Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Deer Hunting => Topic started by: Wea300mag on January 17, 2014, 06:30:48 PM

Title: Very Mild Winter
Post by: Wea300mag on January 17, 2014, 06:30:48 PM: I was looking at the Methow Webcams today and it looks like the deer are getting break this year, almost looks like spring already.

http://www.methownet.com/methowwebcam.html (http://www.methownet.com/methowwebcam.html)

The camera shots are dark in the evening but if you click on the individual camera views you can roll back in time to see the daytime pics.
Title: Re: Very Mild Winter
Post by: KFhunter on January 17, 2014, 06:35:26 PM: some of the south facing hillsides are showing some hints of green, the deer are making good use of it you can see them out in the middle of the day feeding on the warm hillsides.
Title: Re: Very Mild Winter
Post by: snowpack on January 17, 2014, 06:49:02 PM: yeah rather warm. I was looking at the camera for hurricane ridge today and didn't believe it was actually 61 F, so I had to hit up their weather station...it was. :(
Title: Re: Very Mild Winter
Post by: HUNTINCOUPLE on January 17, 2014, 06:49:45 PM: Oh ya green up has started. :chuckle:
Title: Re: Very Mild Winter
Post by: gvan on January 18, 2014, 10:12:26 AM: yup its gonna be a dry summer and high fire risk if we don't get some weather soon! the animals are gettin an easy winter, gettin tired of the foggy stuff here!
Title: Re: Very Mild Winter
Post by: boneaddict on January 18, 2014, 11:27:54 AM: Definitely an easy winter. I'm a bit worried about water.
Title: Re: Very Mild Winter
Post by: REHJWA on January 18, 2014, 11:30:29 AM: Yes there is almost no snow pack too. Going to be a rough fire season.
Title: Re: Very Mild Winter
Post by: chukar58 on January 18, 2014, 11:40:34 AM: I saw a group of 25 robins yesterday morning and the earliest I can recall seeing was about the first or second week in February. My wife and I look for their return each year. In fact I heard two tree frogs the other day and thought that was pretty early also.
Title: Re: Very Mild Winter
Post by: rasbo on January 18, 2014, 11:48:36 AM: heck we are running water,that last wind was bad on the wheat
Title: Re: Very Mild Winter
Post by: PolarBear on January 18, 2014, 12:33:55 PM: Farmer's Almanac calls for a mild Feb-March and normal summer temps but less than normal precipitation. May is supposed to be really warm with average rainfall. Great for getting the garden in and great for green up!!!!!!
Title: Re: Very Mild Winter
Post by: STIKNSTRINGBOW on January 18, 2014, 12:42:07 PM: Don't count your chickens...
I know that "Farmers Almanac" and other resources have a fair to decent accuracy rating, but I believe in the law of averages.
A warm/mild winter can turn into a cold/nasty spring, and that is when the animals are most vulnerable.
Fat stores have been depleted, young are at risk of hypothermia, etc...
I hope for the best, but plan for the worst.
But then I also believe that when we have a rough spring with low (fawn/calf) survival that the following rut is intense compared to "normal" years.
Title: Re: Very Mild Winter
Post by: PolarBear on January 18, 2014, 12:44:45 PM: Yeah. Farmer's Almanac is usually fairly accurate but I think they might have missd the mark on this year for the PNW.
Title: Re: Very Mild Winter
Post by: cougfan79 on January 18, 2014, 07:07:26 PM: I can't believe the 76% that the map shows. I play in a snowshoe softball tournament in Winthrop every Feb and just talked to the owner of Three Fingered Jacks and he said there is next to nothing on the fields. Typically there is a couple feet after he packs it down with his snow mobile. Crossing my fingers for a late snow fall to pick up the slack.
Title: Re: Very Mild Winter
Post by: ghosthunter on January 18, 2014, 07:19:40 PM: Well I drove all the way to the end of Baker Lake Hwy today. Some frost. No snow.
Looked like a little snow around 5000 ft.
Very mild.
North Cascade will be open for Turkey season if this keeps up.
Title: Re: Very Mild Winter
Post by: Heredoggydoggy on January 18, 2014, 07:27:12 PM: January is usually when we get the most snow. A friend told me he raked leaves yesterday--first time he's ever raked leaves in the middle of January! I bought some gas for my snowblower and haven't put any in the tank, yet, and here it is the 18th of January. :dunno:
Title: Re: Very Mild Winter
Post by: fishngamereaper on January 18, 2014, 07:43:25 PM: I got bit by a mosquito a couple days ago, :yike:
Title: Re: Very Mild Winter
Post by: huntnnw on January 20, 2014, 10:08:15 PM: A dry winter here always means a wet March and April here
Title: Re: Very Mild Winter
Post by: buglebuster on January 20, 2014, 10:37:59 PM: Where will I find elk sheds may 1st :'(
Title: Re: Very Mild Winter
Post by: buglebuster on January 20, 2014, 10:41:23 PM: I like the easy ones lol
Title: Re: Very Mild Winter
Post by: KFhunter on January 21, 2014, 12:05:38 AM: Quote from: huntnnw on January 20, 2014, 10:08:15 PM
A dry winter here always means a wet March and April here
may and first 3 weeks of june too :'(
Title: Re: Very Mild Winter
Post by: washelkhunter on January 21, 2014, 12:46:14 AM: I sure don't mind having a mild winter for a change. Its been quite a few years since we've been able to get in to the higher lakes that I like for fishing before or during the Memorial day wknd.
Title: Re: Very Mild Winter
Post by: mkcj on January 21, 2014, 01:11:44 AM: This is scary
http://www.motherjones.com/blue-marble/2014/01/california-drought-scary-facts-snowpack (http://www.motherjones.com/blue-marble/2014/01/california-drought-scary-facts-snowpack)
Title: Re: Very Mild Winter
Post by: boomstick on January 21, 2014, 12:43:07 PM: One thing about the weather You have to injoy it good or bad you never going to change it. We will have to look high for sheds and hopefully it will keep most of the predators off them.
Title: Re: Very Mild Winter
Post by: snowpack on January 21, 2014, 12:52:22 PM: Quote from: mkcj on January 21, 2014, 01:11:44 AM
This is scary
http://www.motherjones.com/blue-marble/2014/01/california-drought-scary-facts-snowpack (http://www.motherjones.com/blue-marble/2014/01/california-drought-scary-facts-snowpack)

more climate refugees. See how many new residents Western WA and OR can handle.

The only positives I seem to remember about dry years is that there aren't many (if any) bugs during the high hunt and less brush to hide animals.
Title: Re: Very Mild Winter
Post by: Heredoggydoggy on January 21, 2014, 06:43:12 PM: I drove over Blewett Pass today. Barely enough snow to make a snowball! :dunno:

PUD says no worries about generating power--we get most of our water from BC anyway. But water for irrigation might be a problem... :bash: :sry: