White-tailed deer hunting season starts in Saskatchewan

Hunters can get their rifles out today: White-tailed deer hunting season is officially underway across the province and is set to last until Dec. 2.

The 2 1/2-week time frame is a bit longer than in the previous two years thanks to recent milder winters, according to Conservation Officer Daryl Minter.

Based out of Prince Albert, Minter said white-tailed and mule deer populations have returned to normal numbers in most provincial conservation zones, because of lower snowfall and milder temperatures.

He said that applies to most areas around P.A. and the North Saskatchewan River.

“A lot of it depends on the snow depth, and we haven’t had excessive amounts of snow in the past couple of winters,” meaning deeper snow makes it harder for deer to get the food they need, he explained.

Deep, cold temperatures don’t help, either.

“If (winter is) very cold and long, then it makes it that much harder. (Deer) require that much more food to survive the winter,” he said.

Prior to the previous two winters, springtime was a lot more grim for white-tailed deer.

“You did notice in those harsh years, there was very, very few deer, especially there was a lot of die-off toward the spring of those years,” Minter said.

Through some of those harsh winters, even some hunters were choosing not to kill certain deer because of their lower numbers, he added.

But this year’s weather hasn’t been particularly favourable to farmers, some of whom were still getting their crop off and out of their fields well into October.

To that end, Minter cautioned hunters to keep their eyes open for farmers who are still out, so as not to put them in a dangerous situation.

“I do know there are some signs that are being distributed to post on fields where there are still crops out there,” he said.

Regardless of how the winter and the weather affect the province’s deer populations, Minter added that poachers are always an issue.

He urged hunters and landowners to report and turn in any poachers they encounter.

“We have to rely a lot on the public,” he said. “Report them to the nearest Ministry of Environment office, or call the province’s toll-free ‘Turn in Poachers and Polluters’ line, at 1-800-667-7561, or #5555 for SaskTel cellular subscribers.”