Data on last year's deer population numbers has been uploaded to the Town of Okotoks website for all to see, complete with colourful graphics and detailed explanations.
The 2024 deer count was conducted by the Town of Okotoks on Feb. 28 and the findings were shared with the Western Wheel on Jan. 29 the following year before being published online by the Town last week.
According to the report, 138 mule deer were counted in 2024, which when compared to the 139 counted the year before, reflects a relatively stable population.
The report indicates that while overall numbers in deer appear to be stable, significant fluctuations were observed in bucks and fawns. Thirty-nine fawns were counted, a significant increase from 23 the previous year, and only three bucks, a dramatic decrease from the 19 counted the year before.
Mule deer were the only species counted, as other species such as white-tailed deer do not typically frequent Okotoks due to differing habitat preferences.
The Okotoks deer count was first conducted in 2015 and became an annual count in 2018.
The first count in 2015 tallied 66 deer in Okotoks, a number which had increased to 108 by the 2020 count.
The 2025 Okotoks deer count was conducted on Feb. 11, and the Town has indicated that the findings will be shared near the end of the month.
