antlerradar
Well-known member
No kidding. It is double the fun when you get to see it first hand. Just looked at the forecast and just about the entire SE part of the state is predicted to get 10" or more.
SE Montana winter kill
- Thread starter mn taxidermist
- Start date
No kidding. It is double the fun when you get to see it first hand. Just looked at the forecast and just about the entire SE part of the state is predicted to get 10" or more.
I agree with everything here. I think an easy solution for the Turkey day hunters and the freezer filler families of MT would be to limit mule deer after a date, kind of like Gardiner Elk, but keep the whitetail general. Still provides opportunity for all, while protecting the muleys. And yes, split the combo deer/elk tags for non residents and manage game on a species based basis. And as for B tags, make them private land only. Hell, if you’re a landowner that complains about your hay getting hit, invite your friends to whack a doe on private over thanksgiving. BLM, Forest, and State though should be severely restricted for does, preferably to the extent that the only doe you kill is with your A tag only. I believe it was antlerradar that said the private recovers faster, and he’s right, so a private only hunt could satisfy the rancher/farmer in years where the population is up. You know, In a decade or so at the rate this winter is going. 2 more feet on the way in SW MT.
brownbear932008
Well-known member
You know we have been talking about antelope and deer. But in the back of my mind a keep wondering how those goat and sheep are holding up esp goat.
From my understanding years like this are easier on goats than warmer years where we get a lot of freezing rain and avalanches.
brownbear932008
Well-known member
Interesting I never thought about the avalanches but I'm guessing the warmer weather causes those and a lot of goats can get swept down the mountain. I thought maybe the winds in the higher elevations kept the ground bare in spots. It still amazes me they can survive in such places all winter.
Last winter was pretty snowy too. When FWP flew the beartooth about this time or a little later in the year all the high plateaus were snow covered badly.
This winter has been snowier but very very windy
The few times I’ve gotten views of high elevation plateaus this winter, I think they have gotten blown off fairly well. I hope so.
This winter has been snowier but very very windy
The few times I’ve gotten views of high elevation plateaus this winter, I think they have gotten blown off fairly well. I hope so.
Looking at the 10 day for the SE corner of the state and I'm seeing temps hit the 60's and damn near touch the 70's by next Friday. Too little too late probably, but it beats seeing a damn snowflake on my screen. Hell, there's even a little rain mixed in!
targetpanic
Well-known member
I just looked at the DOT cameras for Ekalaka, Lame Deer, and Biddle and it looks like all the snow is gone?? Is that actually the case? That has to be a good thing unless it's too little too late like YoungGun said.
antlerradar
Well-known member
Snow is all gone except for north facing timber and drifts. There is even some green showing up. Lots of good moisture and it would not be too hard of find some place to get stuck in the mud. As for the deer. I haven't been too far from the river lately but the river bottom is full of parts and pieces of whitetails and some of the ones that are still kicking are not in good shape.
T
timmy
Guest
Snow is mainly gone, so are a good number of the deer. Quite a difference driving around last fall versus this spring. Worse for antelope.
oldschool.06
Active member
So whats up guys now that some snow is melting and you can see the carnage of the winters snow fall just how bad do things look ??
BlakeA
Well-known member
It looks like a beautiful landscape with significantly less wildlife on it compared to years past. Cattle look good though!
oldschool.06
Active member
Of course its beautiful most of Montana is . I love Montana If I could get my family to move I would already be living there . Im really sad to hear of the wildlife carnage it really sucks . I will be hunting there this year as I know if I turn in my tag it will just go to someone else anyway .
joelweb
Well-known member
I'm hearing that winter kill was less severe than anticipated. While winter mortality in eastern Montana was higher than normal, deer numbers remain fairly strong.
8andcounting
Well-known member
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I've not been to or heard anything recently from SE MT ,but I was recently out to NC Montana and the ranchers I ran into all said numbers look about like last year , which was really good I thought , they said they found no more dead deer than normal
Frequently Banned Troll
Well-known member
Pretty sure if you draw a 20 mile circle on a map with Ashland in it's center, there's a bit more than "normal" winter kill. Just my guess. The upper rosebud area around Colstrip didn't look nearly as bad, which isn't too far from where it looked like the apocalyptic ice cap this spring.
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oldschool.06
Active member
Hopefully the critters did better then we had all anticipated . Only time will tell. Breaking in new boots already so I can get further from the road then we normally have to do .
stealthy_bowman
Well-known member
I am also hearing that the kill was not as severe as anticipated. This came from a mfwp biologist I spoke to who expected worse, but was surprised and happy that the surveys are simply not indicating the disaster that was expected. Bottom line, indicators are pointing to marginally elevated winter kill, but certainly not the disaster some have predicted.
BlakeA
Well-known member
Obviously there is still decent numbers of deer on the landscape because they are not ALL going to die. If you are strictly meat hunting with zero intentions or expectations on having an opportunity to hunt and kill a mature buck, you will have a fun hunt. Lots of does and 2 year old bucks running around on the landscape. If you thought it was a challenge to find a mature buck on public land over the past 5 years what do you think the worst winter in a decade did to your odds? Those who think that a lot of 3.5-4.5+ year old bucks survived that disaster are a special kind of naïve.
Of course the bios are going to say the numbers are not that bad. The MT system is designed for opportunity, not quality age class on public land. For $700, you are getting one hell of a meat hunt down there. If I'm driving from out of state and investing 1k+ into a deer hunt, it would be nice to legitimately have a glimmer of hope at potentially just seeing/hunting a 160+ buck. Do they exist right now on public land down there, sure??? As an NR coming from out of state without any previous boots on the ground scouting, will you need to hit the lotto to have that opportunity? Absolutely.
I hope this thread stays alive and I, along with others are proven wrong. Good luck to those who venture down there and please post how your hunts went.
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