Wyoming Pronghorn Disease and Mortality

[WesternWyoming]

Wyoming pronghorn hunters! Very, very bad news.

From Wyofile, "Pronghorn are dropping dead across the western and central portions of the state only a handful of years after the last severe winter that also hammered them. And this year, pronghorn near Pinedale are suffering even more as a strange bacteria, Mycoplasma bovis, has killed more than 200. The bacteria causes pneumonia and once contracted, appears to be universally lethal to the creatures..."

The Wyoming Game & Fish (Pinedale) also reports that there has been 50% mortality in adult pronghorn since Dec. 1st, 2022 and this number is likely to climb.

To date, 275 pronghorn carcasses have been picked up since Feb. 20th, 2023 around Farson, Rock Springs, and Evanston. Normal winter mortality will add to these numbers.

I will continue to update this thread as information comes in.

 

[Firedude]

A lot of western states are feeling the long winter. My coworker showed me a picture of a cow elk taken for depridation a few weeks ago. They walked up and shot them. The one cow didn't even stand up. No fat under the hide. The younger one had a mushy soft heart. They're starving to death. The thawing, freezing, snowing, thawing again, and freezing has really caused trouble getting to feed below.

If you bought or are buying non-resident tags in Idaho or Wyoming this year I'd definitely throttle down expectations.

 

[oxn939]

Dang. WY Pronghorn just can't catch a break. Looks like it's been relatively rare to find it in free ranging ungulates... hopefully it stays that way.

Good year to let a tag or two burn.

 

[Djfan]

I ate my pronghorn tag three years ago, and haven't put in for one since. We need to give them an extended break.

 

[ccc23454]

I ate my pronghorn tag three years ago, and haven't put in for one since. We need to give them an extended break.

Tell your biologist not us cause if they issue the tag it will get used! Proposal comment deadline is today at 5pm local, get those comments in.

 

[Djfan]

Tell your biologist not us cause if they issue the tag it will get used! Proposal comment deadline is today at 5pm local, get those comments in.

I have friends in Saratoga who buy tags just to burn them.

Where do I comment? I would love to.

 

[ccc23454]

I have friends in Saratoga who buy tags just to burn them.

Where do I comment? I would love to.

Wyoming Game and Fish Department - Regional Season Proposal Presentations

wgfd.wyo.gov

Click on region, then theres a tab to submit comment on proposals

 

[Djfan]

Wyoming Game and Fish Department - Regional Season Proposal Presentations

wgfd.wyo.gov

Click on region, then theres a tab to sumbit comment on proposals

Done. Thanks.

 

[manitou1]

A lot of western states are feeling the long winter. My coworker showed me a picture of a cow elk taken for depridation a few weeks ago. They walked up and shot them. The one cow didn't even stand up. No fat under the hide. The younger one had a mushy soft heart. They're starving to death. The thawing, freezing, snowing, thawing again, and freezing has really caused trouble getting to feed below.

If you bought or are buying non-resident tags in Idaho or Wyoming this year I'd definitely throttle down expectations.

Heck, our problem is until the last two weeks there has been no thawing. Just frozen, hard crusty snow.

 

[bpitt]

I've not even applied this year. Have for the last 4 years. The last 2 years were bad enough due to the drought. Giving them a break this year. May go further south for something else (Colorado OTC elk or New Mexico)

 

[Bam Bam]

WY slashed tag numbers pretty aggressively this year, I was pleased to see that. I am happy to apply for some meat/doe tags, as long as the WYGF appears to be looking out for our Antelope herds. Lower drawing odds happily accepted!

 

[oxn939]

I've not even applied this year. Have for the last 4 years. The last 2 years were bad enough due to the drought. Giving them a break this year. May go further south for something else (Colorado OTC elk or New Mexico)

Same. Over ten thousand Antelope tags cut this year in WY, which is like a fourth of what they offered last year... glad to see it, but a good year to concentrate efforts elsewhere

 

[Zach]

This article actually came up during BLM/Wild horse discussion I was reading. The thought with horse advocates is that maybe this will push to limit hunting access in areas where pronghorn(wildlife) co-habitate. Not sure those folks understand multi-use lands.

Anywhoo, was wondering if anyone has had talks with the Bio's about possible disease origins?

 

[Trial153]

I hate to say this but I don’t have a lot of faith in the majority of hunters. I think a lot of them would shoot the last one on the plains if they had a tag in their pocket for it .

 

[OPSTER246]

Not good-