Polar Vortex Deer Kill
Contributors to this thread:Whitetail Deer
From: bassmasterjk
15-Feb-21
With the extreme cold temps the polar vortex is bringing to Alberta and Sask, I'm wondering what everyone's thoughts are regarding a potential deer kill. I believe several mid / Northern areas in Alberta had a significant deer kill in 2014 (ish?). Just wondering what the thoughts are, I have a hunt booked in the Bowzone next November (if the border is even open).
From: JL
15-Feb-21
Maybe read some of the local newspapers or TV news station websites to see if any reports are coming in. Or reach out to the local bios to see if they have any reports. Some of the outfitters on here may already have some winter kill reports??
From: APauls
15-Feb-21
Won’t be a problem. Deer experience these kinds of temps here every year. It’s the prolonged winters with deep snow that kill em. This winter has been way better than average, and looks to be short. Not much snow build up. Started late and looks to be ending early by all accounts. Warm weather near freezing in a weeks time!
Kids are still playing outside while we ice fish at wind chills into the mid -40’s
From: Pat Lefemine
15-Feb-21
APauls x2. The cold is not the threat, it’s prolonged deep snows. They will be fine.
From: bassmasterjk
15-Feb-21
APauls That's good to hear, was not sure how much snow was on the ground. That's good news this winter's snow has not been as bad this year so far.
From: jmiller
16-Feb-21
The cold doesn't bother them. Deep snow is the killer. Here in North Dakota we've had lows down to -30 the last few weeks and the deer are fine. Watched a herd from the house last night feeding and romping around. We only have 6 inches of snow so they are doing great.
From: Lawdy
16-Feb-21
Northern deer yard up. My land is a deer yard and I manage it for the wintering deer. When I was in college, we did a survey of deer yards to plot mortality versus below zero days. We found that up to 20 sub zero days, no increase. Snow depth, lack of cover is the killer up here, along with feeding deer improperly. Most of our deer die in the spring when they go from corn to grass and green shoots. They lose the bacteria needed to digest. We also have people feeding huge amounts of bread. Deer have a tough time with glutinous. When I survey a deer yard with a warden, I take a saw and cut down a few hemlocks, a cedar, and maple saplings. Feeding deer has not helped up here as it has drawn deer out of their huge traditional yards and once the deer are no longer using the yards, the timber companies clear cut. Now the deer rely on grain thrown out. We ever have a depression where people can’t afford grain, our deer herd, which is small now, will be crushed. Habitat is everything. I snowshoes in a mile to a great hare cover two days ago. I found out they clearcut it this past fall. Not a single hare track, not even a coyote track. Bye bye habitat, bye bye animals.
From: Lawdy
16-Feb-21
Gluten, not glutinous.
From: Lawdy
16-Feb-21
Gluten, not glutinous.
From: Lawdy
16-Feb-21
Gluten, not glutinous.
From: midwest
16-Feb-21
Dang 'Tobins are tougher than woodpecker lips.
From: Rob Nye
16-Feb-21
Looking good at -40
Looking good at -40
Easy winter in Sask less than average snow and deer looking fine through this cold snap.
From: bassmasterjk
16-Feb-21
@Rob Nye That photo almost looks like drawing, very cool! Glad your having a good winter there in Sask
From: Rob Nye
16-Feb-21
Tis the season to hit the trails, love it!
From: t-roy
16-Feb-21
That’s almost cheating, Rob!! Nice shed!
From: Habitat for Wildlife
16-Feb-21
That’s neat!
From: Rob Nye
16-Feb-21
Deer have about 15” of snow to dig away from the grub. The craters are deep enough to hide a shed and there’s about a gazillion of them in this patch of forest lots of walking to check em all. Easier to see them when the snow melts but can’t wait that long to go!
From: bassmasterjk
16-Feb-21
bassmasterjk's Link
https://www.archerytalk.com/threads/winter-kill.5990712/#post-1113489449 I saw a similar post on AT
From: paul@thefort
17-Feb-21
Attending college in the UP of Michigan in the 1960s, I worked with the DNR on a research project in one of their winter deer yards (dense Red Cedar Tree cover that not only provided a "warmer environment" but also provided enough winter nutrition). We knew that if the deer went into the yard well fed in the early winter, and had good fat on their body, they could survive well in fairly extreme temperatures. As was mentioned above, if they became "stuck" in the yard, or elsewhere with lost of habitat, and with prolonged late winter snows and icing, their ability to maintain their body fat and to find nutrition, that became a big factor in their survival. Later in the season, since the deer had to stick to the deep deer trails, and might flounder off trail, coyotes and a few bobcats became a problem as they could attack the weaker deer. Good winter habitat is so important as is a reliable "natural" food source.
From: Keith
17-Feb-21
Paul, what school did you attend?
From: TrapperKayak
17-Feb-21
Rob Nye, those sheds pics make me drool...
From: xtroutx
17-Feb-21
Had to be either NMU or Mi Tech. I was a yooper for my first 19 yrs:).
From: Keith
17-Feb-21
Been a yooper for 45 years. Worked at MTU for the last 27. Could have been LSSU, too.
From: Lawdy
17-Feb-21
The Feds up here clearcut a deer yard in order to create a “woodcock singing area.” The deer came back that winter and I surveyed it early Spring. I found 26 dead winter killed deer. I told the Fed manager that he needed to sue his alma mater because they never taught him a damn thing. That area is growing back because the woodcock never came. I just got home from running my beagle. It was 14 and when I exited the cedar swamp into the hardwood, it was a real shock. On went the down vest and wool balaclava.
From: paul@thefort
17-Feb-21
Spent 3.5 years at KI Sawyer AFB,59-6 3, returned to the UP in 1966, Worked at the CIC Palmer Iron Ore Pelletizing Plant for a year to get Mich residency, then I attended NMU from 1966 to 1971, ungrad and then masters in Natural Resources and Regional Planning. Helped with some deer research at the Cusino Wildlife Research Center in the winter of 1969. and also worked with the US Fish and Wildlife Service one summer, on the Lamprey control project in the UP and along the Lake Superior coastline. I still have very fond memories of the UP. my best, Paul
From: paul@thefort
17-Feb-21
From: Mike Ukrainetz
17-Feb-21
Bassmasterjk, the Edmonton bow zone and all of Alberta has had low snow levels so winter kill will be minimal even with the temporary low temps. Might kill a few deer in Texas though?
From: Mike Ukrainetz
18-Feb-21
Bassmasterjk, the Edmonton bow zone and all of Alberta has had low snow levels so winter kill will be minimal even with the temporary low temps. Might kill a few deer in Texas though?
From: bassmasterjk
18-Feb-21
@Mike Ukrainetz Thanks for the info, good to hear. I've hunted in Hill country and South Tx, I really thing the vast majority of the deer will be fine. I've seen South Tx deer with same amount of fat as Ky / Oh deer and with similar winter coats. Its not like the deer have not experienced freezing temps before there. However, this is obviously much colder and for an extended period of time, hopefully they will be fine. Axis and exotics, might be a different story tho, I don't know?
From: Rob Nye
19-Feb-21
Weather improving critters will be happy.
From: Rob Nye
19-Feb-21
