Colorado winter Kill?
- Thread starter CAelknuts
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I don't live in Colorado, but I think at this point, after storms, things warm up and melt off fast enough that it has little effect on the deer. If the snow was followed by serious cold, then I'd say some would die. But being mid-April, I'd guess the short spells of "cool" temps and some snow only waters the grasses.
Brian Latturner
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Brian Latturner
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elks96
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For the most part, the damage was already done. There might be a few animals who struggle with this last storm, but really this was a high mountains and Eastern Slope event. I am not sure what they got for snow in Gunnison but in Rifle area we got several inches that have already melted away on anything below 8.000 feet or so. The Grand Mesas got over 15" up high but since there were still feet of snow on the mesa there were not any animals up in the area. With the current outlook it will be only a a couple days before all the lower elevation snow is melted away. Even in Denver areas where they got the most snow the temps are expected to be in the upper 70s in just a couple days. Around here we are expecting 60s soon.
I actually feel that this last storm was a good thing since we have had a relatively dry late spring. This last of moisture will do a lot for snow packs and potential droughts.
I actually feel that this last storm was a good thing since we have had a relatively dry late spring. This last of moisture will do a lot for snow packs and potential droughts.
Tomichi
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This last storm was perfect in Gunnison over a inch of water in the snow and bared off in a day. We did not get the inches the front range did.
Our winter kill was on the TOP end in December and January..they rutted themselves to death with 0 fat reserves for the 30 below.
The last I heard the fawn mortality study sucks we are in the low %50 tile for fawns collared in December around %50 are dead now.
Does are in the high %80's still kicking.
Our winter kill was on the TOP end in December and January..they rutted themselves to death with 0 fat reserves for the 30 below.
The last I heard the fawn mortality study sucks we are in the low %50 tile for fawns collared in December around %50 are dead now.
Does are in the high %80's still kicking.
travishunter3006
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That is actually an above average fawn mortality rate.
It was mostly a high elevation (no significant number of elk or deer above 10k right now anyway) and front range snow storm. Yes there was an area that had up to 50" of snow in under 2 days but it will melt quickly! Also it was very isolated areas. Temps are already back into the mid 70's this week, plus the ground is so warm it is melting from 2 sides...
Sure some deer died, but they were already so week that they wouldn't have survived any way possibly.
Mntman
"Hunting is where you prove yourself"
Sure some deer died, but they were already so week that they wouldn't have survived any way possibly.
Mntman
"Hunting is where you prove yourself"
Tomichi
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No Travis it was lower than that in 08/09 09/10
But then we had several years in the 80% survival range. I am not talking 50 fawns per 100 does I'm talking about 50% survival. .. WE ALL WISH WE HAD 50 Fawns per 100 alive in April. We had around 60 in January. We have around 30 now..I'm hoping the collard fawns are more vulnerable than no collars
I am hoping for 20 yearlings / 2points per 100 post hunt..that will mean we have 20 young does also. I think the 2 point count is the best recruitment indicator. That is why Thanksgiving to December 10th is my favorite glassing with a note book time.
But then we had several years in the 80% survival range. I am not talking 50 fawns per 100 does I'm talking about 50% survival. .. WE ALL WISH WE HAD 50 Fawns per 100 alive in April. We had around 60 in January. We have around 30 now..I'm hoping the collard fawns are more vulnerable than no collars
I am hoping for 20 yearlings / 2points per 100 post hunt..that will mean we have 20 young does also. I think the 2 point count is the best recruitment indicator. That is why Thanksgiving to December 10th is my favorite glassing with a note book time.
