Winterkill

[muleyking]

It looks like the Okanogan and Methow Valleys have been hit very hard by winter kill this year after a great deal of winter range burnt.  We have already found nine dead bucks.  3 or 4 very respectable bucks.

[The scout]

Between the doe massacre last year and winter kill this year the methow herd is going to be hurting for many years . my buddy came across a giant winter kill buck last weekend, took his wife up the next day to show her and someone had already whacked the head off.

[muleyking]

I couldn't agree with you more!  It is sad to see, especially when we were finally starting to get some big bucks back in the area.  Here are a few more pics of different bucks from this year.

[Timberstalker]

Mother Nature is ruthless.

[buckcanyonlodge]

Is that a cat track between the front legs of the buck in the second photo? How many of the nine were predator kills? Not good for the herd..

[SkookumHntr]

Not good

[IBspoiled]

winter dont kill um like that it the F N WOLVES DO !!!

[BGLEMIN]

Very disheartening!!!

[Limhangerslayer]

I've seen just the opposite in the yakima area,  about a dozen winter  or so and almost all this years fawns

[bigmacc]

Between the doe massacre last year and winter kill this year the methow herd is going to be hurting for many years . my buddy came across a giant winter kill buck last weekend, took his wife up the next day to show her and someone had already whacked the head off.

I could not agree more as far as how this herd is going to be hurting for a long time. My son and a buddy were over doing some scouting and came across a few winter kill bucks that were dandys(1- 31 inch 4by5 and a 29 inch 4by6) and a lot of smaller bucks,does and yearlings, in 2 days they found 23 carcases. This is not good folks. Its going to be slim pickins for awhile I,m afraid.

[SkookumHntr]

Man I wish I could get over there to do some predator control right now!

[AntlerHound]

Hiked around Chelan last weekend.. Found a lot of dead deer as well..mostly yearlings.. It seemed to me..it was more lack of food than anything.. There was a good amount of snow up until about 3 or 4 weeks ago.. All the trees/bushes are eaten up pretty good..  I'm sure predators do a good number on them as well...

[Mark251]

Very sad....

[Naches Sportsman]

I've seen just the opposite in the yakima area,  about a dozen winter  or so and almost all this years fawns

Went for a 15 mile walk on Friday up oak creek and seen around 40 dead elk. Even watched one take its last breath.

It was a bad winter all around.

[_TONY_]

This is exactly why I'm leaving the central WA mule deer alone for a couple seasons...