Super easy winter so far!
Wisconsin
Wsi in waupaca for dec was a 3 vs. 13 last year. 10 inches of snow but 25% of the corn is still up in northern waupaca county. I still have 30 acres of corn standing. Super fat deer have this winter licked already.
we bowhunted the last 4 days of the season in Clark cnty. the deer were still hitting the acorns each night and our little corn fields still had a lot of corn in them which has never happened.
In Hayward-=we have 10inches at most on the ground-most areas less- deer are getting around and the turkeys are getting a break! Hope it holds out-we cant afford three winter kills in a row!!
40 degree temp forecast in the near future. More snow gone!
Took a walk with a ruler east of Hayward two days ago. In the woods it was consistently just a hair over 8 inches. In the open where the sun hit it but protected enough to not drift I consistently measured just under 8 inches. Even better the top 6 inches was all fluff, the bottom two was icy crystals but still easy to push through it. Lets hope this continues to be a good recovery winter.
I wouldn't really get that excited. It's only mid January. Winter goes into March. Plenty of time for a lot more snow & freezing temps. Actually, warming prematurely isn't always a good thing. You don't want melting only to freeze again. That will cause a layer/barrier of ice on the ground, making it difficult for deer to scratch around to get anything underneath. Hard crust also makes it easier for injury to occur.
Went walking yesterday in Portage Co. and the snow is under 6" and some places under hemlocks the snow is almost gone. Saw lots of places where deer were digging acorns and in hay fields. Talked to a neighbor who was cutting as well and he talked all the deer he has been seeing, more then in prior years and all in good shape. Yes it is good to get excited as the deer have made it through the tough part of winter in great shape in our area. It has allowed bucks and fawns to gain weight and recover from the rut. Sure there is winter still left but they are over the hump and can survive even if it snows more or get crusted. Plenty of standing corn and beans still left as well.
Good point Trapper, an easy start to winter is important especially for bucks and fawns. That hurdle is past for most of the state. I am really glad that that long way sub zero spell is gone for a while too.
It will be interesting to hear current conditions from NWO, the areas along lake Superior got a lot of lake effect snow very early.
The deer/turkeys need a light winter. Hope it continues.
For it to get into the severe category after the past couple months would take some major snowstorms soon (not in the forecast), occasional extreme cold and no more thaws. Agree with Jeff, we're already past the hurdle for most of the state. However, the very late spring of 2013 did kill some deer (even in Door County) despite being rated mild in many areas and only moderate in others, so yes Novice, there's "still time." But lots of standing corn in farm country and a lot of folks feeding up north (and elsewhere). Having the series of extended thaws we've had in the past month after a very cold start to November was a big, big bonus.
You guys talk of all this standing corn being good to carry the deer through the winter and being a good thing. But will scoff at the person that puts out two gallons a day to feed them through the winter. LMAO
Around here I don't see any pawing up the ground but plenty of browsing going on. Snow is about 7-8 inches in Lincoln Cty.
I know for a fact that this years Beargrease sled dog race had to be moved further north of Duluth as a starting point due to lack of snow along the North Shore. The Duluth airport has recorded only 28" of snow so far and 14" less then last year.
This morning, I snow shoed with my dog, about 3 miles, along the Brule River. I had about on average 15 inches of snow, some less some more, etc.
I observed 9 beds, and saw 4 deer. It appears some of the deer are getting out of the bottoms, temporarily, and getting back to the upper woods, and of course the home feeders.
My assessment is we are not out of the woods yet so to speak, in this area of NE Wis, we have a lot of winter yet, but I am hopeful......
What is disappointing to me, is the continued killing of does, with the so called youth hunts, etc. To me the only doe permit, should be for a Class A disabeled person, and first time hunter, and that's it....
On the brite side, again very few coyote tracks and no wolf tracks .
Last weekend on the predator hunt, sponsored out of Laona, my friends took 3rd place. that was 4 coyotes killed on one day, with the dogs of course, but they had to go south of Newald to find fresh tracks.....
Last nite I was out using my caller. Only thing to come in was an eagle, at late pm, and some ravens.....
Not much snow forecasted for the next week.........
In my yard in Michigan, the deer are moving well, and for some reason I see more deer on this side of the Brule, not sure why though......
I will be going into the Lauterman yards today with camera, so we will see, what I see........
Nice time of year to be out
I live in north central Douglas Co. So far an easy winter. Less than 3" on the ground. Been seeing deer every day in the hay fields around the house. Last year I recall ten foot high snow banks by edge of the roads this year I have grass showing in the yard. As you travel east towards Ashland there is a little more snow, hardly any in Superior to the west. Hopefully the weather stays moderate and should be in good shape. Would really be nice to see all the does I've been seeing have a couple fawns tagging along in the summer.
Ya... the winter has been milder.. good.. however.. 1 season will wipe out all that this winter has left to survive in the decimated 20 counties ...1 season!!
Here is how.
You will have more deer to kill thus hunters will kill more ..then that figure will dictate there are more deer on the landscape and doe tags will again return and the wipe out by over harvesting by HUNTERS will continue... what needs to happen to recover in these counties??.limit hunter success(ban baiting..xbows. ..and maybe even late season hunts like ML and late bow!!!)...or limit hunters/tags(1 buck tag..or application for them)... you pic.. any other measure will do crap in these counties.....and the wipe out is and will return in 2 seasons..and the cycle will never change unless rules and tag availability changes
I just hope if the winter stays mild, that the DNR doesn't use that as an excuse to have a doe killing free for all. This is up north I am talking about.
Rut, no way that'll happen. All the CDACs that voted increase will likely get their wish, and don't be surprised if the youth loophole for registering antlerless in buck-only counties is closed.
