Free: Contests & Raffles.
It begs the question...what is a 2.5 year old deer?Answer: It depends.
Quote from: Mr Mykiss on January 10, 2017, 10:53:54 PMAs 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.
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
Quote from: Pathfinder101 on January 11, 2017, 10:21:55 AMQuote from: Mr Mykiss on January 10, 2017, 10:53:54 PMAs 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.Agreed. Many thousands of pints of beer have been consumed by dedicated game bios talking about winters and effects on herds. When a population is low relative to available forage, you hope for mild all the way. When a herd is in balance with forage or too high, some early severe weather can actually aid over-all herd survival by draining down the reserves of the ones that are going to die regardless - better they die in December than eat 3 months of forage and die in March. I do worry for the herds that have been experiencing -20s to -40s F in the northern Rockies and plains - those deer and antelope are going to take a beating I'm afraid - especially if they get hit with spring blizzards.
Quote from: crabcreekhunter on January 12, 2017, 01:18:42 AMDoublelung, 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.I've seen some rough-looking fawns, but also some good-looking fawns and most of the adults look good too. I've been watching that forecast, would really like to see things open up and warm up. On the bright side, the extended cold has minimized crusting, and snow depths aren't limiting deer to the crucial winter ranges (<2,500' approximately) - there are still deer up to 4,000' at least in some areas. East of the Columbia, the wind has been keeping wheat and other crops accessible. I definitely agree last winter was tougher in a lot of north-central Washington.
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.
Quote from: Mr Mykiss on January 12, 2017, 06:41:52 AMIt begs the question...what is a 2.5 year old deer?Answer: It depends. Whoops, sorry for the population modeling jargon. All fawns and calves in the northern states are born mid-late spring, so bios have a habit of tacking on a half year for animals killed during fall hunting seasons. A 2.5 year old deer is one that was born in the spring two years before the fall in which it was killed. Some prefer to call the same just 2+, others will assume a June birthdate and call September and October kills 2.3, November 2.4 and December 2.5. Still others will have actual peak birth timing data for species in their area and go from there.
not lookin' good for the home team...
Isn't this early for the fawns to be dropping?
