Winter kill UT/ID/WY

[AT Hiker]

WY Gov. Gordon is holding another emergency meeting today in Rawlins.

At minimum 50% of the antelope and deer herds from Pinedale to Rock Springs have died, fawn mortality is no doubt going to be 100%. Almost every collard juvenile mule deer has died, thats going to be a large age class gap.
I'm sure East to Rawlins and through the Red Desert is equally as bad, according to my friend that lives in the heart of the Red Desert it is actually worse.
If G&F allows doe/fawn tags in any of these hard hit areas their sanity should be questioned.

I was really holding out for hope so I could burn my antelope points but the unit I was looking at is possibly in the epi center.

 

[Buzzard Breath]

This may have been posted already, but had popped up on another forum. I figured I'd post the link to the live highway cameras in Wyoming so tou can see what's going on with the snow.

https://wyoroad.info/Highway/webcameras/webcameras.html

 

[tellico4x4]

That is very cool, never seen that before. Thanks for sharing!

 

[tellico4x4]

Casper WY 4/5/2023

 

[LanceS4803]

Guys who burned mulie points for this year are really cussing.... Maybe even considering canceling their hunts and just eating the $$$ of the tag and points.

I'm glad Utah put off their application this year. A lot changed.

 

[tellico4x4]

I'm glad Utah put off their application this year. A lot changed.

In WY you have until 5/31 to withdraw antelope & deer applications, 5/8 for elk

 

[tellico4x4]

Wyoming Winter Killing 'Most Premier Antelope Herds In The Entire World'

Wyoming is a world-class destination when it comes to trophy antelope hunting, but the current winter is ravaging herds, and could stall the Cowboy State's legacy for years.

cowboystatedaily.com

 

[AT Hiker]

My old friend literally lives smack dab in the middle of the Red Desert, what he is telling me about the elk is simply not being reported. Everyone is focused on pronghorn, and rightfully so, but those unit 100 elk are getting hit hard, very hard.
Apparently, the only place these critters can find feed is off the interstate and rail road tracks. They are getting smacked left and right.

I'm still optimistic but I have never experienced (for lack of better words) this type of winter. I've only been following/hunting western hunting for little over a decade, so this is extreme to me. Naturally I'm shocked but I also know this is not the first, nor the last severe winter they will experience. Just a reminder Mother Nature is in charge.

 

[tellico4x4]

Buffalo & moose are the only thing that can handle the deep snow better than elk. In 44 years of western hunting I've never seen or heard much concern about winter kill elk.

Did see the other day where about 1000 buffalo have been killed on Montana side of Yellowstone leaving the park in search for food, mostly by Native Americans

 

[AT Hiker]

Did see the other day where about 1000 buffalo have been killed on Montana side of Yellowstone leaving the park in search for food, mostly by Native Americans

That's some ironic backwards history for the buffalo.

 

[AT Hiker]

I have not read this yet but wanted to share before @Buzzard Breath beat me to it. Sneaky sucker always tries to one up me.
The modified season proposals.

Wyoming Game and Fish Department - Public Meetings

wgfd.wyo.gov

 

[Buzzard Breath]

Confusing for a guy to sort through, pre-coffee. I wish they'd put a date next to the 4/7 proposals. Once I figured it out, I was good to go.

If even half the stuff I see online is true, I expected bigger cuts to both Antelope and deer. I actually expected to see whole units closed. It does look like they've gotten rid of most type 6 tags. It also looks like they've declared war on whitetails with big bumps in tags. I wonder if this is because they've been increasing, or if it's an attempt to knock them back while mule deer numbers are down and they want to keep them from expanding into mule deer country?

 

[tellico4x4]

Confusing for a guy to sort through, pre-coffee. I wish they'd put a date next to the 4/7 proposals. Once I figured it out, I was good to go.

If even half the stuff I see online is true, I expected bigger cuts to both Antelope and deer. I actually expected to see whole units closed. It does look like they've gotten rid of most type 6 tags. It also looks like they've declared war on whitetails with big bumps in tags. I wonder if this is because they've been increasing, or if it's an attempt to knock them back while mule deer numbers are down and they want to keep them from expanding into mule deer country?

Makes no sense whatsoever that they are still planning on killing does, fawns or "any" antelope in some units....

 

[AT Hiker]

Doesn't make sense. I wonder if by statue they have to have a certain % of these tags?

I'm thinking about applying for some doe/dawn tags. If I draw then I'll frame the tag(s) as a reminder. Might not make a major difference but if everyone did the right thing, the impact would be exponential.

 

[LanceS4803]

I've only been following/hunting western hunting for little over a decade, so this is extreme to me. Naturally I'm shocked but I also know this is not the first, nor the last severe winter they will experience. Just a reminder Mother Nature is in charge.

In Utah we would get a winter kill every 10 years or so, but it was very localized. Other years it was drought that really cut into food supply and would drop fawn recruitment.
This winter kill in massive and far reaching.

 

[Buzzard Breath]

I know some of you have mentioned having the points to draw the red desert. Here's a copy and paste from another forum.

"I talked to a biologist in Green River today and got some info on the winter and the proposed seasons. There were at least 10,000 antelope (min) in antelope area 57 south of Rock Springs. At least 50% died this winter. You have to keep in mind that all the fawns died and that a good percentage of the surviving does will abort their fawns in order for themselves to live. So we have basically lost 2 years of recruitment in the antelope population. G&F will attempt to take 15% of the bucks by hunting each year. So 1/2 to 2/3 of the antelope are gone (got to take into account the aborted fawns) for this year. The buck population is WAY, WAY below objective, so what does G&F do? Issue 200 any antelope tags. !/2 what was proposed originally. In a couple of years there will be very few bucks but by golly they will have gotten the revenue from at least some tags. Everyone is screaming to close the seasons but $ trump the resource in Wy. You do not keep killing the resource when they in a desperate situation. I don't care if they all turn into Boone and Crockett goats and die of old age. We need to help the RESOURCE not our egos........Piss me off........Mike"

 

[tellico4x4]

Makes me want to . That's about the nicest thing I can say about WG&F.
Had a bad experience with them in 2010 and it looks like the decisions they are going to make on 18th will reinforce my feelings.
Really hope that no NR apply for any tag this year but know that's not going to happen.

 

[megalomaniac]

I have 15 or 16 pts for antelope in Wy... my plan was to use them on a Red Desert hunt in 2024. (Big trip for 2023 is AK moose). I'm just sick I didn't go ahead and pull my tag fall 2022. Could have hunted Ethans tag first half of the week, then hunted my tag second half of the week. But I had no idea we would find a mid 70s in goat in Ethans unit the 1st hour of the 1st day.

Now I'll probably pool my points with Ethan so we can draw a mid tier unit in 2025 or 2026. I really think it will take at least 7 years for the Red Desert to recover... if it EVER recovers.

Heck... look just south of the border in CO from the Red Desert... those antelope have never recovered from the huge kill 20 years ago.

 

[tellico4x4]

Now I'll probably pool my points with Ethan so we can draw a mid tier unit in 2025 or 2026. I really think it will take at least 7 years for the Red Desert to recover... if it EVER recovers.

That's where grandsons and I are headed too. We're going to pool ours with a couple of guys who have less to do a elk in 25. Should be a 12'ish unit draw I think. Not what or when we'll do something with deer & antelope

 

[LanceS4803]

Anybody heard anything about antelope in UT? They should be out of the snow and extreme cold.