Winterkill in Northern Region 8

[phade]

I haven't been out since December, but a couple acquaintances have come across a fair amount of winterkill in areas where it has traditionally not been super common. Southern Monroe Co. specifically. High DPSM but also alot of food sources. Most of the pics I was shown were deer bedded right along a well worn trail leading to and from bedding/food. All young deer.

 

 

[growalot]

I saw a couple of young ones bedded right on the neighbors pond yesterday...I think they were staying low due to the wind ...pond bank had it blowing over them...and I believe they were eating cattails...I have had damage to my concolor bark but surprised lower maple limbs have not been nipped...Even the apples lower branches have faired well...they have been digging to get to the moss that covers my woods

[Zag]

I took a walk up at the land and the snows knee deep. I checked the t cam and had one pic all month. Cant imagine how the deer or turkey could be holding up well at this point.

[Lawdwaz]

I did a little snowshoeing down in Arcade last Saturday.  There is plenty of snow there and they always get a ton anyway but like others have said, the combination of deep snow and super cold temps sure don't look good.  I could see some areas where they had dug down deeper than I've ever seen before.  Much evidence of browsing on pine needles and branches could be seen too.  I did see two deer, they were only about 75 yards away and stood for probably 20 seconds before chugging off in the snow.

 

The trails,tracks and deep beds were numerous...........

 

 

 

 

I saw no place where they had dug deep enough to get to open ground for feeding, just bedding. 

 

 

[Doc]

I am getting a little concerned. The weatherman is seeing no real relief in sight, and the snow is belly deep, and deeper, on the deer. It all depends on when the weather really decides to break. If this crap continues into April there could be some real problems come next hunting season.

[stoneam2006]

I've been seeing lots of deer here in 9x seem to look ok and moving ok....snow is real deep and I'm sure it's causing winter kill to dome extent....my big worry is turkeys and I'm not much of a bird hunter but normally see them in big flocks in the few fields around us and haven't seen any in at least a month or better....i always like watching the birds up behind house doing their dance....one hen has layed eggs on same spot for few years now I'd hate for that to stop

[phade]

Yes, the back end of the winter/first part of spring is where the real danger is to winterkill. Reserves on deer run about 3 mos. and this is that window where they are exhausted.

[dbHunterNY]

yea 90 day clock is about up.  I haven't been out much lately.  getting more snow tonight.  I may skirt some bedding areas down wind and hinge cut some more smaller tender stuff to the ground.  I try to stay away this late though unless it's relatively warm with little to no snow.  they don't need me chasing them through the snow.  it probably takes a lot of buds and little woody shoots to get back the energy it takes to run up and over to the next ridge.  that and it's pretty darn cold and miserable out.  especially this record month.

[genesee_mohican]

It's been a concern the last few weeks. We need a good thaw to melt this snow. The next problem I fear will be a brief warm up, followed by more cold temps turning the snow into a condensed hardened barrier over the ground. Then it takes even more energy to dig down to greens or a left over acorn. A crusted over snow can make for difficult walking to. Mother Nature sure can be harsh.

[wildcat junkie]

I don't know about region 8, but this fluffy powder snow would seem to be a lot less stressful for the deer here in 6 than the hard frozen stuff we had last year from Christmas on.

Edited March 3, 2015 by wildcat junkie

[Four Season Whitetail's]

Have been told the deer on Letchworth that use our farm as a food source helper in the winter look great and are many. They bed in the safety zone to bed and step out into our alfalfa to dig. Then down the swamp and up into the hardwoods, then back to the park to bed. Pretty much as they do year around. Good news!

[Doc]

One of the difficult things is to recognize the signs of deer starvation stress. The deer's winter coat covers a lot of the display of emaciation.

[WNY Bowhunter]

We have probably 15" or so on the ground here in NE Steuben. There are lots of deer tracks around so I guess that means that there are still living deer in the area...hopefully, the warm up next week will get a lot of it melted off.  Hopefully, I won't find too many carcasses when I start my serious shed hunting in 2-3 weeks.

Edited March 4, 2015 by WNY Bowhunter

[NYBuckHunter27]

Havent been able to get out into the woods for some time, snow drifts are unpassable at this time. Hopefully next weeks warm up will be the end of the snow, i think the deer will be fine but i guess i wont be surprised if i find some dead.

[growalot]

WE got 4" that crusted then 2" fluff on that...not good..first time drive way has beaten me...1-2 inches of ice under the new snow over the 28 out there in the woods...but even that over 4 " in drive is a heart attack in the making...managed to clear just mailbox both drive entrances and enough to park 3 chemicals...cutting ice layer was tuff wouldn't want to try and walk it

[wolc123]

I just saw a group of 5-6 on the drive home from work. I watched them from less than 50 yards away in the broad daylight. The adults look ok, but the only one that looked less than a year old in the group was a pitiful sight. It's hide was hanging loose and it was visibly trembling after each leap. "Leaping" is the only way it could maneuver in the 30" or so of loose snow. I doubt it will make it thru the night. It looks like 1-1/2 year bucks and does, in this part of zone 9, will be few and far between this coming season. They are calling this the coldest, snowiest winter ever recorded at the Buffalo Airport and it looks like the winter kill of deer may reflect that. I am glad I made plenty of hay while the sun shined last season. I'll have to see if I can get me some bear this year.

[NFA-ADK]

3 Months  wow, we would not make it one week in this weather with little to no food or shelter.  Amazing animals, praying for a heat wave!  Just finished shoveling and I hope this is the last time for the season and spring brakes winters grip.

[growalot]

That's vehicles..not chemicals...(auto correct)

[fasteddie]

That's vehicles..not chemicals...(auto correct)

 

I was wondering how you would park 3 chemicals !

[growalot]

Eddie, I do not know whats up with that Kindle...I know dang well the words are spelled correctly ..hit send and I never know what entire sentences will be replaced with............ drives me crazy...

 

Any whoo just got back and I had to drive very very slowly while a single skinny little fawn walked up the side of the road infront of me...it finally got o the pine woods across from my lower field and crossed infront of me going into them...no other deer in sight and it stopped to watch me drive by...face all sunkun it and very rough coat...pines looked good but the snow is just so very deep everywhere else...

I went to TC farms for more dog and chicken food....so I strolled around past the corn and it was nearly all   gone... ....hoping to get out and start the trees this week end better late than never...it was -5 when we woke this morning and -3 when I left for the gym...

Edited March 6, 2015 by growalot

[stoneam2006]

Just had a group of 5 out behind house looked pretty healthy even the yearlings looked ok....they were hitting the pine trees pretty hard but looked good weren't skinny and coats looked good...hope the rest look that good....think the crop of acorns and locally the field greens really helped them put the weight on....hope this ends soon for everything's sake....should have taken a pic but didn't think about it.

[Nomad]

Daughter stopped by to do some wash, said 4 deer moving through the neighborhood , they looked good and were moving well .

I walked the dog down the Hojack trail, lost count of the tracks coming from the woods across the trail and into yards. Seemed like a ton were on their feet last couple days hitting the plants and bushes in folks yards.

[NYBuckHunter27]

i have seen deer on every south facing slope or high point in a field today, they are definatly hungry!

[phade]

I am seeing ALOT of deer now driving back and forth to work. Hopefully this is the end of the doomsday winter weather.

[dbHunterNY]

yea getting mild lately.  snow packs going down.  had a herd of deer passing through my yard and they all looked good.  haven't been to the family farm I also hunt to see how they're doing out that way.