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Big Game Hunting => Deer Hunting => Topic started by: jthurs on April 22, 2017, 03:31:30 PM


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Title: Panhandle winter kill
Post by: jthurs on April 22, 2017, 03:31:30 PM
Looking for some info on whitetail winter kill in the panhandle. I was looking to hunt the priest River area this November for whitetails and wondering how bad the die off was this winter, also were any areas less impacted? I appreciate any info!
Title: Re: Panhandle winter kill
Post by: eastfork on April 23, 2017, 07:38:30 AM
Call the local biologists for the area your interested. They'll have better insight than any body.
Title: Re: Panhandle winter kill
Post by: buglebrush on April 23, 2017, 08:18:25 AM
Find nine deer killed by predators just in my parents property this Winter.  Found one killed by a cat that was still steaming.  Cat ran on top and the deer before through.   :bash:
Title: Re: Panhandle winter kill
Post by: jthurs on April 23, 2017, 10:02:14 AM
Thanks for the info!
Title: Re: Panhandle winter kill
Post by: jthurs on April 25, 2017, 11:38:53 AM
I called fish and game today and they tell me winter kill was minimal up in the priest area. I am hoping somebody that is familiar with that area can chime in. Just trying to make sure it has not been too severe before I line up a place to stay and things. Thanks again for any help!
Title: Re: Panhandle winter kill
Post by: PolarBear on April 25, 2017, 11:50:48 AM
My Brother in Law is with the DNR and in charge of the area from Sand Point to Priest Lake.  He says that the winter kill was not that bad.  A few areas were worse than others but on average nothing major.
Title: Re: Panhandle winter kill
Post by: grundy53 on April 25, 2017, 12:10:12 PM
Good to hear.

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Title: Re: Panhandle winter kill
Post by: jthurs on April 25, 2017, 12:13:00 PM
Yes very good to hear and thanks for the help.
Title: Re: Panhandle winter kill
Post by: buglebrush on April 25, 2017, 08:50:23 PM
I called fish and game today and they tell me winter kill was minimal up in the priest area. I am hoping somebody that is familiar with that area can chime in. Just trying to make sure it has not been too severe before I line up a place to stay and things. Thanks again for any help!

See my comment above.  The snow was perfect for predators, and they did a lot more damage than "winterkill"
Title: Re: Panhandle winter kill
Post by: Ridgeratt on April 25, 2017, 08:53:46 PM
I heard today there is still close to a foot on the ground around Pack river and the roads are just a mud bog.
Title: Re: Panhandle winter kill
Post by: WA hunter14 on April 25, 2017, 09:21:50 PM
A lot of the lions had to come down lower than usual
Title: Re: Panhandle winter kill
Post by: jthurs on April 26, 2017, 01:00:27 PM
Thanks for all of the feedback. Although the biologist I spoke with said the winter kill was mild I am still unsure. I spoke with a respected whitetail hunter from the area and he has found lots of dead bucks while shed hunting. He and others who shed hunt the area seem to think that the deer took a pretty bad beating this winter.
Title: Re: Panhandle winter kill
Post by: WA hunter14 on April 26, 2017, 01:54:06 PM
They did, bucks got hit especially hard. They starve them selves during the rut so bad that some die from exhaustion anyway. This year snow was 3+feet deep in December when and where it is usually only around a foot.
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