These are all factors that have a screwed up population. None of the does we have seen or talked to others were freshened. They were all dry. Which seems very odd maybe Brent has insight on that.
No, I can't help I'm afraid. I'm not even exactly sure what you mean by dry (not lactating?) or freshened.
For the most part, the timing of breeding and rut activity is driven by day length which is invariant relative to weather conditions. Nonetheless, I know some species do make some small adjustments for breeding season as a function of the year's growing conditions and habitat quality, but it's usually pretty minor.
So, if deer are not moving for you, I don't know why. They certainly are moving well down here and right on schedule.
I don't know why there would not be a good sized herd up there either, but then I associate "normal" conditions in that part of the world with the state of the herds in the 60s and 70s. That was pretty much what you seem to be experiencing now. Certainly , it should be better than that, but with TB, Blue tongue, EDH, CWD, Wolved, Hunters, recent weather, etc. making any guesses about your herd from down here is a big shot in the dark.
