Winter kill in the methow

[BB90]

It’s been a nasty winter and draw apps are coming due.  Has anyone heard any chatter about winter kill being an issue on the methow units?

[3nails]

 I would suggest driving over and finding out firsthand. I'm witnessing a lot of people exaggerating winter kill this year in many areas hoping to discourage hunters from hunting their area. Don't believe anything that you don't see for yourself.

[bigmacc]

A buddy of mine has ran into over 35 carcasses so far while out riding in parts of the north valley since the melt started, some are winter kill, some predator kills. He’s seeing very few live deer.

[Igor]

We spent the weekend of 4/29, 4/30, 5/1 fishing at Lake Pearrygin.  We saw very few deer in our old haunts around Winthrop.

We talked to a game warden and he told us that the winter kill was very bad this year.......one of the worst he has seen......not just deer, but high numbers of turkeys as well.

[boneaddict]

50% of 100,000 is a number
50% of 1000 is a far smaller number but is a sickening reminder of the state we are in.   :'(

[hunter399]

My area is NE WA .
But on one winter cam I had out.
Lots of animals on cam untill Dec 10.
I believe a big snow drop happened about that time.

That's all I got. Make your own conclusions.

[HereDuckyDucky]

We had approximately 36" of snow drop in 32 hours the first week or so of November. It only got worse from there. The mid sections of each single one of the trees on my property were eaten down to the twigs (including pines, spruces, and other conifers).

RW

[MtnMuley]

I've put on a lot of miles this spring over here. I've yet to see a mule deer over 2k ft. Surprised to find a few whiteys at higher elevations than I've seen before. Not finding any winter kills in the mtns, but seeing virtually no deer sign either. The turkeys definitely got smacked pretty hard in several areas as well here. The mtn birds are very few and far between this year. This has to be an all time low on deer numbers in the county. On a bright note, I've seen more grouse than normal.

[Skyvalhunter]

50% of 100,000 is a number
50% of 1000 is a far smaller number but is a sickening reminder of the state we are in.   :'(

50% of 100 is more like the true number over there, but hey they are still offering special permits, and antlerless tags so everyone is in luck.

[vandeman17]

I've put on a lot of miles this spring over here. I've yet to see a mule deer over 2k ft. Surprised to find a few whiteys at higher elevations than I've seen before. Not finding any winter kills in the mtns, but seeing virtually no deer sign either. The turkeys definitely got smacked pretty hard in several areas as well here. The mtn birds are very few and far between this year. This has to be an all time low on deer numbers in the county. On a bright note, I've seen more grouse than normal.

One of my clients who has an orchard in the methow said she consistently had 200+ mule deer in her orchard all winter long. The annihilated a lot of trees because the snow was so deep they were able to reach way high up into the trees

[Henrydog]

This winter was really not that hard.  No one remembers the late 70s - early 80s.  Or the late 80's early 90's.  Much much harder winters.  If there is a lack of deer its more than a normaly snow year.

[huntnphool]

This winter was really not that hard.  No one remembers the late 70s - early 80s.  Or the late 80's early 90's.  Much much harder winters.  If there is a lack of deer its more than a normaly snow year.

+1

[MtnMuley]

This winter was really not that hard.  No one remembers the late 70s - early 80s.  Or the late 80's early 90's.  Much much harder winters.  If there is a lack of deer its more than a normaly snow year.

Was the majority of the winter ranged burned off then? Were there several active wolf packs then? Were there lions running free without hound seasons then? Were there homes spread throughout the entire winter range then? The answers are no. I'd say heavy early snows that didn't leave until later in the spring was fairly determental to the low deer populations as well. Also, was this winter a major factor in the low deer population here now? No. Did the winter we have help the population? No.

[huntnphool]

This winter was really not that hard.  No one remembers the late 70s - early 80s.  Or the late 80's early 90's.  Much much harder winters.  If there is a lack of deer its more than a normaly snow year.

Was the majority of the winter ranged burned off then? Were there several active wolf packs then? Were there lions running free without hound seasons then? Were there homes spread throughout the entire winter range then? The answers are no. I'd say heavy early snows that didn't leave until later in the spring was fairly determental to the low deer populations as well. Also, was this winter a major factor in the low deer population here now? No. Did the winter we have help the population? No.

 Wow, so negative!   

[Henrydog]

This winter was really not that hard.  No one remembers the late 70s - early 80s.  Or the late 80's early 90's.  Much much harder winters.  If there is a lack of deer its more than a normaly snow year.

Was the majority of the winter ranged burned off then? Were there several active wolf packs then? Were there lions running free without hound seasons then? Were there homes spread throughout the entire winter range then? The answers are no. I'd say heavy early snows that didn't leave until later in the spring was fairly determental to the low deer populations as well. Also, was this winter a major factor in the low deer population here now? No. Did the winter we have help the population? No.

Exactly my point, then we agree.  Seattle spreading East and the Wolves/Cougars have more to do with.

[Mtnwalker]

This winter was really not that hard.  No one remembers the late 70s - early 80s.  Or the late 80's early 90's.  Much much harder winters.  If there is a lack of deer its more than a normaly snow year.

Was the majority of the winter ranged burned off then? Were there several active wolf packs then? Were there lions running free without hound seasons then? Were there homes spread throughout the entire winter range then? The answers are no. I'd say heavy early snows that didn't leave until later in the spring was fairly determental to the low deer populations as well. Also, was this winter a major factor in the low deer population here now? No. Did the winter we have help the population? No.

Exactly my point, then we agree.  Seattle spreading East and the Wolves/Cougars have more to do with.

I couldn't help but laugh at the spandex and Patagonia crowd during my hunt this year, constantly mean-mugging me when I'd go to the store or whatever in my hunting clothes. Pretty clear a lot of them didn't like us mean ol' hunters killing deer in their vacation home sanctuary, as they gobble up the winter range with their Air BnB's

[pianoman9701]

A lot of factors can be contributing - predator spiral, winter kill, loss of habitat, last summer's blue tongue. The deer, especially in the NE and SE have been getting hammered. It's not surprising that people are having trouble finding them. If we were able to manage wolves, cougars, and bears more effectively, I believe that would have a huge positive impact. But as long as we have an anti-hunting Commission, there will be no emphasis on management. The fewer deer and elk we have, the better they like it.

[phildobaggins]

I'm in the camp that the winter kill wasn't massively out of scope.