Worst winter in years!

[albertadeer]

With the recent snow fall in the Grande Prairie area i fear the worst for the deer. I have been out doing Regeneration surveys "surveying cutblocks" south of GP. The average snow depth just 20km from town is over the 100cm mark. Lots of 110-130cm areas, with a average of 80cm in the thicker wintering bush. A solid upper and mid layer make it possible for wolves, coyotes, and cats to stay on stop, and make it very difficult for ungulates to paw for food. Looks like its deciduous buds for them...to bad it takes around 3000 bites for a whitetail to stay in decent health during the winter.

Looks like another deadly winter like the one of 2007...:sign0176:


:(

[greylynx]

I think you are correct.

How are your cutblocks doing? Do they also take a beating in a winter like this? Do you get redcapping with warm weather we had earlier this year?

[gitrdun]

I know it's been a brutal winter down here as well. But in my zone, the coyotes are running scared and the deer are absolutely through the roof. Twice in the last week, I've seen in one sitting at least 400 animals within eye sight. Both WT and Mulies are herding up, 'yotes are on the run. Yet, another 15 miles to the east, across Hwy 2, it's a different story.

[fat cat]

OK: now that all being said...SRD isn't going to lower draws, even if they should. Are hunters going to stand up and not apply??? Are hunter going to apply and give up there tag??? I dought that anyone will do that. Conservation is just a word that is used, when you arn't lucky. I've seen this all happen before.

[Arn?Narn.]

I am heading in towards the Nose tomorrow, though it's just as likely I'll stay out around Muddy Creek.

This is going to be a bad year on deer, however, I suspect the predators are going to be in full swing ...

I have already come accross 5 separate kills, and in this snow, I don't stray too far off the beaten path.

With the latest snow and temperatures I lost hope from some miracle warm up that would maybe help even just a little.

[mooseknuckle]

I'm excited to cut the lawn. Put it that way.

[Coulee]

This has been the worst winter since 1995/96. Not as cold, but more snow. Oddly enough, the deer hunting after that winter was just fine, but the amount of snow we've had this winter concerns me. Only time will tell...

[BrownBear416]

With the recent snow fall in the Grande Prairie area i fear the worst for the deer. I have been out doing Regeneration surveys "surveying cutblocks" south of GP. The average snow depth just 20km from town is over the 100cm mark. Lots of 110-130cm areas, with a average of 80cm in the thicker wintering bush. A solid upper and mid layer make it possible for wolves, coyotes, and cats to stay on stop, and make it very difficult for ungulates to paw for food. Looks like its deciduous buds for them...to bad it takes around 3000 bites for a whitetail to stay in decent health during the winter.

Looks like another deadly winter like the one of 2007...:sign0176:


:(


I agree AD,

Very bad winter in the Slave area in my opinion.Lots and lots of snow and really we have only had a couple warm weeks all winter.-20 to -30 all winter and all the warm spells did was hard pack the snow.Lots of people finding wolf killed deer and lots are big old bucks...You know you seen pics of the 200inch typical :)

My bros seen a big pack of wolves today with a fresh kill out on a lake..Wolf tracks on every road when im working..

[Elkaholic6]

I agree AD,

Very bad winter in the Slave area in my opinion.Lots and lots of snow and really we have only had a couple warm weeks all winter.-20 to -30 all winter and all the warm spells did was hard pack the snow.Lots of people finding wolf killed deer and lots are big old bucks...You know you seen pics of the 200inch typical :)

My bros seen a big pack of wolves today with a fresh kill out on a lake..Wolf tracks on every road when im working..

Out in 351, my Dad is hauling logs. He said he's only seen a pack of 6 all winter and there is barely any sign. Not much skidders or loader operators are seeing any either. They are seeing more lynx then wolves. Doesn't seem to be that bad this way..

[BrownBear416]

Out in 351, my Dad is hauling logs. He said he's only seen a pack of 6 all winter and there is barely any sign. Not much skidders or loader operators are seeing any either. They are seeing more lynx then wolves. Doesn't seem to be that bad this way..

Ya i think it all depends on the area Elk and ours seems filled with Wolves.I know when we have cats out clearing snow on the roads they arent even finished before there is fresh wolf tracks..

When i do my first tour in the morning there is spots on the roads where packs have spent the night and the snow is trampled down for half a mile so I know there is big packs working the area..

Im not worried as much about the wolves as I am the deep snow.The deer just have to burn so much energy to fill there stomachs and this winter they have not got any relief from the cold and the snow just keeps piling up..

[Twisted Canuck]

Was out with a friend yesterday southwest of GP down on the river, trying out our predator call...we saw a half dozen (whitey) does, and bupkiss for 'yote, but dang was the snow ever deep for getting around on foot. I agree with the OP, it's gonna be a hard year on the deer....Still hoping to get out for some coyote, I'll try and have a new .22-250 set up in the next week or so. I suspect deer will be thinner for the '11 season around here.

[Arn?Narn.]

Was out with a friend yesterday southwest of GP down on the river, trying out our predator call...we saw a half dozen (whitey) does, and bupkiss for 'yote, but dang was the snow ever deep for getting around on foot. I agree with the OP, it's gonna be a hard year on the deer....Still hoping to get out for some coyote, I'll try and have a new .22-250 set up in the next week or so. I suspect deer will be thinner for the '11 season around here.

Elmsworth....

you gonna be out tomorrow

[Twisted Canuck]

Gotta take the boy to Peace for a hockey game at noon, after that I'm going to try and get a flight to Lethbridge in the evening....got an uncle who isn't doing very well....

I'll be setting up my new .22-250 within the next couple of weeks, maybe we can try to go calling at some point after that? We saw a pile of them south of La Glace, I was going to check out that area next.....

[gpgriz]

I was down Nose Tower area on Thurs afternoon.

Saw many moose hanging around the bushline along the ditches.

And yep...the snow was awfully deep in the cutblocks with multiple crusty layer. Lousy for deer for sure.

Now I just have to figure out how the OP was doing regen checks wiht over a metre of snow?

[Arn?Narn.]

any idea what the mussy creek cut accross is like? I wouldn't venture down there as I had my little guy with me...

[gpgriz]

any idea what the mussy creek cut accross is like? I wouldn't venture down there as I had my little guy with me...

Didn't to that way...I hear it can be treacherous going southbound after the bridge.

We went down hwy40 and over on the North Rd.
Came back to GP on BaldMtn Rd. And was it ever in great condition! I guess that pipeline construction work is good for sumptin.

[Arn?Narn.]

I used to go down hiway 40 and do the same thing,..I always take weyerhauser the whole run now as there is a lot of game along that 50km's or so...

I have gone accross mussy lots in the summer and a bit in the fall,... but the very beginning on the southside (where it meets the nose rd/N Weyerhauser) is tricky, ...

See anything else while you were out and about?

[gpgriz]

See anything else while you were out and about?

Aside from the usual...there's lots of smoke popping up from pile burning now.

I did realise that I don't get around that area as much as I should...I've flown over it more than I've driven it and it's just not the same.

[albertadeer]

I was down Nose Tower area on Thurs afternoon.

Saw many moose hanging around the bushline along the ditches.

And yep...the snow was awfully deep in the cutblocks with multiple crusty layer. Lousy for deer for sure.

Now I just have to figure out how the OP was doing regen checks wiht over a metre of snow?

We only had a small amount to do...not sure why:confused:, didnt ask questions. They are deciduous blocks skidded in 97/89...so 6-9m aspen and poplar.

Back to PSP's on monday:sHa_shakeshout:

And yea! lots of moose in them ditches!! found 6 antlers just looking in the ditch already!!:sHa_shakeshout:

[bowhunter9841]

With over 5000 hairs per square inch of skin, I don't think the cold is a big deal for the deer! However the snow is affecting them a lot! I've seen a total of 5 deer this winter, and they were right next to town! I haven't been out much, but with the times I have been out I have expected to see something at least! Other than coyotes!

[gpgriz]

Back to PSP's on monday:sHa_shakeshout:

And yea! lots of moose in them ditches!! found 6 antlers just looking in the ditch already!!:sHa_shakeshout:

I'm jealous about the shed finds!

PSP's are ok. Get to cover a variety of ground; but probably have to keep the warming fire outside the plot...

Geez, I think 1995 was the last time I actually laid out PSPs... Likely a bit diffrerent.
There was one PSP plot where I wrote the nicest and most perfect number 5 on an alum tag that I had ever wrote in my entire life on anything. I remember thinking that no one would ever notice. 10 mins later, my partner commented on my 5 after hearing me talk about it...lol

At least the snowshoeing is better now.

[spurly]

We have also had a real tough winter in the Crowsnest Pass, this is the most snow I have seen since the big flood in 95.I fear what is going to happen if we have a fast melt or lots of rain.I think this winter is going to be real tough on our sheep population, the elk and deer seem to have found windblwn ridges to feed on so hopefully will be ok.The pics below are from last week, we got another foot of snow since.