Winter getting tough on the lopes

[mtmiller]

Not sure how this will all turn out, but pronghorn in this area are not wintering very well. Some lopes are starting to move to the edge of town and yesterday part of a herd got whacked on the highway just north of town.

I was down south last week and found this doe that was recently killed by a yote or two.

They do a better job of getting meat off the carcass than I do.

The last couple years I have been mapping fences and trying to get them up to standards for wildlife passage. Though this fence was probably fine most of the year, but drifting this year has complicated things.

Not a good way to go.

This was not a big herd, about 40 if I remember correctly, and they were trapped between two fences along a county road. I stayed back as far as possible to not stress them, but enough to keep them moving to a crossing. After 1/2 mile they finally found a crossing. I blew it on the picture, there were probably 5 that jumped the fence before I got the camera turned on.

Once they got through they followed the path of least resistance. Note the hair at the fence as well.

I spoke with the local FWP biologist at a meeting the other day, sounds like about 50 more mortalities on the train tracks in the vicinity.

Hopefully that gopher doesn't see his shadow next week.

 

[Oak]

Too bad to hear that. Pretty interesting stuff there...thanks for sharing.

 

[ERSS]

Those pics really tell the story, thanks for the update
Been a brutal winter so far

 

[1_pointer]

16" high, smooth bottom wire doesn't help in those instances. Are those 'your' fences? Thought about having a small section, like 1/4 mi, changed over to let down? Maintenance can be a bugger, but if it's not a huge stretch it shouldn't be too bad. Either that or just put a gate or two in that can be left open in winter and locked the rest of the time.

I dealt with some problems last year dealing with pronghorns, a highway, and sheep netting. The DWR was more than amenable to helping us replace 2 quarter mile section of netting on either side with standard spec fence.

 

[mtmiller]

Thought about having a small section, like 1/4 mi, changed over to let down? Maintenance can be a bugger, but if it's not a huge stretch it shouldn't be too bad. Either that or just put a gate or two in that can be left open in winter and locked the rest of the time.

Let down is not in the cards here. Lots of these lopes are illegals and we are talking about lopes that may have migrated nearly 100 miles (my opinion). Lots of pastures (fences) in this part of the country. Not looking to be a good year, at least locally.

Here are a few lopes on the edge of town.

I estimated 375 in this group (obviously more than this pic shows), but a local thought 900. He may be closer since I couldn't see into the surrounding coulees from the country road.

You can see where most made it through the fence here. This one didn't.

Maybe they really are goats. There were quite a few hanging out in the local badlands where the snow was wind blown.

I came up with 136 in this group, but I am sure lots were missed in this broken country and my limited observation point.

 

[1_pointer]

Well, at least they're still motoring along. But if it is 'your' fence, I don't see how let down isn't possible. Private fence, different story and I agree that it would be tough. When you say illegal, what do you mean? Are they Canadian? They look like americana to me.

 

[mtmiller]

Sure it is possible Tyler. However, they may have crossed 50 fences to get to this point. I am not building lope corridors with lay downs.

Yes, I am guessing there are quite a few Canada lopes in the area. Recently a GPS collar was picked up that quit responding before it dropped. It was found by a local and GPS points showed this doe was collared in CAN at the SK/AB border and fawned/summered ~70 miles NE in my neck of the woods...er....prairie.

 

[1_pointer]

However, they may have crossed 50 fences to get to this point.

I gotcha now.

Do those lopes from up north have an accent?

 

[smalls]

Do those lopes from up north have an accent?

No, but there etiquette is flawless.

 

[JoseCuervo]

No, but there etiquette is flawless.

and they do spend a lot of time sitting around drinking LaBatts.....

 

[guppie9]

If they're from Canada, doesn't that make them anteloupe??

 

[JoseCuervo]

If they're from Canada, doesn't that make them anteloupe??

I am just surprised that CJCJ is not up in arms about these border jumpers... I bet if they were called "antelopez" he would hate them.

 

[1_pointer]

I am just surprised that CJCJ is not up in arms about these border jumpers... I bet if they were called "antelopez" he would hate them.

That part is kinda funny... Or is it that cj is anti-lopez...

 

[schmalts]

So is this caused by global warming??

 

[mtmiller]

More like the first winter we have had in quite some time.