This is bad news for wildlife.
Contributors to this thread:Wisconsin
From: skookumjt
31-Mar-18
Roughly ten inches of snow today on top of the deep snow still left is going to be bad news. I was out with a landowner and post holed in knee deep snow the whole time. Not going to be above freezing for at least a week. We were so close.
From: buckmaster69
31-Mar-18
Bummer
From: Jeff in MN
31-Mar-18
I would say close to 10 inches of new snow at hayward too, also a lot was still left in the woods. Even my apple tree area what is open and has a slope facing south still had a foot of snow on it. I was going to trim those apple trees today. grrrrrrrrr
From: RUGER1022
31-Mar-18
Monday I was ice fishing on a remote pond in Lincoln cty. Lots of exposed grass in rhe big woods. Saw 4 Deer & they all looked very healthy . Birds very active .
This snow storm is just a short setback .
From: Hoot
31-Mar-18
Yesterday there four trucks out on long lake. I talked with one of the guys and he said there was 38 inches of good ice. I wouldn't be surprised if ice is still on for opener. I saw close to fifty deer yesterday coming back from my friends place mid afternoon so that told me bad was weather was coming.
From: GoJakesGo
31-Mar-18
Wildlife knew it was coming. Had the backyard doe and fawn nibbling the apple tree trimmings early last night.
From: Novice
31-Mar-18
The NW part of the state has it the worst. They've had a steady diet of snow the entire winter. Most of the rest of the state will be just fine. Frost already coming out of the ground in many places.
From: ground hunter
31-Mar-18
I have to agree with Novice,,,,,, my friend wanted me to come over to Nokomis to ice fish, he reports 28 inches of ice,,,,,,
From: RutnStrut
31-Mar-18
this storm sure ranged in how much snow fell over a small area. Here in Bloomer in Chippewa county we had over 7" of heavy wet snow. Down in Pierce county near our land they barely got an inch. Eau Claire which is 25 miles south of Bloomer got 2".
From: Drop Tine
31-Mar-18
I’d say we got 8” - 10” here north of Merrill. Sure threw the deer off their pattern. Haven’t seen one yet tonight milling through.
From: Jeff in MN
31-Mar-18
I was trimming my apple trees in Hayward today. I was standing on top of about 18 inches of hard crusted snow. Easy walking through the 10" of fluff on top of the crust. Just doing the low branches now. Will have to wait for that crust to go soft before I can use a ladder. That crust must be tough on the deer.
From: skookumjt
01-Apr-18
-5 degrees at my house this morning.
From: Hoot
01-Apr-18
skookumjt - You were a lot colder than us, we were only 2 below. lol I see the forecast is calling for a possible eight inches Monday night and Tuesday. Will it ever end?
From: ground hunter
01-Apr-18
tough spring, something we did not need in many areas..................... It is going up to the 40's after the 9th in the lower UP....................
From: Jeff in MN
02-Apr-18
I just noticed the Hayward forecast and saw the prediction of snow for later today but mostly on Tuesday. I hope we are on the lowest side of the prediction but not holding my breath,
From: South Farm
02-Apr-18
The forecast shows snow again as far out as this upcoming Sunday! Most years I am in a boat crappie fishing by April 2nd...on smaller lakes. Not this year! Got a deposit down on a cabin on Sag for the opener which I don't think there's any chance in heck that's going to happen:( As for the deer, they're survivors and will find plenty feed, but that crust is a wolf's best friend and that could spell doom for local deer.
From: smokey
02-Apr-18
Yes, unfortunately too much snow in the forecast for here. Need a big warm up. Here are two that come around my yard eating the spilled bird seed. Many neighbors are feeding deer so close to the house the deer are in good shape.
From: happygolucky
02-Apr-18
We had close to 9" at our place in Three Lakes and now I hear we're expecting about the same this week in Escanaba by my camp. I was supposed to get some trails cut on Thu and that is now conditional. Winter isn't letting go up north. We had 30" of ice when I was out last weekend. I don't mind the ice staying through the opener if it impacts the spearers.
From: ground hunter
02-Apr-18
Happy when the winds have been down, fishing has been great, after the 9th late ice gills should be exceptional, for awhile
From: RJN
02-Apr-18
Up to 10" of snow for lacrosse by Wednesday.
From: Live2hunt
02-Apr-18
It sounds like the brunt of the snow will be Eau Claire and South, hopefully. We can handle it around E.C. and South, the North does not need anymore.
From: skookumjt
02-Apr-18
As I mentioned, the snow was knee deep and the crust was bad before the snow on Friday night. I could almost step up on the surface and then would posthole down to the bottom. Very fatiguing. Deer in our area had poured into the road edges and the few areas that were snow free. The 8-10" we got over the weekend and what is coming tonight and tomorrow is going to be really hard on the wildlife. -5 degrees overnight Saturday and -3 last night plus the snow depths have pushed the WSI into the next category at the worst time for deer.
From: ground hunter
02-Apr-18
I agree Skook, seems like the NW can not catch a break
From: Hoot
02-Apr-18
If this snow keeps up we still might have snow for bow opener. LOL
From: RutnStrut
02-Apr-18
YUCK!!!! I just got home from a Dr.appt in Eau Claire. It's coming down pretty good. Not sticking to the roads to much. But visibility was pretty limited on 53. Sounds like we may get another 10" out of this next one.
From: RutnStrut
02-Apr-18
Skook, if it's an especially hard spring like it looks to be. Will the DNR/CDAC's cut back on the antlerless tags?
From: ground hunter
02-Apr-18
I would think that the cdac in Bayfield should rethink their game plan,,,,,, what a county that use to be,,,,,,,,
From: Ranger620
02-Apr-18
Terrible weather indeed. All we can hope for is a fast warm up in mid April and the deer in Florence and forest counties will be ok, some losses will occur from stress and some may abort fawns. If it lingers to long it will get ugly as they are starting to eat lots of young poppies down to 1/2 inch and red pine needles. Some south hills were exposed for a bit before the last batch came through so that offered some relief. Wolves continue to take there toll. One log job I have been monitoring they have pulled down at least 14 deer so far. About that many remaining. Most we counted in one drive through was 32.
It’s disappointing to watch this happen knowing there is no hope in sight with wolf management here in Wisconsin.
On a positve note those that look me ice fishing should be able to fish into end of April beginning of may.
Happy belated Easter to all. Or was that a merry Xmas ???
From: skookumjt
02-Apr-18
The final recommendations will be made at the meetings later this month. I would imagine it will be a factor in the counties that seem like spring will never get here. I know it was discussed at the initial Rusk County meeting. If the spring really became a factor after the meetings, the DNR and NRB could make modifications if they felt it was necessary.
From: RutnStrut
02-Apr-18
"If the spring really became a factor after the meetings, the DNR and NRB could make modifications if they felt it was necessary."
But do you feel that they would really do that? This isn't a slam on the DNR, it's an honest question.
From: skookumjt
02-Apr-18
If things were bad enough, yes I think they would and they would certainly be justified. The final meetings aren't for two weeks so hopefully we have some good information to take into consideration.
We just went past moderate to severe, so hopefully the weather breaks and it's not necessary. I know a few counties are a little worse than us.
From: Hoot
03-Apr-18
Has anyone seen the current WSI for the the counties in NW Wl? It has to be climbing quickly. I do know Washburn County in 2013/2014 WSI was off the chart at 178.
From: Live2hunt
03-Apr-18
The numbers I just looked at put the worst at 50+ in the far North Central part by the UP. Most of the North is between 40 and 50. It's not just the snow depth that factors this, it is weeks of below zero weather that has the impact.
From: skookumjt
03-Apr-18
March numbers aren't posted yet but should be any time now. I would say most counties in the NW are at extreme now but still under 100.
From: Jeff in MN
03-Apr-18
Jeff in MN's Link
Too bad the WSI does not take into account the 'crust' factor. Especially in wolf country. Yote have a big advantage on that crust too. The piles where I pushed snow up are starting to look like the ones at WalMart and Sams club.
The link is the WSI thru February. Should be the same link when March comes out.
From: ground hunter
03-Apr-18
There is always a bright side, taking care of them wasps and yellow jackets
From: skookumjt
03-Apr-18
Just curious. What is affecting the wasps and yellow jackets?
