Colorado

[Rooster52]

The deer winter mortality appears to be the worst in years. And the area around Craig was hit hard. Game Warden told me all info is not complete but there are dead deer and elk everywhere .

 

[dedeyebrett]

Gee...that's just swell...that area was going to be my backup plan for elk if I didn't draw anywhere else like last year.

 

[HighDesertSage]

Really? Last I heard the winter kill was significant, but not at bad as expected. Did you talk with the actual district wildlife manager, or someone in the office?

 

[Rooster52]

Talked to the lady game warden out of Steamboat. All NW Colorado was hit hard. Might of been a good year to just buy points.I applied for muzzleloader deer and elk in unit 15.

 

[Rooster52]

Trying to call a local biologist today.

 

[elkduds]

Was there bad winterkill on elk, deer in the Steamboat area, 14/214?

 

[Rocky176]

Sorry to hear that, I should be hunting South of 70 this year.

 

[Rooster52]

http://kdvr.com/2016/04/06/colorados-harsh-winter-leaves-some-wild-animals-in-a-struggle-to-survive

 

[Rooster52]

Talked with Steamboat office this morning,was told that mortality will be high in NW Colorado but nothing drastic. Probably 15-20 % more than normal but the early warm up has saved the toll from going higher.

 

[HalfAce]

That's a shame. I drove through that part of Colorado a few times last fall and was really impressed with the number of deer I was seeing, it really seemed like it was bouncing back. Saw a lot of fawns with does, even one set of triplets.

 

[HighDesertSage]

Talked with Steamboat office this morning,was told that mortality will be high in NW Colorado but nothing drastic. Probably 15-20 % more than normal but the early warm up has saved the toll from going higher.

That's what I heard as well. Winter started out pretty rough here, but Mid Feb to now have been very mild.

 

[elkduds]

Thanks for posting, Rooster. Saved me a few phone calls.

 

[HighDesertSage]

Well I may have to put my foot in my mouth on this one. I was supposed to go turkey hunting, but due to the nasty weather I decided to take a drive from Meeker to Baggs, then back down to Craig and over to Maybell. I can't believe how many carcasses are on the side of the road. Deer, antelope, and elk. Alot of them hung up in the barbed wire.I hope that it is only small percentage of animals, but there is a significant amount.

I guess I was just hoping it wasn't that bad.