Winter conditions

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blacktailBC

Active Member
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It's been a pretty cold & wet winter where I'm at so far.
I've heard the northern states are getting pounded. It's supposed to be -23 in Baggs tommorow night.....I'm getting worried about a significant winter kill in Wyoming. How does it look back there?
 
Things are looking pretty bad. Hopefully it will start warming up after this week. If not we are in trouble
 
Yep it's been nasty. Negative temps with high winds. A guy in Cody died freezing to death in his house. If I heard right the street was snowed in.

But anyhow a month ago it was normal then just. Constant negative temps
 
18 below zero this morning in Clark, Wyoming. A warming trend is claimed to be on the horizon. The animals are hunkered down. If this continues, there is a real potential for a large winter kill. Who knows.

just sayin...mh
 
Pineapple Express is on its way and already hit here in Cali. Baggs will go from -24 to 45 on Monday with rain. 69 degree turnaround.
 
NW Colorado & Baggs is in bad shape. Snow is deep. Rain would be a disaster because 2ft of snow would turn to ice. A week ago we had a <2" on the ground.
 
LAST EDITED ON Jan-09-17 AT 04:53PM (MST)[p]Pretty interesting winter here in SW Wy so far. Fairly decent winter until Wednesday when we got +/- a foot of snow here in Rock Springs; followed by extreme cold temps for the next 2-3 days. My buddies truck showed -38 Thursday evening. This morning( Monday) we went to breakfast and it read 35 above. Plus it was raining! 73 degrees difference in about 3&1/2 or 4 days! Holy crap.

Now we'll have an ice skating rink covering town when this rain freezes tonight...

Can't see how this weather is going to be good for any wildlife...

The deer are still looking fat and sassy...so far. We'll see how they're doing in March...

We need a quick turnaround and thaw!
 
Pinedale winter ranges are looking uglier each day and we have had multiple nights in the -20 to -40F range. If this continues I think we will see major winterkill similar to the 2010-2011 winter.
 
>Doesnt seem to be any pineapple
>express, 18ft of snow on
>Mt Shasta and they are
>saying it could break the
>world record for the most
>snowfall in a 4 day
>span....
>
>http://unofficialnetworks.com/2012/12/mt-shasta-set-world-record-largest-snowfall-18-feet-4-days

All that snow never materialized. They went from about 72" to currently 118" in the past week and a half. So only about a 4' increase. Which is nothing to sneeze at, but they get it allot up there. Still snowing and more forecast for the next couple of days. This is at the old ski bowl which is at 7600' elevation. We'll take all we can get to get out of the drought.
 
>How's it looking around the casper
>area as far as snow
>fall?


Combined snowfall about average, but associated temps, until the last few days, well below normal.

Another storm coming tonight.
 
With the extreme winter conditions and the possibility of winter kill would you still put in for Antelope or would you wait until next year? I have enough points to get a pretty good unit. I'm hoping to get a really nice goat. Would I be better off waiting until next year?
 
>With the extreme winter conditions and
>the possibility of winter kill
>would you still put in
>for Antelope or would you
>wait until next year?
>I have enough points to
>get a pretty good unit.
> I'm hoping to get
>a really nice goat.
>Would I be better off
>waiting until next year?


Wait until the middle of May to make your decision to see what the final quotas are when the Final Regulations are signed off by the Commission in late April. You can then look at them and what they were last year to see if the total quota goes up or down or remains static in each unit.
 
This winter being billed as the worst since 1978. It is going to get ugly for deer and antelope.
 
>This winter being billed as the
>worst since 1978. It
>is going to get ugly
>for deer and antelope.

Exactly where are you talking about when you make a post like that because that's an awful broad statement to make?
 
You are right Mike, some areas are much worse than others. I'm hearing west and southwest Wyoming are the worst. The Casper area has had three bouts of cold and snow since Dec, but nothing to draw conclusions on yet. Lots of open country and the late season elk we are killing are fat and happy.
 
Western Wyoming is in dire shape right now. Deer are dying like flies and elk are struggling...this is gonna be a bad year if it keeps up
 
>Western Wyoming is in dire shape
>right now. Deer are dying
>like flies and elk are
>struggling...this is gonna be a
>bad year if it keeps
>up

Sorry to hear that! The Mule Deer in Oregon are having a hard time also. It just won't stop snowing in parts here like Wyoming I'm sure!
 
Lake Tahoe area

64791img3163.jpg
 
>Something a jive'n with that pic????

>>"Sometime's i drink water to surprise
>my liver"

Say what? If you've never been in the mountains where they get snow like that you may think it's photoshopped. However, the states use huge snowblowers mounted on their big trucks to blow that snow up over the top to keep the roads open. Hwy 14 in the BigHorns is one that I'm aware of because I've seen photos similar to the Tahoe one where the truck were working and the height of the snow above the trucks was unbelievable.
 
Though Tahoe has gotten a lot of snow...a quick google search of that image confirms the above statement...cars still drive on the right in America. That image is from Japan. Yuki-no-Otani Snow Canyon road in Japan...but nonetheless...lots of snow in the west
 
I never even looked close enough to notice the cars were on the opposite side of the high since I've seen a couple similar photos of snow that deep with the highway trucks clearing it on hwy 14 in the BigHorns.
 
Thanks for the link, I've been nervous about the animals this winter, it's looking pretty bad
 
>http://wyo4news.com/news/severe-winter-conditions-impact-wildlife-southwest-wyoming/

So are those the deer out of G and H? I see Utah has been feeding them a special blend of pellets that is good for their digestive system. Why can't these other F&W agencies figure this same thing out? We are getting pounded in Oregon as well and to be honest didn't have many Mule Deer to begin with. This winter is so frustrating right now as it just won't stop snowing!!!!!
 
We just got pounded with another 12" here in Rock Springs.

More snow now than in 2010-11 when we lost 90% of fawns in some areas. The best areas still lost 60%.

Of course this affects the antelope as well. And if it keeps getting worse...the elk too.

And it's only January...
 
Winter is beginning to loosen her icy grip here finally. We have had milder temps and less snowfall over the past week or so. The 10 day forecast looks mild as well.

Unfortunately, the damage has been done in many areas already. I conversed with a local rancher yesterday. He told me of a local pilot that flies for predator control here in sw Wyo. He claims he killed 32 coyotes in one day a couple days ago. While one would think that's a good thing, it is also bad. The coyotes were pretty centralized in a deer winter range. They are there for the easy pickin's. Dead and dying deer. The pilot noticed many dead deer as they were flying...

Sure hope the weather continues the present pattern...
 
>Winter is beginning to loosen her
>icy grip here finally. We
>have had milder temps and
>less snowfall over the past
>week or so. The 10
>day forecast looks mild as
>well.
>
>Unfortunately, the damage has been done
>in many areas already. I
>conversed with a local rancher
>yesterday. He told me of
>a local pilot that flies
>for predator control here in
>sw Wyo. He claims he
>killed 32 coyotes in one
>day a couple days ago.
>While one would think that's
>a good thing, it is
>also bad. The coyotes were
>pretty centralized in a deer
>winter range. They are there
>for the easy pickin's. Dead
>and dying deer. The pilot
>noticed many dead deer as
>they were flying...
>
>Sure hope the weather continues the
>present pattern...


Thanks for the update! I'm sure glad things have eased up a little. I was up there the first part of January, and it was COLD!
 
Took a drive to the winter range today. Not looking good.

Saw less than half the deer we saw a month ago, and the snow is DEEP. Lots of eagles, magpies, and ravens on dead deer carcasses. Lots of rough looking deer; ribs and pelvis bones showing through. Very lethargic acting. I won't go again this winter. Didn't bump any deer except the ones on the road, and they bailed off into DEEP snow. I hate that.

Pawing through the deep snow for food. There is some thawing going on, but the snow is so deep it's going to take a couple weeks of warmer weather for it to make a difference. Looks like more snow and rain for the next few days.

She ain't looking good, boys.
 
Oh come on let's be a little more optimistic. It's been unseasonably warm the last week or so and the next 10 days are looking pretty good also. That would put us well through February and that much closer to spring. Surely those big old Wyoming Muleys can hold there own. The snow has been plentiful, but it got started late and the deer went into December in great condition. My gut tells me this winter isn't going to be as doom and gloom as it seems. Surely above average winter kill, but I don't think it will be catastrophic. Let's hope for the best, Muleys are some tough critters, I think we will be surprised.
 
I sure hope your right full throttle, that would be awesome. Keep your fingers crossed, I know that I am
 
I wish I could have a more optimistic viewpoint, Fullthrottle, but I was there 2 days ago, and the warming spell is having no effect! There's just too much snow. The roads are still snow-packed, and they get bladed regularly there. Winter mortality will be significant this year.

I literally saw 1/2 the deer I saw 1 month ago. Now, they could have moved somewhere else, but it's not likely. Hopefully, I just wasn't seeing that many because it was pretty windy and they were mostly bedded. Sick and weak deer do that.

All I can say is you would have to witness it for yourself. You'd see what I'm talking about. Not good.
 
Dang it nontypical I don't like the sound of that. Just when things were getting interesting up there. Well I guess I will keep my fingers crossed. Thanks for the updates.
 
We were in Dubois last Thursday and I was pleased to see lots of open ground and warm temps. looking towards Crow heart it looked real open. I'm not sure how much damage has already been done but this herd is getting a break and the deer we saw looked pretty good.

In the Jackson area it's the most snow I've ever seen. I don't see how anything not being fed will survive. hardly any sheep on the refuge and no rams. not sure what's up with that . I hope they didn't get snowed in before the trip off the hill or something.




















Stay Thirsty My Friends
 
Togwotte,

Did you check the elk refuge by chance or go on the sleigh ride?

MY buddy was down there to and got some awesome pictures of bulls with drop tines. I was curious to anyone out there if anyone has seen that big 400" bull everyone was taking pictures of last year and I think his sheds were found off the refuge. I would like to see what he looks like this year
 
>Togwotte,
>
>Did you check the elk refuge
>by chance or go on
>the sleigh ride?
>
>MY buddy was down there to
>and got some awesome pictures
>of bulls with drop tines.
>I was curious to anyone
>out there if anyone has
>seen that big 400" bull
>everyone was taking pictures of
>last year and I think
>his sheds were found off
>the refuge. I would like
>to see what he looks
>like this year

His sheds were found on the refuge again last year and put him roughly 430-435 with a 42" spread credit which was very conservative..it was his 3rd year scoring in that range,but his rack had changed each year including jumping his 7th point side from right to left...that being said, he is back, and he is on the downhill which I expected. I'd put him roughly around 405" give or take...he's still plenty wide but has lost length all over. Still very impressive and dwarfs most everything out there...unfortunately there are a lot of big 350+ bulls dead out there as well. Most I've ever seen.
 
Wow that is one impressive score. Did the boy scouts pick the sheds up ? I just remember seeing some guy holding the sheds. I don't think I could harvest the bull if I saw him during hunting season due to having a heart attack seeing a bull of that caliber.

so is the dead 350 bulls dead to predator or winter kill off? every year I say im going to the elk refuge to take the kids on a sleigh ride to see the elk but never get around to it. As usual maybe next year
 
I didn't see anything over 350 but the elk were mostly on the far side of the refuge and I only had 10x binocs so I didn't try real hard.

No elk this year elk by the hiway where you usually see the bulls .


We go there to ride snowmobiles so I didn't spend a lot of time at the refuge. not many elk up the Gros Ventre this year the wolves ran them down to the refuge early on.

Rained A LOT last week in Jackson and opened up a little more ground for them to feed on. it rained at Togwotee too, rain at 9600 feet in early February that doesn't happen often.












Stay Thirsty My Friends
 
>Wow that is one impressive score.
>Did the boy scouts pick
>the sheds up ? I
>just remember seeing some guy
>holding the sheds. I don't
>think I could harvest the
>bull if I saw him
>during hunting season due to
>having a heart attack seeing
>a bull of that caliber.
>
>
>so is the dead 350 bulls
>dead to predator or winter
>kill off? every year I
>say im going to the
>elk refuge to take the
>kids on a sleigh ride
>to see the elk but
>never get around to it.
>As usual maybe next year
>

The wolves have been on the refuge a bit,but unfortunately the majority of deaths I believe are just winter related. .the park picked up his sheds before scouts got to go out because they want to make sure his get seen and nobody tries to sneak on and take off with them..this winter is gonna be one for the books in terms of winter kill especially for deer, but the elk are hurting too. The auction in May should have plenty of big dead heads to sell off unfortunately this year
 

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