flatlander51
WKR
Planning a hunt to co. Eagle county and usually try to hunt region h Wyoming. Any locals out there have any insight on winter kill numbers for this year?
In the Gunnison basin there will be winter klll as well. The deer are looking pretty rough and as was said what winter range browse there was is gone. Still 3ish feet of snow w thick crust on a lot of winter range. Deer are competing w elk for food.. Not as bad as 08 and 17 but not good...
X2 on the coyotes and lions as they hammer the deer on years like this. Saw a group of 10+ coyotes running on top of the snow all fat and happy.
Not going to help that it looks like like 2 more storms are lined up for the next week. Time to go skiing.
It can’t be a hot topic if people don’t bring it up. We’ve had one thread going on Idaho winterkill for over a month. Just needed to hear from some Colorado guys.Like another said, I figured this would have been one of the hottest topics on here. Terrible, extreme weather in the Wyoming, Montana, Dakotas, Nebraska. Lot of animals suffering.
I did a little digging into the western Wyoming snow reports. The Upper Green River is at 101% of normal for March 21st. In 2017 the basin was at 175% of normal for the same day. The Snake River is at 112% this year compared to 153% in 2017.I’ve heard lots of snow form one guy in the Pinedale Wy area, competing with depths seen in ‘17. Some of those are H deer. Wondering if anyone can confirm it. It sounded weird to me because in 2017 that country was pushing 200% of snowpack by February, but they’re nowhere near that right now. But I’m no expert at reading the weather charts. Need @Josh Boyd to chime in. Hahahah sorry Josh!
I did a little digging into the western Wyoming snow reports. The Upper Green River is at 101% of normal for March 21st. In 2017 the basin was at 175% of normal for the same day. The Snake River is at 112% this year compared to 153% in 2017.
In other words the monitored basins in the west half of the state vary from 56% - 86% of where they were in 2017 which is significantly less. Unless there is another massive storm that dumps on the winter ranges I wouldn't worry too much about a large winter kill.
I did a little digging into the western Wyoming snow reports. The Upper Green River is at 101% of normal for March 21st. In 2017 the basin was at 175% of normal for the same day. The Snake River is at 112% this year compared to 153% in 2017.
In other words the monitored basins in the west half of the state vary from 56% - 86% of where they were in 2017 which is significantly less. Unless there is another massive storm that dumps on the winter ranges I wouldn't worry too much about a large winter kill.
Josh, is your data coming from the snowtel sites? When I check that, all the sites are located in our mountains. I feel that isn't exactly indicative of what is happening on the winter range in the area.
That’s a very valid point. The basin wide averages I listed are a quick snapshot of a basin and usually cover the high and mid elevation snow numbers with automated snotel readings. But they do offer a way to compare years at the same sites. I did look at the manual snow course survey numbers as well which usually give a better overall view of the mid to low elevations....but they are not real-time so there can be some differences since the last measurement. Although the March 1st manual readings are very similar to the real-time readings. I’m only talking Snow Water Equivalents not depth which plays into density...that is whole other conversation.
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