How bad is the snow on Kodiak this year

[WFGinNM]

TB,

How is the snow on the Island, are the rumors about a die off true?

--Bill

 

[TBinKodiak]

Its the most snow we've had in quit a few years. Also been dang cold for here too. There's been a couple articles in the paper about the deer stuck up on the mts and not able to get down because of all the snow. We've seen a couple dead ones on the beachs, and there are a lot of deer on the roads and beachs. The bios aren't ready to say its going to be a big die off, its going to depend on if the spring is early or late. The big die offs that occured in 99 & 98 were due to very late springs.
Either way you look at it the deer are fairly stressed so I'm not expecting good horn growth for the coming fall. Just have to hunt harder I guess.

 

[WFGinNM]

Thanks TB, I'm still looking forward to this coming November.

--Bill

 

[BRWNBR]

i talked with the bios a few days back and they said currently its just the fawns that seem to be dying off, the mature deer are still belly above the snow on the ridges, so hopefully the snow will slow down and maybe blow clean in alot of places.
i have to add that the deer we shot this fall had more fat than any deer i've shot in the past ten years, hopefully that'll go a long way to help out.
coincidentaly, the fall after the big die off of 99 i had my best year for big bucks...go figure.

 

[Hntnhrd]

any updates???????????????

 

[TBinKodiak]

It warmed up for about 2 weeks in early February and rained. That got rid of most of the snow down low. It has been fairly cold since, but with little snow. The warm spell allowed a lot of the deer that were stuck up high access to lower elevations and brouse. As long as spring arrives on time around mid April I think they will fair OK. Still some die off but not what it could have been if we hadn't had the warm spell. I'll keep you posted should it be a bad spring.

 

[WFGinNM]

Thanks for the update TB.

--Bill

 

[Oak]

Hard winters take a toll on deer

Thick snow crust can be a key to survival

Dorothy Frary remembers dozens of carcasses on the beach.

Frary grew up in Juneau, and as a girl in the mid-1960s, her family picnicked and beach-combed around Young Bay on Admiralty Island. Occasionally in the spring they'd find a winter-killed deer, but one year was exceptional.

"There were these big groups of carcasses," she said. "It was like they had all made it down to the beach, and then died. They were just bones and fur, and my dad explained they were winter kill."

Deep snow is a big problem for Alaska's deer. Deer put on body fat in the summer, and they depend on those reserves, and a meager winter maintenance diet, to get them through the cold times.

When snow gets chest-deep on deer, they expend a lot of energy getting around. It also makes finding nutritious food difficult, and predators are more likely to be successful.

The mid-1960s marked three consecutive years of record snowfall in Juneau. The 1970s opened with two consecutive winters of deep snow that also made the list of the top 10 snowiest years on record.

Those severe winters in the early 1970s resulted in significant deer die-offs in Southeast. In the aftermath, the hunting season and bag limit were scaled back. Hunting season was closed in the Petersburg, Kupreanof and Kuiu Island area of central Southeast Alaska.

Wildlife biologist Matt Kirchhoff said the deer population rebounded quickly in many areas, such as the ABC Islands (Admiralty, Baranof and Chichagof), because of a good crop of new fawns. That wasn't true on Kuiu Island and neighboring areas with lots of black bears and wolves, which eat the young deer.

Record snowfall isn't always a problem for deer. Snow can melt in midwinter, and often does. Snow that develops a crust thick enough to support a deer's weight is far less stressful than heavy snow deer must wade through. Deep snow that persists into spring is hardest on deer.

"You could have 200 inches one year and 500 another, and it wouldn't be as bad, depending on when it fell, and how it froze and how long it lasted," said biologist Neil Barten.

Different areas of Southeast offer better habitat and conditions than others, and these "microclimates" can vary tremendously.

Even before Juneau broke its the seasonal snow record with over 195 inches at the airport, Annex Creek, just 12 miles south of town and also at sea level, had 450 inches, more than 37 feet.

"That's why we have a hydro plant there," said Scott Willis, an engineer with Alaska Electric Light and Power.

All that snow hasn't accumulated. There's been melting and consolidation over the winter.

Those conditions are one reason why deer have never done particularly well on the mainland of Southeast. Sitka black-tailed deer range up the Pacific coastline from Southern British Columbia to Juneau, and have been introduced to Prince William Sound, Yakutat and Kodiak Island.

"This is about the northern extreme of their natural range," Kirchhoff said. "Juneau was as far north as they went before we started transplanting them. They do okay on the islands, but the winters are generally just too tough on the mainland."

Deer transplanted to Kodiak and its neighboring islands in the 1930s established a population that has thrived. But they've seen some tough winters, including this one.

"We started off with lots of snow, which rained off," said Larry Van Daele, a state wildlife biologist in Kodiak. Then temperatures dipped into the teens. "We lost most of the fawns early, and now the adults are starting to tip over," he said.

Van Daele said the Department of Fish and Game may consider reducing the deer hunting seasons and/or bag limits next fall to help the herds rebuild. That's what happened after the winter of 1998-99.

"That was a severe winter, not as much snow, but very cold," he said. "We lost 70 percent of the deer on the archipelago. Deer were literally windrowed in the kelp line. Since we don't have the trees for shelter, they head out to the beaches, but it's wind-swept and cold. They die and the tides wash them around."

Following the die-off in 1999, conditions were favorable and the population rebounded.

"They're pretty responsive and quick to rebuild, provided conditions return to normal," he said.

Van Daele plans to conduct mortality surveys in the next few months to assess the situation. That involves counting live and dead deer and looking at their body condition.

In Southeast, LaVern Beier and Neil Barten of Fish and Game are also hoping to gather information on winter kill. They will discuss options with other Southeast wildlife managers for collecting information about deer and the magnitude of the winter on their health and numbers. That may involve airplane flights over parts of Chichagof and Admiralty Islands to count living and dead deer.

Other ideas include landing and measuring snow depths in various habitat types, collecting and analyzing deer pellets to assess diets and nutrition, and assessing availability and degrees of browsing on shrubs such as blueberry plants.

 

[muskeg]

reports are starting to come in from all over SE and it ain't pretty .....

 

[Hntnhrd]

Figures, the year I book a hunt to Kodiak half the herd will be gone. Oh well more halibut fishing then.

 

[BuzzH]

Glad I went this past fall...perfect timing.

 

[muskeg]

I would say that there will probably be a reduction in the bag limit on Kodiak. Probably back to one Buck like they have done in past winter die-off situations.

If your Transporter or Guide has not been in contact with you about this issue I would be wondering about a few things.

What does your contract say about this situation. A contract is required by law for a Transporter or Guide after deposit has been made.


12 AAC 75.450. TRANSPORTER CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS. (a) A transporter or a registered
guide-outfitter contracting solely to provide transportation services shall deliver a written contract to the client
(1) within 90 days after receipt of a deposit, and before transportation services are provided; or
(2) as soon as possible, and before transportation services are provided, if a deposit is received less than 90
days before transportation services are to be provided.
(b) A written contract to provide transportation services must
(1) include the name, license number, and signature of the transporter or guide-outfitter, and must include the
name of the transporter’s or guide-outfitter’s business if it is different from the name of the individual transporter or
guide-outfitter;
(2) include the name and signature of the client;
(3) list each big game animal to be hunted;
(4) state the cost, payment schedule, and specific weight limitation, if any;
(5) set out the deposit refund or transfer policy upon cancellation;
(6) state that services are for transportation only;
(7) state that guide services are not provided;
(8) state that the client is responsible for salvage of the meat during the hunt;
(9) state that the client is responsible for salvage of the meat after the hunt unless the meat is legally
transferred to a third party;
(10) identify the methods of communication with the transporter during the time clients are in the filed, such as
use of a satellite phone, VHF radio, overflight, or signal device;
(11) state who is responsible for the cost of extra trips to transport meat if necessary;
(12) include the following statement: “A licensed transporter may provide transportation services with
accommodations only at a permanent lodge, house, or cabin owned by the transporter or on a boat with permanent
living quarters located on salt water. A licensed transporter may not accompany or remain in the field with a big
game hunter who is a client of the transporter except as necessary to perform transportation services”; and
(13) include the following statement: “A licensed transporter may not provide vehicles, fuel, camping,
hunting, or game processing equipment, or any hunting services such as skinning, caping, or cleaning of game,
glassing, and packing in the field, including from a permanent structure or on a boat on salt water.”

 

[AkBearHunter]

I would call the bio in Kodiak and get it straight from him but I'd bet the deer herd on Kodiak is going to be fine.

 

[muskeg]

All recent quotes from the Biologists on Kodiak. No deer population in Alaska is doing just fine including Prince of Wales Island.

Well it was confirmed by 2 Biologists today...Winter kill second only to the huge die off of '88/'89. Trophy buck will be few and far between. Hunters may be lucky to score on a forkie. 75%-80% of this past years fawns are dead as well as the mature bucks that had no time to recover from the rut when the storms hit. I'm more than likely not going to Kodiak this year or next. smiley_sad.jpg

The deer have taken quite a hit this winter. We suspect we've lost
about 70% of the fawns that were produced last summer due to winter
mortality. The adults have done much better, but it is still winter
(temperature in the teens, strong winds and more snow came last night).
We are planning to conduct winter mortality surveys during the second
week of April, and after that we should have a better feel for the
impact this winter had on the deer population.

"We started off with lots of snow, which rained off," said Larry Van Daele, a state wildlife biologist in Kodiak. Then temperatures dipped into the teens. "We lost most of the fawns early, and now the adults are starting to tip over," he said.

Van Daele said the Department of Fish and Game may consider reducing the deer hunting seasons and/or bag limits next fall to help the herds rebuild. That's what happened after the winter of 1998-99.

"That was a severe winter, not as much snow, but very cold," he said. "We lost 70 percent of the deer on the archipelago. Deer were literally windrowed in the kelp line. Since we don't have the trees for shelter, they head out to the beaches, but it's wind-swept and cold. They die and the tides wash them around."

 

[TBinKodiak]

Well I look at it this way. Instead of looking over 15-30 bucks a day I'll be seeing 5-15. I may not get that 4x4 w/ eyeguards this fall, but its still better than a lot of places I've hunted. My friend is a rescue swimmer in the CG and he said there are a lot of dead deer on the beaches, but it was worse in 98-99. Said they flew over Hinchinbrook and Montague on their way back from Cordova earlier this week and they saw "thousands" of live deer on the beaches. It was low tide and the kelp beds were dry so the deer were out feeding.
Finally touched 40 today. My yard is still snow covered but hopefully spring is coming.

 

[muskeg]

"thousands" of deer on the beach is not a good thing. Major over-browse will have bad affects for years and many of those deer are stressed to the max.

Biologist call them 'walking dead'.

And a diet of Kelp for to long will kill deer.

 

[BRWNBR]

from what i've seen on the deer kill of 99, was the best fall for big bucks, you won't get a forkie cause the young deer won't make it, seemed like the older mature bucks survived the winters, had the best fall of hunting ever for overall buck size the fall after the winter kill.
Deer on beaches ain't really a good thing, the food they need isn't there, it'll sustain them for a while but not for long. Good thing sspring is around the corner.
But your right instead of 2 dozen bucks a hunt it might only be a dozen. i'd be suprised if the bag limit went to one buck, two bucks i could see (kodiak), even that would cut down on the number of deer harveted not just because of the limit, but fewer people would hunt. if it went to a one deer limit you would probably see very very very few non locals hunting deer, if any.

All of a sudden the cost for a transported hunt and a guided hunt for the same number of deer, guided will start looking like a good option, as you know guides already know how to hunt deer, transported hunters typically don't, sure they kill deer but not usually the best deer in the area. One charter outfitt on their web page they take ten hunts a year at a max of ten hunters per trip..thats up to a max of 100 deer hunters a year, figure they are probably only using three or four bays/valleys and theire not the only transporter in the area..man how you would you like to be hunter number 87 into a valley....? lot to be said for guided deer hunts. but moneys is the deciding factor for most guys, understandably so.

i'm anxious to see what kodiak does.

 

[BRWNBR]

"Van Daele said the Department of Fish and Game may consider reducing the deer hunting seasons and/or bag limits next fall to help the herds rebuild. That's what happened after the winter of 1998-99."

just got off the phone with kodiak fish and game and there is no plan to change the bag limit for this fall, as of right now they havne't done their surveys,that will be mid may or so befor they actually have some hard numbers of what the die off is, right now they just know there is one. no numbers or guesses are being taken yet...and the bag limit for fall 07 will remain at 3, they were going to up the bag limit this fall if this winter was looking good, but its not, so the limit wont' change.

 

[BuzzH]

BRWNBR,

Good info, thanks.

I wouldnt be too concerned with being hunter 87 in any area on Kodiak.

From what I saw, its the same old story as everywhere else. Most hunters are lazy and dont walk too far.

We hit the beach at daylight and hiked pretty much non-stop for 3-4 hours and we had NO competition from anyone. The first mile or so from the beach, we saw signs of other hunters...after that...nothing but deer that were both numerous and dumb as a box of rocks. 15-35 bucks a day was common and I could have shot deer each day over 80 inches...nice 3x3's with eyeguards.

Between my buddy and I we took 2 bucks each. We both shot one over 90 inches and both shot one around 85...and we were the last hunters booked with our transporter.

I believe its more a question of hunting hard and judging deer than who hunted there before you. JMHO.

 

[BRWNBR]

buzz your right on the money hunting harder and going farther when an area has been hit be people before you is the best way to find the deer. hunter number 87 mighta only went in a mile, got discourged and turned around, you and your buddy may have been 88 and 89, but you went farther hunted harder and found where the deer had been pushed too. nice work.