
replace those that were burned last year.
Though the recent fires did
directly kill a handful of deer,
and possibly elk, they haven’t
adversely affected overall
populations.
GRANT COUNTY HUNTING JOURNAL 2016 • 13