wildlife winterkill?

[johnr]

Haven't ventured out in the country since this last big blow, but seems like what I have seen is the wind blew the snow into the trees, etc.

 

[KDM]

Just took a drive up to my place and the belt has 5+ ft of snow throughout, but the pines and sweet clover on the south side only have a small skiff over the top. There were 7 deer in a corn field already so they are hungry. The majority of the fields are clear, but the north sides of any type of cover is blown in solid. As long as we don't get above freezing temps to make an ice crust, as least the critters will be able to find food. Rescued my trail cam from under a foot of snow which was fun, but I did see a bunch of pheasant tracks going over the snow which was nice to see. Going to take a bit of a tour here in a minute to see what's up a bit farther from the house. Might take the dog and do a small walk for a rooster while I'm at it. (Grin)

 

[guywhofishes]

Haven't ventured out in the country since this last big blow, but seems like what I have seen is the wind blew the snow into the trees, etc.

wait what? trees? Somebody planted trees since I left?

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I dont think shooting as many as possible is a great idea. I remember driving around on snowmobile and finding them when I was younger. Should provide plenty of food for the yotes and other foragers.

that's be one really good reason to harvest them all

 

[ndbwhunter]

I always feel bad for the wildlife during and after storms like we just had. And to make things worse, you get the wildlife watchers that like to harass the deer while they're in the fields trying to eat. Just leave them alone and watch from a distance.

 

[arrowdem]

i feel bad for the coyotes after they have been laid up after a big storm like this then it gets so damn cold.... i try to get out there and put as many as i can out of their misery! ;:;rofl

 

[BBQBluesMan]

I always feel bad for the wildlife during and after storms like we just had. And to make things worse, you get the wildlife watchers that like to harass the deer while they're in the fields trying to eat. Just leave them alone and watch from a distance.

Yes wildlife take a beating with weather like this.Even worse is snowmobilers going up and down shelterbelts or other types of dense cover either unintentionally or worse intentionally chasing out critters. Just wish more people used common sense!

 

[watson]

I don't care for winter like I used to anymore, I certainly don't ask for 99th..e cold and snow as some were. To the ones who were asking for the cold and the storms I say to spend a night curled up in the cattails and see if your attitude is changed.

 

[Kurtr]

why would any one spend a night curled up in cattails? I dont think it is fair you hook fish in the mouth maybe put a couple treble hooks in your mouth and see if your attitude about hooking fish has changed

 

[Migrator Man]

Most of the small cattail sloughs are filled up with no cover left. Birds are using bushes and tree rows now because the good cover filled in. Gonna be cold for them birds.

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Seen dead pheasants already around Minot. It is going to really knock the crap out of the pheasant. In times like this they should take the limit off and let guys shoot as many roosters as possible. They are going to die anyways and they out compete hens for food. If this snow lasts all winter we will lose some deer as well. The worst part is how this will affect the fawn production. If the doe makes it through the winter they will either not give birth at all or just have 1 fawn instead of twins.

What have you seen around Minot? Birds buried in the snow. I really hope they didn't hunker down in snow banks

 

[Lycanthrope]

wait what? trees? Somebody planted trees since I left?

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that's be one really good reason to harvest them all

Id have no problem with people being allowed to collect as many frozen birds as they want, but killing the few left alive, cuz they MIGHT die in a storm is just foolish.

 

[dean nelson]

Seen some pics already of dead deer. Way to early to start that, without a little break at some point it's going to be tough for them to make it til march.

How would deer die at this point? Deer tend to die of starvation and that takes awile vs pheasants that almost never die from lack of food but instead from exposure which can happen at any point.

 

[dust in the wind]

Here's one that froze already

eta - should have looked closer - its from 2013 not this year.

 

[dgully]

Honestly the wildlife will be fine. IMO, yes some will die, usually the weak... This isn't our first winter storm in history

 

[tman]

Pheasants have already taken huge hit seen 3 roosters and a hen frozen next to the road today. And this was just on pavement I'm cringing thinking of what I'm Going to find when gravel roads open up.

 

[NodakBuckeye]

Good lord! There is still cover, still food and still lots of wildlife out doing their thing. Pheasants, sharpies, huns, turkeys, deer, rabbits, yotes, mice, owls, hawks and a baldie today and some goats too. Here's to sunshine, cold dry air and sublimation.

 

[Davy Crockett]

We got clobbered with a lot of snow up in the bush, I was out and about and didn't see any signs of wildlife since it quit snowing. We have a few deer that hang out in the farmyard and last time I saw any was 2 nights ago and they were belly deep in snow eating on a bale , Saw tracks today along the edge of the trees but nothing to the bale so they aren't hungry yet. We have a good 36'' of fluffy snow with huge drifts in sheltered areas and they are hunkered down where they can paw around and find food. Where the problem will be up here is later on once it crusts over and the snow below the crust gets crystalized like sugar so the deer drop in and can't move but the coyotes can run on top. We already have a good 36'' of snow and there is a lot of winter left, Temps will be a big factor but it won't be a good year for deer numbers in my neck of the woods even if it's a mild winter. I'd bet that we have more deer predators in ND right now than the oldest old timers can remember. This could be the start of a bad recipe.

 

[dean nelson]

Honestly the wildlife will be fine. IMO, yes some will die, usually the weak... This isn't our first winter storm in history

But it is one of the deepest snow packs to start off a winter in many years. Where were you in 04 to 07 vs 12 to 15 because if you don't think winter storms cant take out the strong you sure the hell couldn't have been in north dakota to watch as 80% of the deer were taken out! Now deer have a harder time finding food and due to deep snow are burning more calories in the process of finding it. When you start that process like we have this year if we don't get a real break during Jan or Feb we may well desamate a herd that is well short of recoverd from our last bad winters. Even if a deer squeaks through if the does are stressed they will abort next year's fawn/fawns and that has a huge and long lasting effect. Opinion means nothing here because this is all best guess on available information and right now ALL info is pointed in the wrong direction including the long term forecast that just came out.

 

[LBrandt]

The fittest survive, the weak die, the gene pool gets better. Its natures way. Always has been and always will be.

 

[SupressYourself]

If only that were still true for humans.
See: Idiocracy

 

[Davy Crockett]

Hear comments every year from those that didn't get a deer gun license , Is that because we don't have enough deer or is it because we have too many hunters ?

This will start a shit fit from bow hunters but it's reality. Sportsmen should go to NDGF advisory meetings and demand one license per hunter to be filled with any legal weapon. THEN if there are any extra license left over give hunters that wish to apply for it, A chance at a second license.