Winter herd updates?

[speezer87]

Hello all,

Starting to think about next year's hunting already and the draw, and was wondering if anyone had any updates on any of the herds in Colorado? Anyone seeing any Winter kill? The snows been pretty steady but doesnt seem to be the huge storms so im not really sure how the animals are fairing. Ill be heading up to Steamboat next weekend and plan on cutting through North park so i can report back after that(as much as i can from the road or a quick stop or 2)

 

[Hilltop]

Nothing negative to report from my contacts in Wyoming and Colorado yet. Typically the animals are fine until mid to late winter even on bad years. It's those late storms with brutal cold that are the real killers the majority of years.

 

[JimP]

Where the snow is the deepest the elk and deer vacated it long ago. They are on their winter grounds and the winter grounds are not bad yet.

I second what Hilltop said, it is the spring storms or the ones in late April and early May that have the big effect on game animals.

 

[speezer87]

cool, thanks for the reply guys!

 

[go_deep]

Last year in the NE corner of Wyoming, per warden Troy they had a pretty good die off of antelope in April. It's not over till it's over, and it can all change next week.

 

[ColoradoV]

I can speak for the central part of Colorado and here we are right at normal snowpack. Has not been super hard on the critters so far. Been real cold for the past month or so.

Something to think about is that places in the Gunnison basin have seen 2 of the past 3 winters that were way above average snowpack and extremely hard on the deer. Elk fair better. It will take 3-4 mild winters for the deer to “recover” or get better. As others have said have to wait and see how spring snows pan out for this year.

 

[speezer87]

Drove through North park yesterday, didnt see any dead deer or elk near the side of the road. Seemed to have a decent amount of sage brush exposed. Still a lot of winter to go though