These declining elk numbers in CO. are definitely the results of climate change..
I know you're joking but IME over the last 20 years the muzzleloader season (early September) has gotten noticeably warmer. Seems to me that 20 years ago we'd have snow during the season most years. Haven't had that the last several years, just rain. And last year for the first time in my memory, mosquitoes were still around and a problem during the season. It may be just normal short-term temperature variation, but things like that can have an effect.
I'd be interested to hear what saddlesore has to say about average temperatures, he's been hunting the ML season longer than I have.
