General Hunting Discussion
winter deer kill
Deer don't browse in fields, that's grazing. The ice storm we got in early Feb. took down a lot of tree tops providing browse. At this point it has been tough on deer for 3 weeks. If we get a crust on the snow then the wolfs and coyotes will have a field day. At this point they are struggling to move through the snow also.
Im in Oneida county where we have about 38".
Hate to tell you CWS but there were no deer browsing in any fields by us in Forest County since maybe early January. After the ice storm up there the crust was so hard they couldn't get through it and then in the next 10 days they got 30" of snow. We have close to 3' on the ground and more to the NW with a lot of winter left unless we get a big warm up The DNR winter severity index is already to moderate at the end of Feb.
It's not the greatest out there right now but the deer are doing just fine. There are some weak ones dying but that is good. Any deer that is dying already from the winter had predisposed problems that we do not need getting spread. They went into February very healthy as most were still eating in fields. There is plenty of browse which is what they prefer now anyways in the woods. Unless there are wolves the deep snow is just fine, keeps them insulated at night. These rain to ice to snow storms are what I would worry about a heck of a lot more than anything else.
Was up at our cabin in Forest County this past weekend and the snow is about 34" in the hardwoods. Took a 60 mile snowmobile ride seen very little deer sign and where we did they are in the swamps. The few deer we seen are having a very tough time getting around except when on the snowmobile trail. No beaten down trails like years ago so the deer are basically breaking trail most of the time, it doesn't look good.
I was going to our Archery club meeting in Central Wisconsin tonight at 6 pm. A single doe was on the road. As I approached she jumped over the snow bank and went in to her belly. She struggled to move towards the woods. Her go did not go any better as she got closer to the trees. It was difficult as every jump she was up to her belly. As I write this my weather station shows one below zero.
Deer can't be finding a lot to eat and the cold isn't helping them getting them to spring.
Hopefully I fill the freezer with a big bear this fall.
Good luck to everyone
Dodger
Things are not good for the deer. Coming home yesterday there were 5 running down the road toward me and stopped when I came around the corner. (it was a back road though). Big doe in front with 4 smaller ones. They clearly did not want to go back in the woods and milled around on the road before the big doe jumped off into the woods and the others followed. They all floundered up to their belly's and jumped each time to get through. Felt bad for them. Have to say they all looked pretty good though. Really need some weather changes soon.
I was at my place in Jump River this weekend and drove around the area quite a bit Saturday while trying to find a place to ice fish. We did not come across a single set of tracks or trails crossing the roads, and we put on likely 30 miles. Some of it was in the Chequamegon too where we usually see LOTS of activity in winter.
Not lookig good up in Taylor County. Snow depth was 3' on the ground.
