HOW ARE THE GAME HERDS DOING THIS WINTER
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: jackson co. texas
Posts: 61
HOW ARE THE GAME HERDS DOING THIS WINTER
Starting to apply out west and just wondering how hard so far the winter has been on the game herds. I hope all is well but have been seeing reports of a lot of snow early in sone areas
#3
RE: HOW ARE THE GAME HERDS DOING THIS WINTER
I read that I think CO was planning to feed the heard, I guess a long hard wet winter? This just seems crazy to me that a state would pay etc....to feed/artificially a herd? I guess they don't want severe die off, just seems very unnatural, I surprised the envrionmentalists arent raising a fuss over feeding? Just seems like they would let nature work its magic and work more towards managing the heards, setting harvest numbers etc...
#4
RE: HOW ARE THE GAME HERDS DOING THIS WINTER
So far Arizona is doing fantastic and it promises to be an excellent year. So far I have had over 3.5 inches of soft rain (the kind that soaks in and doesn't run off) here in Phoenix and the the mountains have had excellent snow fall and the snow pack is great as well. Looking forward to getting drawn this fall for elk, deer, and antelope if possible.
#5
RE: HOW ARE THE GAME HERDS DOING THIS WINTER
ORIGINAL: salukipv1
I read that I think CO was planning to feed the heard, I guess a long hard wet winter? This just seems crazy to me that a state would pay etc....to feed/artificially a herd? I guess they don't want severe die off, just seems very unnatural, I surprised the envrionmentalists arent raising a fuss over feeding? Just seems like they would let nature work its magic and work more towards managing the heards, setting harvest numbers etc...
I read that I think CO was planning to feed the heard, I guess a long hard wet winter? This just seems crazy to me that a state would pay etc....to feed/artificially a herd? I guess they don't want severe die off, just seems very unnatural, I surprised the envrionmentalists arent raising a fuss over feeding? Just seems like they would let nature work its magic and work more towards managing the heards, setting harvest numbers etc...
WY has been feeding elk herds during the winter for a long time. It makes a lot of sense if you stop to think about it. Elk are worth a lot more to the state's economy when they're alive. Hunters, business owners, and naturalist alike benefit from supplementary feeding because it assures there will still be elk alive for everyone to enjoy. It also reduces conflicts between ranchers and elk.
#6
RE: HOW ARE THE GAME HERDS DOING THIS WINTER
Yip, the deer and elk are being fed in the Gunnison valley of CO. do to way above average snow falls. Some parts of the CO. high country have about 175% of average snow fall so far, and the snowiest months yet to come.
#8
RE: HOW ARE THE GAME HERDS DOING THIS WINTER
Most states try not to feed but exceptional winters like this one mean they have to. A lot of the native winter ranges that held good feed have been lost to the countless housing devleopments in the west.. which is whyI'm a member of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. www.rmef.org Habitat preseveration is the best thing to preserve the herd and hunting.
#9
Fork Horn
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 334
RE: HOW ARE THE GAME HERDS DOING THIS WINTER
I have been wondering about the herds here in NW MT. January absolutely had to have kicked their butts. The problem here is, and I may be completely off base, but we haven't had this kind of snow since 96-97, and most of the elk that are alive now haven't seen a real winter. I am afraid many went to wintering grounds they have used for the past 7-8 years and got marrooned and are probably not going to make it. March will be the tell tale. Hopefully their was some old cows around that knew where to go.