Free: Contests & Raffles.
The answer to all questions (drum roll): It depends.1. Some areas can still be called mild. In others there will be some significant fawn losses. In a few areas where December had really frigid conditions and/or deep crusted snow, some dominant bucks probably winterkilled, unable to recover from post-rut stress.2. Yes, it really can affect populations, however, with the exception of post-rut dominant bucks, most increased mortality occurs in the fawn population. Adult doe non-hunting mortality averages 15% annually, regardless of weather. Average overwinter fawn mortality is 55%, December - May, but can vary from less than 5% to greater than 95%. Since fawns make up anywhere from 25-50% of the post-hunt population, it is quite possible to lose 30-50% of the population in a bad winter. 3. Usually deer are affected more than elk. In some areas, where high densities of elk are maintained year-round and the herd can be forage limited, significant elk die-offs can occur - usually due to wildfire followed by a cold early winter, or following a severe summer drought. Like deer, the elevated mortality will occur in calves. Unlike deer, elevated bull mortality rates almost never occur post-rut, as they have a couple of months to recover body condition and as larger animals are more robust to winter-related stress than bucks.4. A severe winterkill, if the game agency is on the ball, is usually followed by a drastic reduction in antlerless opportunity. It could affect where a hunter puts in for doe or cow hunting. Since the largest component of the buck harvest is 2.5 year old bucks under normal conditions, a high fawn die-off has the greatest impact on buck hunting the second season after the winter kill. If we have a high winterkill in GMU xyz this winter, the buck success will tank in 2018. It wouldn't normally affect where I put in for 2017 quality opportunities, but because general and special permit deer hunting in my quality areas sucked in 2016 - I have already decided to not put in for those usual areas. On another note, one of my most reliable indicators for local winterkill rates is how early in the winter I see bald eagles leaving the open water and coots of the Columbia to cruise the sagebrush foothills. In really bad years it starts in early December; in mild years they stick to the river until early March. This winter along the Columbia in Chelan, Douglas and Okanogan counties, bald eagles started hitting the winter range in early January. My eagle ball tells me the bucks didn't take a hit post-rut, but that fawns started tipping over a couple weeks ago, representing average to above average winter kill.
Just when Idaho was getting good Im afraid two steps back. Arghhhh
What few animals that remained that the wolves hadn't killed are now dead from the snow. Idaho is a complete loss now.
Doublelung, been watching the deer around us here and most seem pretty healthy, glassed a few winterkills up when the cold hit. Just came through town at 1 am and seems like alot more deer in the yards this week now. I think last years winter was worse in our area. Looks like warmer temps mid next week.
