sure this will happen if you feed every year. year after year. but no one is calling for that,either. only calling for supplementing them in above average winters when it is a given winterkill is going to be well above average.
Wildlife Article On Winter Kills in the west.
- Thread starter mallardsx2
- Start date
BOHNTR
Very Active Member
Well pard, you should re-read your first AND second post on this topic.....no where does it state you're referring to elk only.......and I HIGHLY doubt anyone else reading this thread inferred that either....or read your mind. Perhaps a little better articulation skills are in order before you argue a point that has no documented premise.
Thanks Trent, debate on these topics is healthy. Regardless of what the other guy does, please don't belittle. This forum has been a civil space and we need to keep it that way.
Alabama
Veteran member
meathunter
Active Member
The ranchers do the most supplemental feeding, not by their choice, during the winters where I travel. This year was the most I've seen in the fields, along with their cows. Elk were by far in huge numbers feeding in their fields, with deer and antelope next. I've just spent 3 days in the higher country and saw only a few deer, unlike years in the past. The Idaho F & G posted an article about having a 30% survival with fawns in the area I hunt. Definitely going to be lower numbers this year for deer. Haven't seen any fawns yet, probably too early. Might not be the best deer hunting for the next year or two.
Seemed like a lot more road kill this year which goes along with more animals feeding on lower ground close to highways.
just my .02
Seemed like a lot more road kill this year which goes along with more animals feeding on lower ground close to highways.
just my .02
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Meathunter
I live just east of you here in western WY and our fawn mortality was close to 100%. I wish the WG&F would use more science in their management scheme like Buzz says and close this area down for awhile but unfortunately we will have a deer season this fall. I've heard reports that between the wiped out fawn crop and the adult deer winter kill we've lost 1/3 to possibly 1/2 of our deer herd. I also haven't seen any deer or elk fawns yet either. I hope they didn't absorb or abort too many.
I live just east of you here in western WY and our fawn mortality was close to 100%. I wish the WG&F would use more science in their management scheme like Buzz says and close this area down for awhile but unfortunately we will have a deer season this fall. I've heard reports that between the wiped out fawn crop and the adult deer winter kill we've lost 1/3 to possibly 1/2 of our deer herd. I also haven't seen any deer or elk fawns yet either. I hope they didn't absorb or abort too many.
Againstthewind
Very Active Member
Your two cents seems to go right along with what I have been reading about in Western Wyoming I guess. I thought that you maybe should have been seeing fawns by now if there were many around, at least I have been seeing them in this area. They are getting kindof big already, especially the antelope fawns. Deer fawns seem to be still a little smaller yet, maybe they hide out longer in the colder climates, hopefully I guess.
I think the 1/3 less deer is pretty accurate from what I've seen in the Grey's so far this year. Of course, the deer are really spread out right now, but just generally I'm seeing fewer deer.
What I have been surprised about is that I'm seeing a lot more 1.5-2.5 year old bucks than I thought I would...not tons, but I was really expecting to see essentially none in that age class.
I have only seen a handful of this year's fawns, but that's not unusual as they don't move around a lot when they're this young.
No question the winter had an impact, hopefully they catch a break this coming year.
On the plus side, the grass, forbs, and in particular shrubs look really good this year, lots of new growth.
Interesting. Possibly they were just large enough to cope with the winter and young enough not to be too run down from the rut?