“Exceptional” drought and effect

[Bullshot]

Curious about this designation and it’s day to day effect on antelope, in particular in NW Colorado where it has been in this status more often than most other locations it seems. I continually check the forecasts and of course drought does not mean that it never rains (it does) but is more reflective cumulative deficits. These are always rather dry areas in the best of times, and native wildlife is resilient. So does drought affect agriculture and ranching more than say the year to year antelope herds, or is a true wild game disaster also happening out there? Like everyone, I am perplexed over the scope and duration of it, the worsening fire season, etc., but unlike with major winterkill events, the media doesn’t seem to report often or well on how drought correlates to wildlife herds (in a given location or a given year).

 

[Shangobango]

Nothing to add, but that I’ll following this discussion.

 

[Hunting Wife]

Drought can absolutely have major impacts to wildlife, but it typically doesn’t manifest itself as the proximate cause of mortality. I mean it isn’t unprecedented to see animals die during a heatwave, but that’s not typically how drought impacts wildlife.

More typically, you’ll see lower juvenile survival. Fawns don’t tolerate the heat as well and dehydrate faster than adults. Does in poor condition may not produce enough milk either.

You’ll see animals in poorer body condition due to lack of forage quality and energy expenditure. Thermoregulation takes energy…seeking shelter, seeking water, spending more time trying to cool off instead of feeding. Plus forage quantity and quality can be severely impacted during drought, obviously.

Animals in poorer body condition don’t have sufficient energy reserves going into winter. Couple that with poor vegetation growth over a droughty growing season, and you’ve got the makings for a significant winter kill if the conditions aren’t favorable. Animals in poor condition are also more susceptible to disease.

So you won’t usually see anything about mortality due to the heat, because the big mortality either doesn’t occur or isn’t detected until later. The mortality will often be attributed to something else, even though ultimately drought was a significant contributing factor.

Not sure if I really got at the question you were asking or not

 

[Wildabeest]

This coming week will be a hot one for the PNW. Not just breaking all-time record highs, but blowing them out by 5 degrees or more!

 

[antelopedundee]

I have a friend out there who says that the antelope never leave his place and he has no water for them. I expect that they get sufficient moisture intake from the dew that accumulates on tree leaves and similar surfaces.

 

[COEngineer]

I have a friend out there who says that the antelope never leave his place and he has no water for them. I expect that they get sufficient moisture intake from the dew that accumulates on tree leaves and similar surfaces.

NW CO usually has little or no dew. During exceptional drought, there is absolutely no dew.

Hunting Wife has it right. There will be fewer animals each year of a drought due to lower birth weights, lower fat reserves going into winter, etc.

 

[antelopedundee]

NW CO usually has little or no dew. During exceptional drought, there is absolutely no dew.

Hunting Wife has it right. There will be fewer animals each year of a drought due to lower birth weights, lower fat reserves going into winter, etc.

He doesn't lose animals and they are pretty healthy so they are getting their water requirement satisfied somehow. Not saying that that's how it works all over however.

 

[Deleted member 20812]

https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/79564368.pdf

 

[COEngineer]

https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/79564368.pdf

This looks like a scam/phishing link. Just sayin.

 

[Deleted member 20812]

This looks like a scam/phishing link. Just sayin.

it’s not.

 

[COEngineer]

it’s not.

Indeed. Your verbosity is overwhelming.

The bottom line from the study in JLS's link is this:


Although, the fact that one herd gets 40-70% of its water from plants (the study refers to it as "preformed water") does not mean that another herd in another location would match those numbers.

 

[Bluffgruff]

Bottom line was that the herd could not meet its water needs from foraging.

 

[COEngineer]

Bottom line was that the herd could not meet its water needs from foraging.

Agree. I guess that is a corollary(?) to the fact that they got, at most, 70% of their water from plants. 30% would be a significant deficiency and has to come from somewhere over the long-term.

 

[Bluffgruff]

The info in the article would go along with the often repeated declaration that antelope must drink every day.

 

[Hunting Wife]

Went for a drive today and was struck by two things since the last time I spun through the area a few weeks ago…

1. There’s no way antelope are meeting even half their water needs through vegetation right now. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen vegetation growth this poor.

2. I was disappointed to see far fewer antelope fawns with the does today than there were a couple weeks ago. Anecdotally based on what I saw today, I’m concerned that fawn recruitment is going to be very poor. Herds of 6-8 does with only 1-3 fawns…not good at all.

Guess we’ll see what the flights show…

 

[RobertD]

Went for a drive today and was struck by two things since the last time I spun through the area a few weeks ago…

1. There’s no way antelope are meeting even half their water needs through vegetation right now. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen vegetation growth this poor.

2. I was disappointed to see far fewer antelope fawns with the does today than there were a couple weeks ago. Anecdotally based on what I saw today, I’m concerned that fawn recruitment is going to be very poor. Herds of 6-8 does with only 1-3 fawns…not good at all.

Guess we’ll see what the flights show…

Sorry to be dense, but what general area are you referring to? Hate to hear it.

 

[Hunting Wife]

NE Montana