Deer surviving in DEEP snow.
12-28-2008 | 01:35 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Nontypical Buck
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,772
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From: Wisconsin
Deer surviving in DEEP snow.
I was able to check my cams today. I'm sure glad we had a BIG melt off yesterday. As you can see it was some tough going with the deep snow for the deer in southern WI as of last week.
12-28-2008 | 02:47 PM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,090
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From: Castile N.Y.
RE: Deer surviving in DEEP snow.
I like a good melt like we have had around here. I was starting to get worried, about the turkey especially, but the deer too. I read in one of my wildlife management books that deer can smell out foodin snow up to 16 inches, ones the snow getsdeeper than that it limits their choices. We have had 2ft+ for the last month and a half, and that has to be hard on bucks trying to recover from rutting.
12-28-2008 | 03:48 PM
#4
Boone & Crockett
Joined: Oct 1998
Posts: 18,322
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From: Hughesville, PA USA
RE: Deer surviving in DEEP snow.
WOW. Man I really feel for the deer and other critters when it gets like that.
In Heart and Blood, Living with Deer in America, Richard Nelson describes how deer in WI or UMI will starve to death with full stomachs of pine needles. They get so desperate for food that they will eat pine which does nothing for them.
In Heart and Blood, Living with Deer in America, Richard Nelson describes how deer in WI or UMI will starve to death with full stomachs of pine needles. They get so desperate for food that they will eat pine which does nothing for them.
12-28-2008 | 04:50 PM
#5
Giant Nontypical
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 7,368
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From: Mont County, Pa
RE: Deer surviving in DEEP snow.
ORIGINAL: janesburg
I was able to check my cams today. I'm sure glad we had a BIG melt off yesterday. As you can see it was some tough going with the deep snow for the deer in southern WI as of last week.
I was able to check my cams today. I'm sure glad we had a BIG melt off yesterday. As you can see it was some tough going with the deep snow for the deer in southern WI as of last week.
12-28-2008 | 06:12 PM
#6
Nontypical Buck
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 3,203
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From: Platteville, Wisconsin
RE: Deer surviving in DEEP snow.
i hear you. the deer here in southwest wisconsin were having a difficult time trying to walk through our corn fields. i was watching them and they were having a hard time. i was feeling bad for them trying to get through all that snow. but like you said it got warm and it rained so it melted most the snow
12-28-2008 | 06:49 PM
#7
Spike
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 34
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From: Wisconsin Dells
RE: Deer surviving in DEEP snow.
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12-28-2008 | 06:59 PM
#8
Nontypical Buck
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,094
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From: Winnipeg MB Canada
RE: Deer surviving in DEEP snow.
ORIGINAL: Soup du Jour
I was getting really concerned around my area in South/ Central Wisconsin too. The weather the last few days really melted a lot of snow. I went out today to retrieve my climber in a spot were it is all hardwoods and the snow was still quite deep and made walking a real pain in the Ass. This afternoon I hunted an area that is just off a soybean field and the deer were everywhere. I saw 3 young yearling frolicing around the woods for about 15 minutes. All the deer I saw looked very fat and healthy. Just before last light a mature doe came in with a bad limp. Her right front leg is broken. I tried to get a shot at her to put her out of her misery but she spotted my movement and mad a quick exit into a ravine. I was really upset that I couldn't help her. I checked the soybean field after I hunted and she was out there with the others. Maybe she will make it. If I hunt the stand again and see her I am not sure what I will do.
Soup du Jour
I was getting really concerned around my area in South/ Central Wisconsin too. The weather the last few days really melted a lot of snow. I went out today to retrieve my climber in a spot were it is all hardwoods and the snow was still quite deep and made walking a real pain in the Ass. This afternoon I hunted an area that is just off a soybean field and the deer were everywhere. I saw 3 young yearling frolicing around the woods for about 15 minutes. All the deer I saw looked very fat and healthy. Just before last light a mature doe came in with a bad limp. Her right front leg is broken. I tried to get a shot at her to put her out of her misery but she spotted my movement and mad a quick exit into a ravine. I was really upset that I couldn't help her. I checked the soybean field after I hunted and she was out there with the others. Maybe she will make it. If I hunt the stand again and see her I am not sure what I will do.
Soup du Jour
I have seen 3 legged deer survive for yrs here in MB. And our winters are harsh. Some are does and have 2-3 fawns. All are fine come spring. Some of the deer with real heavy snow might need supplimentary feeding. If your hunting season is over you might want to think abouty puting out food. Oats are cheap and fatty. If heavy snow hits here in MB...... I'm ready with my bear bait. I'm sitting on over 1000lbs of oats. I can get more for bear come spring. At $3 for 50lbs oats are cheap
12-29-2008 | 10:04 AM
#9
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 21
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From:
RE: Deer surviving in DEEP snow.
Last year I filmed a doe weak from lack of food in MN get taken down by two wild dogs or yotes. it was great footage but sad for the deer. watching nature at work is not pretty. some would say why not scare off the dogs, well, they need to eat also and we didn't want to mess with nature as it was happening. Plus I got 1600 for the video to Discovery.
deer can survive in vary hard winters, some will and continue to breed the ones that don't well those genes are gone.
deer can survive in vary hard winters, some will and continue to breed the ones that don't well those genes are gone.
12-29-2008 | 10:42 AM
#10
Nontypical Buck
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,570
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From: New York
RE: Deer surviving in DEEP snow.
Being form northern NY where we got 6-10 feet measurable but the end of winter in the deep woods I can tell you deer are resiliant, you will loose the weak nad sometimes rutted out bucks but they will yard up in thick pines and keep trails open for mobility. I prefer the thaws though keep the deer #'s high