Wyoming Region H Winterkill

[archerynut21]

Hey guys, looking into Wyoming, I think I have a realistic chance at drawing H this year with my 5 points. When I first started buying points it was to hunt either G or H. It’s looking like G will be unobtainable for me with the point creep for a while. With this being said, is the winter kill looking as bad as it is on the Idaho side? I’m not sure I want to cash in my points if the deer population over there is getting hammered by the winter. Thanks guys.

 

[ccc23454]

Muleys are still not anywhere near recovered from 16/17 winters but this is looking like another bad year. You have time and bios are in working copy of changes now, watch for proposals then make decision. What if its a bad winter you going to wait 6-10 more years hoping for decent winters to hunt it or G?

 

[appaloosa]

Hunt now. This winter has most likely killed a large number of fawns, but adult deer tend to fair better. Mule deer hunting is going to get worse before it gets better.

 

[archerynut21]

Thanks for the input guys. I’m a diehard mule deer hunter and houndsman from southeast Idaho. I’d like to get a buck bigger than I have before. Hopefully this winter didn’t hit the mature bucks as hard. I’d be more than happy with a 150”-160” buck if that’s the best I can turn up. Thanks!

 

[nrpate05]

I have 5 points and will very likely apply for Region H this year. The winter kill issue crossed my mind and it is looking like it may be pretty rough. My thought is that even if it is significant, the 2-5 year old deer should have the best chance at pulling through. If moisture continues into the summer, there will be good forage and less competition, so those deer that survived should have solid antler growth. I'd be happy taking the first good 4 point I see.

My initial plan was to hold out for G, but I'd rather hunt H twice than G once in the same time frame and I'm familiar with a lot of the terrain in H.

 

[2rocky]

 

[JLS]

Hunt now. This winter has most likely killed a large number of fawns, but adult deer tend to fair better. Mule deer hunting is going to get worse before it gets better.

This.

The affects of winter kill on mature bucks won’t really show itself until 4-7 years down the road.

 

[88man]

I thought it wasn't that bad in Casper>>>> more snow west and south

 

[huntandfly]

The dichotomy between wanting moisture to fix a historic drought and not wanting so much that animals die on the winter range is one that I don’t think I’ll ever be able to wrap my mind around. What are we rooting for here?

 

[JLS]

The dichotomy between wanting moisture to fix a historic drought and not wanting so much that animals die on the winter range is one that I don’t think I’ll ever be able to wrap my mind around. What are we rooting for here?

They are not completely linked. Snowpack maintains instream flows, which is critical for fish survival. However, snow pack doesn’t directly translate to improved forage conditions and drought relief.

Subsoil moisture and range conditions are going to be much more directly tied to rainfall, particularly in early fall and then late spring/early summer.

You can have entirely full reservoirs but still have dismal range conditions.

 

[huntandfly]

They are not completely linked. Snowpack maintains instream flows, which is critical for fish survival. However, snow pack doesn’t directly translate to improved forage conditions and drought relief.

Subsoil moisture and range conditions are going to be much more directly tied to rainfall, particularly in early fall and then late spring/early summer.

You can have entirely full reservoirs but still have dismal range conditions.

Much appreciated. Still a link though as far as high country retention of moisture and feed quality later into the summer/fall especially for mule deer. Less relevant in the winter range I suppose, that’s where you really don’t want these killer winters to wipe out vulnerable animals. If we could have our cake and eat it too, we would have heavy snows up high and and mild snow on the winter range followed by significant rainfall

 

[JLS]

Much appreciated. Still a link though as far as high country retention of moisture and feed quality later into the summer/fall especially for mule deer. Less relevant in the winter range I suppose, that’s where you really don’t want these killer winters to wipe out vulnerable animals. If we could have our cake and eat it too, we would have heavy snows up high and and mild snow on the winter range followed by significant rainfall

Yes, there is still a link as the timing of snowpack melt will significantly affect how rapidly things dry out in the upper elevations.

However, with respect to winter range conditions the amount of snow has little impact. Most of the winter snow moisture will sublimate. Not much goes into the ground.

 

[huntandfly]

Yes, there is still a link as the timing of snowpack melt will significantly affect how rapidly things dry out in the upper elevations.

However, with respect to winter range conditions the amount of snow has little impact. Most of the winter snow moisture will sublimate. Not much goes into the ground.

So other than wet snowfall in early spring, most winter range snowfall is bad for big game?

Makes sense I suppose with how cold it stays during the winter months there and how frozen the ground it

 

[JLS]

So other than wet snowfall in early spring, most winter range snowfall is bad for big game?

For the most part. Late summer/early fall precipitation in any form is pretty valuable for forage quality as well.

Late spring snows that are really heavy are good for winter range conditions because the ground is typically thawed out and most of the water is absorbed into the soil instead of running off.

 

[ccc23454]

For the most part. Late summer/early fall precipitation in any form is pretty valuable for forage quality as well.

Late spring snows that are really heavy are good for winter range conditions because the ground is typically thawed out and most of the water is absorbed into the soil instead of running off.

These days seems H&G's biggest wintering problem is O&G, highway traffic, ag/cattle and the growing pop of whitetails. Mix in just some weather and crusty snow then places to shelter and forage have been drastically reduced or have completely disappeared. I am afraid the best days of the units is behind us...

 

[Deleted member 18333]

These days seems H&G's biggest wintering problem is O&G, highway traffic, ag/cattle and the growing pop of whitetails. Mix in just some weather and crusty snow then places to shelter and forage have been drastically reduced or have completely disappeared. I am afraid the best days of the units is behind us...

I suspect you are correct. Flip side is the elk herds in these areas just keep getting better and better

 

[Skeletor]

Hey guys, looking into Wyoming, I think I have a realistic chance at drawing H this year with my 5 points. When I first started buying points it was to hunt either G or H. It’s looking like G will be unobtainable for me with the point creep for a while. With this being said, is the winter kill looking as bad as it is on the Idaho side? I’m not sure I want to cash in my points if the deer population over there is getting hammered by the winter. Thanks guys.

Curious what you decided. I just walked away from my H tag. We hiked in 7 miles and saw a handful a doe and maybe 5 bucks. I can’t believe how bad it was. I can’t justify burning more leave for this hunt. We saw more smaller (2 year) olds type bucks than anything too. It looks like between 70-80% of the deer didn’t make it. Based on our experience. This was defiantly the case. Assuming that is the case and the best case scenario for recovery is a 20% increase we are looking at a minimum of 7(70%) years to 13(80%) to recover back to last years level, which was already considered pretty low. That also assumed optimal conditions. Pretty scary outlook for the Wyoming range deer herd. That doesn’t include the fact that they are expecting an extremely low survival rate for the fawns born this year too because the does were so stressed. I’m just kind of venting here. I love the Wyoming range, but it may not even be decent again in my lifetime.

 

[Magnum Sherpa]

Curious what you decided. I just walked away from my H tag. We hiked in 7 miles and saw a handful a doe and maybe 5 bucks. I can’t believe how bad it was. I can’t justify burning more leave for this hunt. We saw more smaller (2 year) olds type bucks than anything too. It looks like between 70-80% of the deer didn’t make it. Based on our experience. This was defiantly the case. Assuming that is the case and the best case scenario for recovery is a 20% increase we are looking at a minimum of 7(70%) years to 13(80%) to recover back to last years level, which was already considered pretty low. That also assumed optimal conditions. Pretty scary outlook for the Wyoming range deer herd. That doesn’t include the fact that they are expecting an extremely low survival rate for the fawns born this year too because the does were so stressed. I’m just kind of venting here. I love the Wyoming range, but it may not even be decent again in my lifetime.

Didn’t the season just open on the 15th? You should get back out there and keep trying. 2.5 days of hunting is nothing, especially when the conditions aren’t ideal. That’s just my opinion.

 

[Mallardsx2]

That’s right. Get back out there and fill that tag!

Lol

 

[WyomingHunter333]

I have been hunting H and have not seen a lot of deer. I have only seen one 4x4 and he was maybe 3.5 years old, he got a pass, going big or going home. I will fill the freezer with the two elk tags I have. I hope our mule deer population will make a comeback one day...