2017 Winter Kill

[Sitka_Blacktail]

Nice picture heavyhorned. I can see 4 for sure and I'm pretty sure a 5th.

[Duckslayer89]

The winter kill in Idaho's unit 1 will probably be pretty bad after that big snow they got. I was in Bonners Ferry yesterday and the hay fields have snow to the tops of the fence posts. Saw where several critters got smacked by trains. One of my customers was telling me he watched a fawn try and escape hwy 95 without getting smacked only to sink up to its neck in the snow when it made it off the hwy.

During big snow years in Alaska the trains take a heavy toll on moose. In the Mat-Su Borough where I lived for six years, they can end up with upwards of 500 moose killed by autos, and the train toll can surpass that. The moose will find a way down on the tracks where the snow is swept away by the trains and packed down, so it's easy walking, but when a train comes, they can't get back up over the bank to get away, and the trains don't/won't stop for anything. Some nights it's an absolute slaughter.

Here's a story of one of the worst years ever.  http://www.alaskarails.org/stories/ARR-moose.html

It's crazy how many get killed by train. I've noticed a big increase lately. Some of the deer laying down between the rails? Guessing because there's less snow obviously.

[DOUBLELUNG]

Did a perimeter cruise of Wells reservoir today.  80 mule deer and 2 whitetails along the reservoir, also 6 coyotes, 4 of which were two pairs clearly hunting deer.  The deer are in a tight spot, staying right on shore or in the steepest rocks where solar radiation has melted snow and provides a little greenup.  Saw a couple really struggling walking through crusted snow on the level, where they are very vulnerable to coyotes. 

On the bright side, all 82 looked to be in good shape, whereas last year we were seeing emaciated mule deer with eagles waiting for them to tip over.  The eagles are following the mule deer hoping to scavenge a coyote kill - does not look like many of these deer will tip over and die of winter stress.  Also, record high numbers of eagles along the reservoir, which is good - means they aren't scattered over the winter range taking advantage of abundant winterkill deer. 

[andrew_in_idaho]

Nice picture heavyhorned. I can see 4 for sure and I'm pretty sure a 5th.

I see 5 for sure and maybe a 6th


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[dvolmer]

Eastman's just did a big write up on this being the worst winter for deep snow and super freezing weather since I think sometime in the mid 1980's.  Guy Eastman says that anyone with more than 5 points should go for the points only option this year because it would be a waste of your points.  Probably the worst weather in Wyoming in decades.  this in turn is making it a field day for predators.  Go to Eastmans.com and check the article out.

[grundy53]

:-(

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[bearpaw]

It really depends what state and what area, not all areas have been impacted this winter as badly as other areas. I'm still trying to get a handle on which areas are impacted the most, it's tough because of license deadlines and the fact that we are still in the winter months, some areas that haven't been impacted could still see impacts, the worst months can be Feb/Mar/Apr. 

[Ghost Hunter]

Looks like there coming in heavy on the ranchers in WY. 
https://wgfd.wyo.gov/WGFD/media/content/PDF/Regional%20Offices/Green%20River/GR-Newsletter-Publication-40-FINAL.pdf