collapse

Advertisement


Author Topic: 2017 Winter Kill  (Read 32620 times)

Offline Mr Mykiss

  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (+2)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Apr 2009
  • Posts: 1832
2017 Winter Kill
« on: January 10, 2017, 12:46:07 PM »
Since this topic has been mentioned in a lot of posts regarding hunts and states I thought we could discuss it here. I have a few questions...
1. Is it too early to call it or is there a chance that this will still be a "mild" winter?
2. Does it really affect game populations that much? What's the potential percentage loss here? 20%? 50%? 90%?
3. Does it affect deer more than elk?
4. Will the 2017 winter have the potential to change your applications and hunts for 2017?
It is hard to follow one great vision in a world of darkness and of many changing shadows. Among these shadows men get lost.
-Black Elk

Offline go4steelhd

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Dec 2012
  • Posts: 1315
  • Location: Behind the crosshairs
  • MT Wild Sheep Foundation Life Time Member
  • Groups: go4steelhd
Re: 2017 Winter Kill
« Reply #1 on: January 10, 2017, 05:57:30 PM »
For #1 in Oregon  and Idaho there will be a winter die off this year. This is past the mild stage. The question for this will be how bad will it be.
#2 in bad winters It will be 60 or 70% on deer. They say it can be 90% on fawns. The last one like that in Idaho was 1992 followed by another tuff winter in 1996. The deer really never returned to old numbers from there. In 2016 it was the best numbers I've seen since  1992.
#3 deer are the ones greatly affected party because of size. Elk are a big tuff animals, they have big hoofs and generally a large herd can dig down to good feed. I have not seen a noticeable difference in there numbers from year to year by winter kill.
#4 not really
NW__HUNTER Instagram

Offline huntnnw

  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Old Salt
  • ******
  • Join Date: May 2010
  • Posts: 9254
  • Location: Spokane
Re: 2017 Winter Kill
« Reply #2 on: January 10, 2017, 09:59:23 PM »
Really boils down to a specific area...certain areas I know in WA and ID that this winter is not hurting the deer and some areas can be just 15 or 20 mi aways be a totally different winter for them. its to broad to say a winter kill in a state.

Offline Mr Mykiss

  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (+2)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Apr 2009
  • Posts: 1832
Re: 2017 Winter Kill
« Reply #3 on: January 10, 2017, 10:53:54 PM »
As per the OP I wanted to talk winter kill in general, it's a bit early but I'm sure by mid Feb we'll have more than a few specific areas to talk about :(
It is hard to follow one great vision in a world of darkness and of many changing shadows. Among these shadows men get lost.
-Black Elk

Offline 2MANY

  • Political & Covid-19 Topics
  • Trade Count: (+3)
  • Frontiersman
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jun 2013
  • Posts: 4687
  • Location: Yup
Re: 2017 Winter Kill
« Reply #4 on: January 11, 2017, 09:05:45 AM »
If the spring green up happens too fast they will overindulge and die.

Offline Dhoey07

  • Trade Count: (+7)
  • Frontiersman
  • *****
  • Join Date: Sep 2011
  • Posts: 3274
  • Location: Parts Unknown
    • No Facebook for this guy
Re: 2017 Winter Kill
« Reply #5 on: January 11, 2017, 09:36:24 AM »
My hunting buddy and I were just talking about this on Monday.  I'm worried about it, to say the least.

Offline h2ofowlr

  • CHOKED UP TIGHT
  • Political & Covid-19 Topics
  • Trade Count: (+5)
  • Old Salt
  • ******
  • Join Date: Dec 2008
  • Posts: 9063
  • Location: In the "Blind"! Go Cougs!
Re: 2017 Winter Kill
« Reply #6 on: January 11, 2017, 09:46:26 AM »
It's probably going to be a bad winter kill this year.  Lot of cold and snow compounded by habitat loss.
Cut em!
It's not the shells!  It's the shooter!

Offline jrebel

  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (+20)
  • Explorer
  • ******
  • Join Date: Feb 2008
  • Posts: 10602
  • Location: East Wenatchee
Re: 2017 Winter Kill
« Reply #7 on: January 11, 2017, 09:52:25 AM »
The snow this year (in my area) is not the issue.  It is soft powdery snow with little to no crust.  It is so lite....Most has blown off the ridges and south facing slopes.  Really quite mild as the snow is concerned.  NOW......The caviat to this problem......The cold has been fridged cold for long periods of time.  This is very bad.  Hope the sub freezing temps end soon. 

Offline Magnum_Willys

  • Political & Covid-19 Topics
  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Old Salt
  • ******
  • Join Date: Nov 2009
  • Posts: 5437
Re: 2017 Winter Kill
« Reply #8 on: January 11, 2017, 09:55:49 AM »
Just when Idaho was getting good Im afraid two steps back.  Arghhhh

Offline autodink13

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Hunter
  • ***
  • Join Date: Jun 2008
  • Posts: 247
  • Location: Ephrata
    • zion construction
Re: 2017 Winter Kill
« Reply #9 on: January 11, 2017, 09:58:37 AM »
It seemed like the animals came into winter very healthy. That's a plus.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Offline BULLBLASTER

  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (+14)
  • Old Salt
  • ******
  • Join Date: Oct 2008
  • Posts: 8057
Re: 2017 Winter Kill
« Reply #10 on: January 11, 2017, 10:17:46 AM »
It seemed like the animals came into winter very healthy. That's a plus.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
:yeah: in the areas I hunt there was still growing green feed at crazy levels into December. A month or so later than a normal year due to warm temps in November.

Offline Pathfinder101

  • The Chosen YAR
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Explorer
  • ******
  • Join Date: Jan 2009
  • Posts: 11736
  • Location: Southeast WA
  • Semper Primus
Re: 2017 Winter Kill
« Reply #11 on: January 11, 2017, 10:21:55 AM »
As per the OP I wanted to talk winter kill in general, it's a bit early but I'm sure by mid Feb we'll have more than a few specific areas to talk about :(

This seems to be my experience.  December snow doesn't kill deer.  FEBRUARY snow kills deer.  When they're in good shape, they usually seem to come out of it OK as long as the really bad weather ends in January.  Both bucks we killed here in WA had good fat on them this year.
Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes.  That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

Online The scout

  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (+7)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Oct 2012
  • Posts: 1702
  • Location: belfair
Re: 2017 Winter Kill
« Reply #12 on: January 11, 2017, 11:00:02 AM »
The area I hunt in Montana seems to get a high % of bucks that die, I relate it to an early harsh winter not late, I think the bucks never get a chance to put back on the fat they loose during the rut. About 5 yrs ago we found about 10 different bucks as a group and I think 2 does. My washington buck had good fat this yr as well but I can almost guarantee if I would have killed it at the end of November he would have burned through most of his fat content.

Offline Mr Mykiss

  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (+2)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Apr 2009
  • Posts: 1832
Re: 2017 Winter Kill
« Reply #13 on: January 11, 2017, 11:33:23 AM »
Does anybody have a link to some sort of snotel data site that might show the trends and or amounts of snow throughout the western states? Current snow levels and percentage of "normal" snow levels for the year type of stuff?
It is hard to follow one great vision in a world of darkness and of many changing shadows. Among these shadows men get lost.
-Black Elk

Offline Dhoey07

  • Trade Count: (+7)
  • Frontiersman
  • *****
  • Join Date: Sep 2011
  • Posts: 3274
  • Location: Parts Unknown
    • No Facebook for this guy
Re: 2017 Winter Kill
« Reply #14 on: January 11, 2017, 11:39:36 AM »
Does anybody have a link to some sort of snotel data site that might show the trends and or amounts of snow throughout the western states? Current snow levels and percentage of "normal" snow levels for the year type of stuff?

http://www.accuweather.com/en/us/winter-weather

 


* Advertisement

* Recent Topics

Springer 2024 Columbia River by HntnFsh
[Today at 02:12:56 PM]


Springer Fishing Opportunity 3/29 & 3/30 by Blacklab
[Today at 12:48:56 PM]


Long Beach Clamming Tides by dilleytech
[Today at 12:39:19 PM]


Let’s see your best Washington buck by abhold87
[Today at 12:03:27 PM]


Bearpaw Season - Spring 2024 by bearpaw
[Today at 11:45:41 AM]


Walked a cougar down by Rainier10
[Today at 11:17:49 AM]


SB 5444 signed by Inslee on 03/26 Takes Effect on 06/06/24 by hughjorgan
[Today at 09:03:26 AM]


Average by lhrbull
[Today at 07:31:56 AM]


CVA optima V2 LR tapped hole for front sight by Remdawg
[Today at 07:09:22 AM]

SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2024, SimplePortal