winter stress on wildlife

[bridger]

Have been driving around the winter ranges in the peace the last few days and it is evident that the effects of the long winter are beginning to show on wildlife. ribs on the deer are starting to show and we saw several moose not looking so good. elk seem to be in better shape. if we don't get a break in the weather soon we may lose a lot of deer. How is it in the rest of the province?

[The Silent Stalker]

Not sure, but think it's having the same effect all over. We were just discussing how much snow we have where we look for spring bear. There's so much, we may not be able to access it till end of may. Im in Squamish, and 2 cougars were spotted together on a mountain bike trail a week or so ago, they looked hungry, and not too worried about the bikers from what I heard. Mother nature's just doing her thing I guess.

[ianwuzhere]

There is still hella snow around PG. yesterday i went out near town no snowshoes- and on a good step was just around knee level-then when fell thru the crust my crotch hit the snow. this week is warming up to the plus temps and starting to melt, hopefully it will hurry up..
- I have seen moose- the calf looked skinny the cow looked ok. I have not seen a deer in a long time- prolly cuz they are under the snow somewherez....

[Piperdown]

It will be interesting in the EK especially after the any mulie buck in October :(

[troutseeker]

Okanagan around Kelowna will be fine. Not so much snow here, I saw a bunch of mulies and whitetails over the last few weeks and they look in fine shape.

[Walksalot]

From what I have seen the elk are really hammering the winter range on the east side of the valley.

[hunter1947]

Here in the EK the wildlife are looking good we have had temp the day hi +8 over the last week or so the snow is going away fast I live just outside cranbrook and the snow is spoty in lots of places..

[Elkaholic]

It will be interesting in the EK especially after the any mulie buck in October :(

The mule deer will be fine... If anything some of the mulie's that were shot would have died anyways I imagine. The snow is melting fast around here and at low elevations there is hardly any left.

[bridger]

still lots of snow up here and no + temps forecast for another week. not looking good.

[BCrams]

Lots of snow around PG! Heavy timber areas and D. Fir ridges holding much less. I've seen a few deer and a couple moose in the last week still in good shape.

Some areas animals may have a go of it but ones utilizing good habitat for this time of year will be fine imo.

Warm temps hitting this week and we're in for a steady snowmelt. Some areas the deer are using the snow is only a little more than a foot yet you go into the open and its waist deep.

[Caribou_lou]

still lots of snow up here and no + temps forecast for another week. not looking good.

Sounds like Global Warming to me..... NOT.

[6616]

It will be interesting in the EK especially after the any mulie buck in October :(

Snow pack in the EK on average is not excessive. Even the Elk Valley actually has less snow than usual. The only place in the EK that will be hit hard is the area around Golden to Brisco where snow pack depth is way up there. So the Golden area and maybe the areas adjacent to Kimberley are the only danger zones in the EK for wildlife die-offs this spring, and deep snow pack is nothing new for Kimberley.

[luckynuts]

Have been driving around the winter ranges in the peace the last few days and it is evident that the effects of the long winter are beginning to show on wildlife. ribs on the deer are starting to show and we saw several moose not looking so good. elk seem to be in better shape. if we don't get a break in the weather soon we may lose a lot of deer. How is it in the rest of the province?


I don't buy that for a minute, sorry Rich. I think maybe around the farms but all the deer elk and moose I have seen are looking great! Not a single wolf kill I have come across all winter and I usually come across several. the wolves in my area have dug up the old october hides and bones from hunter kills and are eating that along with the rabbits they catch. 2 weeks ago Me and Moose2 were seeing bull moose sporting both antlers 35" and a few younger bulls that had them too.

Every day this shift (10 all together) I have seen cow calf pairs and single cows and bulls and all are looking good. The 2 moose I seen that didn't look great were a cow calf pair on the Monteny bypass. not sure if that was from hanging with all the deer and they had a bit of ticks or if they were starting to lose some of their winter under coat. This winter has been the best calf retention I have seen in the last 7 years. IMHO

W.

[Piperdown]

Hey thanks for that 6616, heres hoping for a banner year :)

[bridger]

have u been traveling the halfway and north? farm land critters are for the most part in haystacks.

[eastkoot]

Even the Elk Valley actually has less snow than usual.

Hey Andy, I'm guessing we have more snow in the "valley" than we've had for quite some time, at least the 30+ I've been here. Reminds of of 15-20 years ago with 4 to 5 foot snow banks.. Deer in town are even looking thin in the hind end.. Elk are not where they should be at this time of year, actually the south facing mine slopes are void of elk. They seem to be keeping to the tall timber where there is forage and bare spots under the bigger trees. Starting to thaw now so hopefully things will open up for a bit of grazing..The lilac tree is 7 feet high and the fence I put around it that you can just see is a 4 ft. snow fence. They are browsing 8-9 feet up on the apple tree, wife's not happy about the lilac tree!!!http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm180/duramaxx/DSCN0098.jpg

[6616]

Hey Andy, I'm guessing we have more snow in the "valley" than we've had for quite some time, at least the 30+ I've been here. Reminds of of 15-20 years ago with 4 to 5 foot snow banks.. Deer in town are even looking thin in the hind end.. Elk are not where they should be at this time of year, actually the south facing mine slopes are void of elk. They seem to be keeping to the tall timber where there is forage and bare spots under the bigger trees. Starting to thaw now so hopefully things will open up for a bit of grazing..The lilac tree is 7 feet high and the fence I put around it that you can just see is a 4 ft. snow fence. They are browsing 8-9 feet up on the apple tree, wife's not happy about the lilac tree!!!

My yard's not as deep as yours but way more than normal. The difference is I haven't seen a deer all winter, I don't think they can move around anymore, usually I don't see them during mid-winter but they hit my yard hard about this time of year. I guess things must be a little more severe North of Fernie, Mario R from Fernie says he has less than two feet of snow in his yard a couple blocks up the hill behind the Overwaitea store.

[luckynuts]

have u been traveling the halfway and north? farm land critters are for the most part in haystacks.

I am about 1.5 - 2 hours North of town

They are in the hay at this time of year every year unless there is very little snow. Out in the bush the moose have dug pits to get down to the clover and grasses. Most places it's over 4' now but they all look pretty healthy to me. The main component that I use to gauge how they are doing is calves. Usually by this time there is barely a third of the calves that were present at the end of November.

The really good thing is that I get to see new wolf tracks every morning and afternoon as they try and put a sneak on a moose, the moose just trot away into the regen or heavy black spruce while the wolves able to walk on top bust through as soon as they try and pick up speed. Probably why I have only been finding rabbit kills along the road.

I do have to retract regarding moose kills there was one cow that was hamstrung up pretty bad in a field i was taking care of but not my main one just before or after Christmas. She would not leave the battery lease and the maggpies were pecking her tore open wounds on her hinds, until one wolf chased her off finally and they ended up taking her down about 70yds or so from a compressor.

And as usual the deer have migrated out of the heavy snow to the open breaks and faces along the rivers and creeks. I probably see over 200 deer in a morning or late afternoon and this week I have seen moose every day with 10 being my highest count.

I think the animals will do fine unless we warm up here for a week and then get high winds and more cold. If that happens I'm pretty sure I will be seeing some kills. Another good thing with this long spring is that a lot of the ticks that fall off to lay eggs will die if there is still snow/ice on the ground. My take on it anyways.

W.

[Fisher-Dude]

It will be interesting in the EK especially after the any mulie buck in October :(

If anything, as harvest is increased (if indeed there was an increase in harvest with the October season), there is more food available for over-wintering animals, especially if younger animals are harvested. Younger animals tend to be harder on winter range over time. Thus, winter survival rates should be higher, and herds healthier in the spring because of the October season.

[hunter1947]

My yard's not as deep as yours but way more than normal. The difference is I haven't seen a deer all winter, I don't think they can move around anymore, usually I don't see them during mid-winter but they hit my yard hard about this time of year. I guess things must be a little more severe North of Fernie, Mario R from Fernie says he has less than two feet of snow in his yard a couple blocks up the hill behind the Overwaitea store.


Andy there is very little snow around the outskirts of Cranbrook and I have not seen very many deer I guess there hiding somewhere LOL ,when I took a good hike back in the first week of Feb I found all beds from deer and elk in big timber LOL.

When I went to Victoria and back I never saw one deer or elk ether way my thoughts are that they hold up in bug timber where there is much less snow.

Yesterday the roads and paths were running with water from the snow melting we have not had any freezing at night in the past 4 days and the hi is the get to +6 to 8 for the next two weeks.

[6616]

Andy there is very little snow around the outskirts of Cranbrook and I have not seen very many deer I guess there hiding somewhere LOL ,when I took a good hike back in the first week of Feb I found all beds from deer and elk in big timber LOL.

When I went to Victoria and back I never saw one deer or elk ether way my thoughts are that they hold up in bug timber where there is much less snow.

Yesterday the roads and paths were running with water from the snow melting we have not had any freezing at night in the past 4 days and the hi is the get to +6 to 8 for the next two weeks.

I agree, unless there's another big snowfall it doesn't look like there will be an issue for wildlife survival in the EK except for the northern end near Golden and the Elk Valley.

In spite of the big melt the last few days the snowbanks along my driveway are still three feet high and the snowpack in the middle of the yard is down to about 18 inches.

[hunter1947]

I agree, unless there's another big snowfall it doesn't look like there will be an issue for wildlife survival in the EK except for the northern end near Golden and the Elk Valley.

In spite of the big melt the last few days the snowbanks along my driveway are still three feet high and the snowpack in the middle of the yard is down to about 18 inches.


Andy LOL I am glad you live where you are and glad I live where there is hardley any snow here LOL :mrgreen:..

[Fido]

Well here at Loon Lake the deer are coming back and looking good, I did loose a horse this winter to a cougar for the first time in 55 years and he was thin but only about 5 or 6 years old. The warm weather is taking the snows fast so I hope we don't loose many deer now.

[6616]

Andy LOL I am glad you live where you are and glad I live where there is hardley any snow here LOL :mrgreen:..

From my estimation this is the most snow we've had in Golden since the winter of 72/73. Even in the big winter die-off of '96 we didn't have this much snow. If it was like this every year I'd move down there and join you Wayne,,,,, or maybe I'd move to Black Creek...!!!

[BlackwaterHunter]

pg got hit hard, this snow makes killing easy

[Timbow]

Quesnel got hit with a lot more snow than it has seen in atleast a dozen years. From what I have seen and heard, it is harder on the predators than prey.

Snow didn't start until after Christmas and then it made up for the lost time. Moose/calves look to be in great shape same with the deer. I would imagine this seasons snow conditions helped thin the herds of any old, sick and hurt game and maybe even the wolves took a hit. Been out a couple of times to help thin out the wolves, but man are they crafty.

Cheers.

[hunter1947]

From my estimation this is the most snow we've had in Golden since the winter of 72/73. Even in the big winter die-off of '96 we didn't have this much snow. If it was like this every year I'd move down there and join you Wayne,,,,, or maybe I'd move to Black Creek...!!!


Andy have you been out and looking around on your snowmobile to see what is taking place there whee you live ??? ,do the elk deer move lower down in them conditions or can they at all ???.

[6616]

Andy have you been out and looking around on your snowmobile to see what is taking place there whee you live ??? ,do the elk deer move lower down in them conditions or can they at all ???.

I don't have a snowmobile Wayne, but my son-in-laws are snowmobilers and they claim the deer are yarded and cannot move much at all.

They asked me about a deer trail they saw the other day that was pounded down to black dirt but in four feet of snow like a tunnel. I guess it's pounded down to bare ground because they use it a lot since they really can't travel anyplace where they haven't established a trail.

Now that the snow is wet, heavy and well consolidated it will be even worse unless they can get up on top of it on a cold morning, however the ensuing crust from a cold snap could be a killer in itself.

The elk are all down on the Columbia River wetlands and they can't get lower than that. There's not quite as much snow down there but still over two feet down from about 3 feet a couple weeks ago.

If the snow melts down before they use up their winter fat they will be OK. It's when green-up is delayed beyond that and they start losing muscle that die-offs occur. That's why when winter kills occur the majority of deaths always happen in the later winter or spring. They must be pretty close to the point of having used up their winter fat supply by now.

I think it depends a lot on the site specific conditions as well Wayne, in the Kicking Horse Canyon the lower elevation south facing slopes are almost bare now, but that has not occurred yet in the main Columbia Trench.

One thing I can tell you is that at the Club's bighorn feeding area east of town we have several dozen white tails hanging around. There's always a few deer that hang around there, but we've never had that many any winter before this year.

[Elkaholic]

Don't you think at some point the deer would wise up to the feeding station and habitually come to it for easy food? Or do you think its more of the snow being the factor for more deer? My guess would be a little of both.

[northernhunter]

Just got off work an hour ago, was about 2 hours north of fort nelson today and seen a few moose. One little bull still had his horns which seems real late, but they were in good shape. Finally stopped snowing in early afternoon after 3 days. A lot of snow up here still, and going to be awhile before it goes yet.

[Will]

Local Deer I've seen around the Loops are looking fat and healthy thus far......:???:

Did see one(doe) on the river bank a couple weeks back that musta fell in....cut it's brisket and neck up pretty good trying to claw it's way back out...it was dripping blood all over the ice. Lottsa buzzards waiting beside it for the inevitable.

There was a mess of crows on it the next day......not much left the day after that.

[6616]

Don't you think at some point the deer would wise up to the feeding station and habitually come to it for easy food? Or do you think its more of the snow being the factor for more deer? My guess would be a little of both.

We have been using the same location for feeding the sheep for over 10 years. Usually there's half a dozen deer hanging around and it's been a pretty consistent number every year until this year.

[hunter1947]

We have been using the same location for feeding the sheep for over 10 years. Usually there's half a dozen deer hanging around and it's been a pretty consistent number every year until this year.
LOL Andy get a hold of a D6 cat that someone can donate and get someone that knows how to run it and open up a few roads so the animals have some runways..

[Elkaholic]

We have been using the same location for feeding the sheep for over 10 years. Usually there's half a dozen deer hanging around and it's been a pretty consistent number every year until this year.

Good to know.... I guess that they may have had a rough time and couldn't pass up the meal.