germain

What Doug does he belong to the polar bear club or something?If I see a dude taking a dip in this weather I'm outta there.

DennyF

Stress myophothy..

Don't know about you, but I can't trust anyone that usesbig, mysteriouswords like that...especially when jabberin' about deer and deer hunting.

[8D]

R.S.B.

So far in this area the deer are doing pretty well even though there was little mast this year. We don’t have the deep snows though that some area got. We only have about eight inches of snow and there is deer sign all over where the deer are digging up roots and tubers. The cold temperatures don't cause a lot of problems for deer though they will have eat a bit more often then they doduring warmer temperatures. That thenresults in a little more impact on the habitat but the deer should do ok with just cold temperatures as long as the snow isn't too deep.

Just today I started finding a few places where the deer were starting to pull down off the ridges and plateaus and heading into the wintering grounds. Out along the Loleta Grade we saw about 20 deer in just a few miles of wintering grounds and there were tracks everywhere. I am sure there were a lot more deer in the hemlocks that we didn’t see.

The deer still aren’t down along the river bottom yet though so they obviously aren’t feeling any serious stress yet. If the snow doesn’t get any deeper then it is now most of the deer in my district will be fine. In the areas with a foot or more of snow on the ground though it might be a different story if the snows linger for a few more weeks. In those areas if the deep snow conditions hang on for more then a few weeks it will start to affect the weight of the does and then eventually it will adversely affect the survival rates of the fawns those does are carrying once they are born.

I know some of the readers are from New York and some of the areas in New York State are measuring their snow fall in feet. They are probably going to have serious issues with the condition of their deer herds unless they get a major thaw and snow melt real soon.

R.S. Bodenhorn

Avalanche

I imagine there will be a major impact on the deer herd in Central New York. A friend that went up there snow mobiling said they saw many deer herded up under pines and snow levels outside the pines so high that they couldn't imagine how the deer could even move thru the stuff. If they don't starve, I'm sure the coyotes will get to them.

Phil from Maine

From what I had seen on the news the snowfall will most deffinately affect the deer herd. I can not even image that much snow in only 6 or 7 days. It is a sad thing when so many deer is in trouble and it sure sounds that way to me. I hope the snow will melt down a few feet soon.

germain

Although the first couple of months were great for wildlife it looks like winter is going out this year with a bang.

PABuck_HNTR

Yep! We are paying for it now.

PABuck_HNTR

OK this deep snow has got to be getting to the deer now. What do you think?

DougE

The snow around here really isn't deep enough to effect their mobility.If they sufficient,high quality browse,they'll be fine if things start to let up.I noticed a spotty mast crop that was cleaned up early in most areas whereI hunted this year.In areas with poor habitat,I suspectfawn recruitment will be lower this year.

motrin

Yesterday morning I had a woodchuck eating corn in my backyard.We have around 18 inches of snow on the ground here in Crawford county and I have no Idea what a groundhog was doing out of his den.

For those of you that own land its a good time to get out and cut some soft maple down so the deer can feed on the buds.Nows the time to open up the canopy that shades your apple trees also.