Mild winter and wild game

[rides bike to work]

As you all must have noticed this province has had an extremely mild winter. I was wondering typically what impact does this have on wildlife will the bears wake up earlier will the deer winter better will the grouse fly north for the winter.

[Foxtail]

Funny, I was just thinking the same thing this morning. I would think it would be great for the critters.

[Hanrahan]

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/02/11/3621733/yellowstone-grizzly-bears-rising-early-mild-winter/

That answers one question. I don't know that the grouse will go anywhere. My only question for the rest of the animals is whether or not the lack of snow makes it easier or harder for predators.

[CaribooBC]

There have been reports of people seeing Bears out of hibernation here in the South Cariboo for the past couple of weeks.

[Seeker]

It has been mild, but the snow..melt and then freeze forms thick crusts on the snow. That makes it quite hard on the shins and hooves of the ungulates when walking and trying to paw for food. We were out hiking a few weeks back and saw a number of elk tracks with blood droplets in them and the icy crust was the only cause I could think of. I am not sure how badly this will affect them. I have a tough time believing we are through with winter. Its usually into may when we are thinking of last frost, that's still 3 months away. There will still be snow and cold for a while yet.

[one-shot-wonder]

Lack of snow helps ungulates with less concentration on the winter range providing less interaction with predators and the chance of becoming a fuzz turd.

[ACE]

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/02/11/3621733/yellowstone-grizzly-bears-rising-early-mild-winter/

That answers one question. I don't know that the grouse will go anywhere. My only question for the rest of the animals is whether or not the lack of snow makes it easier or harder for predators.

Maybe a little more difficult for predators ...... here on the Island now, elk are dispersed all over their summer range. Same with the deer. Was out again to-day looking around ...... old wolf sign, no bruin yet. Going to cut the lawn tomorrow.

[Steelpulse]

Well here on granville street a few blocks from the bridge, a coyote is enjoying the mild winter, that's my report from the city, was quite surprised when my girlfriend sends a photo of a yote to me in the city, there are a few arounnnd, I suppose the antis would oppose to me getting the calls out at 5am outside the local coffee shop and. Calling them in haha

[jeff341]

Lack of snow helps ungulates with less concentration on the winter range providing less interaction with predators and the chance of becoming a fuzz turd.

That made me laugh......thanks

[metalface]

Well here on granville street a few blocks from the bridge, a coyote is enjoying the mild winter

saw that one around yaletown a couple weeks ago and followed it around a bit. neither of us really knew where we were goin so we parted ways eventually.

[Everett]

There is no snow at all on the majority of the winter range in the Columbia Trench which means we should be having a bumper season this fall.

[Piperdown]

3+ feet of snow in 6-04 a couple of thaws and freezes, mild my arse

[Clint_S]

I went camping last weekend up at 1300m here in the west koots.
Where there is typically 1.5m snow at this time of year and no game there was 40cm snow and lots of tracks.
Was a really easy winter for the critters but might be a really dry summer.
Creeks are running like it's mid June and the snowpack will run out long before normal.
Hope my water supply doesn't run out.

[Daybreak]

Wabbit hunting should be good right now. My understanding is the length of daylight hours triggers their white to brown coat change. With no snow in many lower elevations they might be sticking out like sore thumbs. Might make life easier for the predators too which could lead to large litters later on.

[one-shot-wonder]

Hoping for a dry summer with even more dry lightning..... :lol:

[ACE]

Hoping for a dry summer with even more dry lightning..... :lol:

:cool: Me too ...... this whole island could go to sagebrush and it wouldn't hurt my feelings ....... :cool: