Winter kill update

[WYelker]

The hits just keep coming, but its supposed to be a short lived cold snap and than back in the upper 40's...at least around Laramie.

I'm trying to stay positive, but this winter has been pretty rough, lots of snow and extended cold.

I really think deeper tag cuts should be made in some areas of the state. The GF is sitting on about a years worth of reserves money wise...cut tags the next 2-3 years and hope for a couple easy winters.

I fully agree. My entire family submitted comments that we need deeper cuts than those proposed. We said it will suck for a couple years but we need to just suck it up.

I am afraid I have very little faith in the managers here in Lander. They were like 20 tags here, 25 there. Nothing like what they should have cut. To make matter worse, talk to 2 different people about the winter kill and get different stories and different numbers. They have no freaking clue here what they actually lost. One area is seeing no cuts at all for lopes. The Riverton South guy said they had already cut tags last 2 years and it did not seem all that bad. Which is crazy as the units winter range overlaps with the lopes on the north side of Green Mountain, the biologist monitoring that herd said in January he had lost all his fawns, and that he was already seeing 50% mortality on his collared adults. The lopes in both units share a massive chunk of winter range the way it was explained to me…

Short seasons for deer, more reduction in general NR tags, elimination of all doe fawn tags… it will hurt but if we do it for 2 years we can make a huge difference moving forward.

 

[LopeHunter]

Will be interesting if the biologists or the accountants have more influence the next couple of months. I will say it again, my conclusion is anything that grows F&G revenues will be justified. Cutting tags means less money and junkies need more and more. There is an obvious need to cut tag numbers for certain species. We shall see. Private industry would layoff employees, stretch a couple of more years out of vehicles, give up office space, etc. I rarely see a government agency take such measures. Time to crank up the non-resident fees boys!!

 

[BuzzH]

Will be interesting if the biologists or the accountants have more influence the next couple of months. I will say it again, my conclusion is anything that grows F&G revenues will be justified. Cutting tags means less money and junkies need more and more. There is an obvious need to cut tag numbers for certain species. We shall see. Private industry would layoff employees, stretch a couple of more years out of vehicles, give up office space, etc. I rarely see a government agency take such measures. Time to crank up the non-resident fees boys!!

Fee increases already passed and in place for 2024. GF has about a years worth of reserves. No reason to not cut tags and they have. Will cut them more is my guess.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

Will be interesting if the biologists or the accountants have more influence the next couple of months. I will say it again, my conclusion is anything that grows F&G revenues will be justified. Cutting tags means less money and junkies need more and more. There is an obvious need to cut tag numbers for certain species. We shall see. Private industry would layoff employees, stretch a couple of more years out of vehicles, give up office space, etc. I rarely see a government agency take such measures. Time to crank up the non-resident fees boys!!

Do you have examples of WY G&F failing to cut tags when needed for herd health, for financial reasons? I’m legitimately curious, because I haven’t seen it — I watch some regions much more closely than others though.

 

[WesternWyoming]

Pronghorn/mule deer hunters in central Wyoming! Here's one more chance to listen and speak up! If you live in central Wyoming, show up in Rawlins on Tues. Apr. 4th. If you can't go in person, logon early b/c the Zoom meeting is limited to the first 100 logons. Many couldn't participate online at the Pinedale meeting once the quota was filled. Here's the press release from the Governor's office:

​

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 2, 2023 CONTACT: Ivy McGowan-Castleberry [email protected] Governor Gordon to Hold Second Town Hall to Discuss Wildlife Impacted by Severe Winter Weather CHEYENNE, Wyo. – Governor Mark Gordon and Wyoming Game and Fish Director Brian Nesvik have announced a second town hall meeting on Tuesday, April 4, at the Jeffrey Community Center in Rawlins, WY. Like the town hall in Pinedale, the forum focuses on providing an update on the status of Wyoming wildlife impacted by the extreme winter weather and obtaining residents' input. Wyoming residents, state legislators and local elected officials are invited to attend in person or virtually through Zoom. Following a brief presentation by the Wyoming Game and Fish, the meeting will be opened for questions and comments by the public. When: Tuesday, April 4, 2023 4-5:30 pm Where: In-person Jeffrey Community Center 315 West Pine St. Rawlins, WY 82301 Virtually Join Zoom Webinar Webinar ID: 835 5355 0566 Passcode: 045552

 

[WesternWyoming]

Here is the update on the Pinedale town hall meeting from the Governor's office. There's a link at the end for viewing & hearing the meeting:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 31, 2023
CONTACT: Ivy McGowan-Castleberry
[email protected]

Governor Convenes Pinedale Town Hall to Discuss Wildlife Losses​

CHEYENNE, Wyo. – This winter has been one of the hardest winters Wyoming has experienced in recent history. According to temperatures recorded at the Pinedale airport, the 30-year average for days of temperatures below zero is approximately 39 days. This year, there were 62 days below-zero temperatures. Compounding the winter conditions has been an unusually large amount of snow, with many areas currently at 125-150% of the average snowpack. These factors have severely impacted Wyoming wildlife, and concerns from the public have grown as antelope, and deer carcasses have become substantially visible.

In response to the growing concerns Governor Gordon heard from constituents and legislators, the Governor called for a town hall meeting to provide an opportunity to hear directly from citizens in areas most impacted and to discuss solutions that work for Wyoming wildlife. The town hall was held at the Pinedale library and was open to the public through Zoom.

Joining Governor Gordon and Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) Director Brian Nesvik was Dr. Kevin Montieth, a professor at the University of Wyoming’s Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources. Dr. Monteith shared with the audience that in addition to tougher than usual winter conditions, antelope have been hit hard by a rare bacterial pneumonia, which appears to be spreading.

Dr. Monteith further explained that some solutions that have been called for, such as feeding antelope and mule deer, are not good solutions because, unlike elk, the digestive systems of these animals cannot quickly adjust to hay. Monteith explained to an audience of more than 200 that the best solution to help Wyoming wildlife is protecting and enhancing the animals’ habitat and protecting migration routes so animals can more easily seek forage. Access to their natural foods over the summer and fall allows the animals to enter winter with higher body fat content, helping them survive winter when shrubs and sagebrush brush are scarce.

Governor Gordon and Director Nesvik heard many suggestions, including limiting hunting quotas and seasons this year. Director Nesvik explained that this is an ongoing evaluation, and the WGFD continually monitor all the factors, taking them into account in future decisions. “We are experiencing one of the toughest winters for big game in Wyoming’s recent history,” noted Director Nesvik. We have difficult decisions to make, and I appreciate everyone who came to our town hall. Rest assured; those tough decisions will be made in consideration of biology and the advice we hear from concerned citizens.”

Concluding the town hall, Governor Gordon stated, “I thank all who came to the town hall in person or virtually. Wyoming people care deeply about our wildlife. That was clearly shown today. I greatly appreciate all the suggestions, questions and comments they shared today. Wyoming folks are not shy. I am committed to working with our citizens to provide healthy wildlife populations for generations to come.”

A Zoom recording of the town hall can be viewed here.

 

[WYelker]

Don’t know that many will be able to make the 4th. Given the weather and current conditions.

I would sure love to chew on the uppers ears given the situation and the continued idea that we give 160 tags organizations that could otherwise go to the people of WY.

 

[manitou1]

Yes, they are calling for 8-12" in this next storm here, with more darned cold temps.

Well, 8-12" here in the foothills with 45 mph winds (yay!).
Up to 22" more snow on the mountain.

 

[WesternWyoming]

4/3/23 Update from the Governor's office on the Rawlins town hall meeting tomorrow: it will be virtual only and they will allow 500 participants.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 3, 2023
CONTACT: Ivy McGowan-Castleberry
[email protected]

CHEYENNE, Wyo. – Due to severe winter weather expected across much of the State today and tomorrow, Governor Gordon has determined to move forward with a virtual-only Rawlins town hall instead of both in-person and virtually.

The Zoom webinar can accommodate 500 guests and will begin at 4 pm on April 4, 2023, as previously scheduled.

When:
Tuesday, Apr 4, 2023
4-5:30 pm

Where:
Virtually
Join Zoom Webinar
Webinar ID: 835 5355 0566
Passcode: 045552

 

[Outdoor Junkie]

The hits just keep coming, but its supposed to be a short lived cold snap and than back in the upper 40's...at least around Laramie.

I'm trying to stay positive, but this winter has been pretty rough, lots of snow and extended cold.

I really think deeper tag cuts should be made in some areas of the state. The GF is sitting on about a years worth of reserves money wise...cut tags the next 2-3 years and hope for a couple easy winters.

Agreed! Short term sacrifice for hunters, but the antelope and deer herds need to recover.

 

[The Hedgehog]

It's bad enough just north of the border, as bad as I've ever seen it. Today I drove from Bozeman down 191 and once into the Gallatin canyon, the snow started getting super deep. Once at Big Sky, the fields that usually hold wintering elk along 191 were nothing but giant drifts with not a single barren hillside or elk track. I never saw a single elk track heading south through YNP to West Yellowstone (ungodly snow there have never seen West with snow like that ever and it's April). Then headed to Island Park, Ashton and Driggs.. and that's where it's obvious that if animals didn't get through there months ago- early in the winter, they are long gone and have been dead for a long time. There were 8-10 foot walls (some places higher) where plows went through and a lot of places miles from the mtns that have 4-5' of snow on the level. I headed back same way, except went over Raynolds Pass to Ennis. There are literally thousands of elk stacked up all across the winter range there and not much snow comparatively, once you get into the Papoose and north area to Ennis. If the animals didn't get to winter range early, they got smoked in that country. If it's like that farther south, and worse. Going hunting is something not many will be enjoying for a long time.

 

[The Hedgehog]

Drummond ID and the Island Park Ranger Station today.

 

[Washington Hunter]

Good year to go fishing, I guess?

 

[Washington Hunter]

Just checked the weather report, it's supposed to be in the upper 60s to low 70s early next week in Wyoming.

 

[manitou1]

Casper set a record yesterday with 27" of snow in one day! Expecting to hit 36" today.

Yes, warmer days ahead!

 

[Fremont15]

Luckily the snow from this storm is already starting to melt so it shouldn’t be too detrimental.

 

[WYelker]

Sat in and commented on the meeting with Gordon. The quick summary. Things are bad and they know it. People are telling them to take extreme steps to save what we have.

There were a few comments about general deer going limited quota. Luckily the director pointed out that general deer tags are not a barrier to recovery. Also pointed out that would be a much larger and bigger issue than flipping a switch.

Lots of talk about habitat importance but no real action.

I made comments about horses and making sure they are kept inside HMAs and that the BLM is doing their job to horses inside hma.

Also pointed out that NR Quota for W is only dropping 13% despite a 40% die off if not more….

 

[rogerthat]

Luckily the director pointed out that general deer tags are not a barrier to recovery.

Is that because they are buck tags?

 

[WYelker]

Is that because they are buck tags?

Ultimately yes they are… so it will change the buck doe ratios but not necessarily the fertility and fawn rate. Also many of the general areas have implemented point restriction and as a result the restriction are moving the age class of the deer towards an age class more likely to survive the winters etc.

Also in the Baggs area they have cut days off the season length, which should have some positive impact.

 

[The Hedgehog]

As a NR that has plenty of things to do any given time in the fall, I’m damn sure not going to spend roughly grand on a hunt where the animals just went through a winter holocaust. I’m buying a point, whether I end up using it or not. Hope you all have fun on those deer and antelope in the 6 month blizzard death zone. Draw those premier tags - good year for it.