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Getting A Little Worried

My deer camp is located in Little Genesee, New York. I'm starting to get a little worried for the deer. We are now going on 18 straight days with a very thick (4 inches) hard crust of snow and ice EVERYWHERE.

The long range forecast is calling for no relief for at least the next 7 days.

Am I over worrying?

Deer in our area are hitting any open patch they can. Hopefully the weather breaks soon

You are correct on being concerned , because March is always the killing month when it comes to winterkill. Here on Tug Hill where we see more than our fair share of winterkill each year, a good crust of snow allowing deer to walk on top is a good thing.

I agree with Pat. Here at 1700’ in 7M we had several thaws that ended up in bare ground. Although we have about a foot of snow and ice on the ground, the deer look and are moving good. Even with cold weather, the March sun is strong enough to melt snow at very low temperatures. Unless we get blasted with deep snow that lasts into April the herd will be fine. The biggest threat right now is dogs, both wild and domestic. I live right in the middle of deer habitat and this is the most deer activity I have seen at this time of the year in a while. Looks like many 2 dmp areas again in 2019.

The SW portion of 6K has not had bare ground for quite a while. We never have had more than about 20" of snow on the ground but that crust is not helping. I found a couple of spots where coyotes got deer a few weeks ago. Overall this winter has not been too bad though. It looks like it is about to warm up.

I am with Shawlerbrook. I live in Cincinnatus and our deer look good.It is April snow that kills them. Our deer looked good this past fall and that always bodes well when we actually get a winter.......

For most of Central NYS it has been an average winter, but a Tug Hill has actually gotten less snow than usual. We also had thaws which really are the key.

https://media.localsyr.com/nxsglobal/localsyr/photo/MAP/1678129992/1678129992_Position1.JPG

I live on Tug Hill and as far as less snow, you wouldn’t think that if you looked out my kitchen window this morning. I’d bet Tug Hill still will experience average to above average winterkill .

Pat, I agree the early part of winter snow depths were below average, however much of Tug Hillhas had snow since the first week in November. As you know, Deer are well equiped to handle a 90 day winter. After that it’s a crap shoot, and we are well over 90 days of winter conditions. I think it would be very rare for there not to be some percentage of winter kill on Tug Hill. I used to participate in the DEC ‘s spring deer yard winter kill surveys, in Highmarket and Osceola, and it was rare not to find winterkill even in mild winters. Where your land is located ,Potato Hill Rd, winter conditions can be quite different in other parts of the Hill, Like Osceola, Redfield, Highmarket, Barnes Corners, Montague, or even West Leyden. Today there is at least 30” - 36” of snow on the ground in West Leyden. But to your point I hope you are right.

I do agree that there will almost always be some winterkill on the Tug, but it will be below average this year. Most of the Tug has gotten less snow than average although with lake effect there are always some areas that get more than a place a few miles away. Where Redfield has gotten slightly more than average, Boonville has gotten about 2/3 of average.

Syracuse tv channel 9 website https://www.localsyr.com/map-center

Boonvile always gets less snow than most of Tug Hill, because Boonville is actually in the Black River Valley. Boonville has always had an identity problem. One day they are a Tug Hill community, the next day they are a Black River Valley community, and when it comes to the school district, they are a Adirondack community, even though no part of the district is in the Adirondack Park.

Here in Central NY at 1700’ we lost about a foot of snow this week. Although we still have a good amount in the woods and north faces, there is a lot of open ground. Deer and turkeys are moving a lot. Down in the valleys the snow is pretty much gone. We have made it unless something record breaking happens.

Shawlerbrook…..I am just West of you and we are looking good. We only got 2-3 inches and all but the shaded North Slopes were bare. Just North of me there is more , but not terrible. A friend from SE of Oneonta said they were back into knee deep snow after yesterday. Our deer are looking good.

Denali, we got about a foot here at 1700’ between yesterday and last night. I am watching deer right now and they are looking and moving good. The forecast has sun and 50’s to 60 for the middle and end of the week. We are past any possible harm with the sun so strong.

Pat, Last weekend I was up in Annsville/Taberg/Verona.....LOTS of deer on the ag ground in the fields. Always amazes me how many move down there for winter. Looking good though.

The ground was mostly bare here in SW 6K yesterday. Then we got 12" of snow last night. That should settle and melt quick this week though.

Yup. I was very surprised. They called for 1”-4”.

I am roughly half way between Hastings and Verona Beach.

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