NY winter kill will be BAD i believe!

adkmountainken · March 06, 2011, 08:28:00 PM

i would have to think the winter kill this year will be off the charts due to a few differnt problems. first is obvious, TON of snow! the problem was the thick crust that we got a month ago which allowed the coyotes to walk on top but deer (and my dogs!)broke through and hit the deep snow which nearly stops them in their tracks. if the deer didn't make it to the yards early they will be in trouble. even the deer IN the yards now will be struggling.

Cyclic-Rivers · March 06, 2011, 08:33:00 PM

I agree. I saw many deer standing and feeding in snow up to their chest.

However, I think that a good amount of deer went to south facing slopes and may have a chance.

Hopefully the Coyotes had their fill and didn't take down more than they can eat.

I have heard many old timers mention they have not seen it this bad in years. Not so much the amount of snow but the lack of melt offs in between.

ronp · March 06, 2011, 08:42:00 PM

Yes, Ken, this year has been pretty bad. We have received more snow in past years, but like Charlie said, we haven't had much melting between storms up until this week-end. Now we are getting more snow here on the other side of the Tug Hill from you. I have seen deer in our village feeding on ornamental shrubs. I'm not sure how much nurishment the shrubs provide.

YORNOC · March 06, 2011, 09:06:00 PM

Hey, you know what Ken? We thought the same here in eastern Mass. Heaviest, deepest snow in YEARS. Base of at least 3 feet in the woods.
But just two days ago, sixteen deer came out of our area into my buddy's back yard all looking very healthy. The coyotes were very high too. So we thought the worst. But they are doing okay. Keep your fingers crossed, you never know!

Stumpkiller · March 06, 2011, 10:34:00 PM

I've been seeing a LOT of adult deer in the past week and they look fit. They seemed to have weathered it well hereabouts. Deep snow is tough on the little tykes. We may feel a lost generation in the future.

adkmountainken · March 06, 2011, 10:37:00 PM

i REALLY hope i'm wrong but i know early in the winter season i still had deer in the mountains i hunt which was rare as these deer ALL move out of this area when the snow starts and this year they hung around late. i just hope they didn't get caught up there when the snow came. i hope for the best but fear the worst!

March 06, 2011, 10:40:00 PM

Yeah...you guys got buried!

Been through that scenerio more than a couple times in Northern Michigan. Especially true in the remote areas.

Seems it's been a killer winter everywhere this year. The most crucial time for the deer will be in the following weeks. The strong will survive.

Stumpkiller · March 06, 2011, 11:24:00 PM

I just let the dog out and we've got about 8" of fresh right now after it had started to melt off the last two days. Supposed to keep up till midday tomorrow - likely doubling that. RATS!

adkmountainken · March 07, 2011, 03:21:00 AM

still snowing hard here, very wet and thick snow, this could be the last straw as it will definitly cover up what was left of food except the browse which is what i'm sure they have been eating unless in a deer yard and getting fed.

NYArrow · March 07, 2011, 04:21:00 AM

I'm a bit further west of you...finger lakes region. It's been a terribly cold and snow heavy winter here as well. As of around Feb 1 we have had a bit of warm weather followed by heavy snows. So the deer have had a chance to get to food every few days or so.

ronp · March 07, 2011, 04:32:00 AM

We are still getting snow here. There is about 8 or 10 inches of new stuff since yesterday. I feel bad for the local herd. The thaw we had over the week-end will make a hard crust. Hopefully there is some food left or buds started that will hold them over. On a brighter note, I have seen quite a few turkey the last few weeks. I wonder how they make it when the snow is this deep?

ronp · March 07, 2011, 04:38:00 AM

Where abouts in the Finger lakes are you, Dustin? A few guys I work with live between the Finger Lakes and Lake Ontario (Weedsport and Geneva areas) and have had a ton of snow this year. They say the deer are yarded up, though, which is a good thing if true.

Stone Knife · March 07, 2011, 05:24:00 AM

There is still a ton of deer left standing around here. A lot of bird feeder raids I even saw some eating wreaths in the local cemetery, they are survivors for sure.

Al Dente · March 07, 2011, 06:46:00 AM

Whitetail deer can consume upwards of 600 different types of vegetation. Unfortuntely, some, like pine bough wreaths contain little nutritional value, it merely fills their bellies. They adapt and find browse, and ornamental shrubs taste really good to them, do not know how much they get out of eating them, but they sure do enjoy doing it. Hopefully, this was the last hit and the herd has survived well enough.

LONGSTYKES · March 07, 2011, 09:25:00 AM

Sounds like a rough winter in the NE, hope its not as bad as it looks. Here in MT the weather has been fluctuating cold and snow with wind, then clear for a few days. Very hard on the mule deer fawns. Seeing a lot dead ones on my place. We will see how bad when the spring finally comes. Late this year, I think. Good Luck Guys

Shawn Leonard · March 07, 2011, 10:07:00 AM

I believe the winter kill will be worse due to coyotes than starvation. A lot of good browse around my area and standing corn in a few places, but the deep snow with a hard crust made deer easy pickins for yotes as they run on top and deer break through/ Shawn

Sean B · March 07, 2011, 10:40:00 AM

I really wont know till I get out after sheds and chasing turkeys. I've been seeing a lot of deer around my property. As Shawn said, I think It'll be the coyotes. Been seeing them all over, and hearing them a lot.

There was a lot of chasing during the rut, I just hope that the big boy that I was after didnt run him self too ragged to where he couldn't make it through this winter!

crotch horn · March 07, 2011, 02:39:00 PM

Hi guys,
It has been real bad here near me. After the melt off we had the last few days we still had at least 3 feet on the ground. More in the woods. We got 18" according to the weather channel over the night last night. Well, there was a solid 2 feet in my driveway that I shoveled today. We also have had 12 days below zero which doesn't sound that bad, but the average temps have been quite a bit lower than normal. I'm with Ken on this one for my area. I expect it to be bad but will hope for the best.

LKH · March 07, 2011, 02:55:00 PM

I was born and raised and still hunt near Int'l Falls, MN. We regularly suffered extreme winter kill and this year looks like it will be the same. We have about 3000 wolves to boot.

I hate to tell you guys, but the time when the winter kill primarily occurs hasn't arrived yet. It actually happens very late in the winter if the ground doesn't clear.

dinorocks · March 07, 2011, 03:12:00 PM

I have not seen my lawn since December 1 when we got 3-4 feet of snow...another 6 plus inches fell yesterday. Our snow tally in my neck of the woods is over 100 inches. Lucky for me, my landscape shrubs have been completely buried and not accessible to the deer and rabbits. I read that the deer can survive on lichen growing on trees for a while if they are hard up for food...not sure how nourishing it would be and certainly cannot taste too good! Looking forward to a snow melt so I can find all my lost arrows!