Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Gonna be a rough few years!

https://cowboystatedaily.com/2023/0...deer-and-elk-die-from-winter-starvation/

This article describes how the animals are doing in south central Wyoming, but I think it describes how things are throughout most of the western states. This past winter was epic in many places and the herds are paying for it dearly! This is the first year I won’t be hunting a big game animal since I was 21 back in 1990! I also hunt upland birds in at least 3 states a year and I fear they have suffered much the same fate! Sad times. I will be living vicariously through the campfire members stories this fall!

Elk country

The good news is going into this winter most units were over population objectives...for elk. I would be worried about the deer and antelope for the long run.

Damn

I am in no position to dispute those in Wyoming who are looking at all the dead animals, the winter range and making assessments, but the same rumors and heresy were all over during the winter of '16-'17 when I was one of the ones seeing all the carnage. Reports were that thousands and thousands of antelope, deer and elk died all over the intermountain west due to snow load. Dead critters everywhere according to highway departments and game departments. I too saw elk up past their bellies all winter long near Sage Junction and parts of Idaho, and heard WGFD and IDFG reports of nearly 100% fawn loss and well over 50% doe/buck loss.

That following hunting season I saw every bit as many deer and elk as I did the seasons before. Every mule deer doe I saw had healthy looking twins if not triplets. Same with elk. I don't recall the antelope crop that year but the hunting for them that fall in '17 didn't seem to be affected.

That is my way of saying, there's hope that this situation isn't as bad as it is being reported. That, and those animals that survive should be the strongest of the herd, in a general sense.

Whether it’s by a grand design, Mother Nature, the tooth fairy, or whatever, harsh winters cull deer antelope, and elk numbers cyclically and it sucks for us hunters and the critters. But that’s just the way it is and has been for countless years. If I were playing the numbers and predictions, I’d fold my tent for this year in Colorado. But I’m not. I’m going on our elk hunt and hope for the best. Heck, I’ve eaten elk tags in “good years” so no big deal. If the game commission cuts licenses and I can’t get one, I’ll suck it up and hunt elsewhere. Happy Trails

In Idaho, it depends on where they winter. Many deer, elk, and antelope winter in the Snake River plain. In most of that area, there's very little snow and they should be just fine. Just north and south of the plain, though, is a different story. Much of it has snow 50% or more above normal. In north Idaho, the snowpack is about average so those animals should be ok, too.

T it is just that bad.
Some areas are seeing massive die offs. Parts of the state were in extreme drought before this and range was bad, now deep crusty snow and no forage has them hurting.
You'll see the results in licenses cuts.
This winter is unlike ones we've had in multitudes of years, 16-17 was nothing compared to this.

Yes some areas of the state are fine, but some have massive winter kill. They are not exaggerating.
Good news as you mentioned though, pronghorn have twins and maybe triplets every year to bounce back. The deer not so much and will be hurting at certain age classes.
More tag cuts are coming from WG&F, residents are calling for them due to what we are seeing.

Folks applying need to wait and see how many tags will really be available. Folks may have out in for licenses that are drastically reduced in numbers. Some doe tags will be cut completely.

No reason to issue doe tag’s this year.

Only west of I-25 in Colorado.East of I-25 the deer are in good shape, actually too many.

I have 13 of the long legged rats eating up about 3 acres of pasture I re seeded last fall. All look healthy and fat. Last year's fawns look like they all survived except road kills.

I am thinking about getting CPW to issue me a couple depredation tags. I am tired of feeding them when a 800 pound bale of hay is right at $200 now

Nw oklahoma here. Our deer numbers keep climbing. We are in record drought and don't see anywhere near the snowfall yall in Wyoming and Colorado see. Agriculture is what has impacted our herds. What used to be prairie grass and plum thickets has turned into irrigation circles. Now there is crop rotation and abundance of corn, milo, and soybeans, plus summer crops. I was out the other evening on one of our wheat fields and seen at least 80 deer on it.
That particular field was only about 140 acres too. Where we struggle on wildlife numbers and climate is in our Quail. It's either boom or bust. Last year we had 80 plus days of over 100 degree heat and little rain. Not good for a ground nesting bird. Deer can just hide out in the corn and milo and flourish. I was hoping to make it to wyoming to hunt pronghorns this year, but I may skip this one. I also heard special draw tags may double. Gotta roll with the punches and keep on hunting.

That may be true in the southern part of CO. Up here in the northern part, all the way out to the Sterling/Wray area got hit really hard with by a couple bad blizzards and lots of snow and cold this year. Have a biologist friend that works NE CO for upland birds and she said it’s the worst she’s seen in her 20yrs. in the area. Nephew lives in Ft. Morgan and had to use his tractor multiple times to dig a trail through 4-6ft drifts to get to their chickens.

Last statistic I read is tags for antelope and deer up that way will be cut by at least 40%.

I truly hope it isn’t as bad as we are hearing, but the info I’m getting from people out that way doesn’t sound promising!

Elk Country

The areas that they are recommending cuts are only in the NW about centered arund Unit 12. Only effecting leftover, and late seas on tags, maybe first draw. Archery , Muzzle Loader tags won't be cut.
per CPW

How was the winter in southwest Montana? Headed back there in 25’

Mack112: Worst winter by far here in SW Montana of the 26 I have spent here - and it started early!
November, for instance, was the coldest here on record!
Still the Elk herds I have seen are plump and NO ribs showing anywhere that I have seen them at - from Jackson Hole, Wyoming to Drummond, Montana and from Ennis, Montana to Chief Joseph Pass on down to Salmon, Idaho.
The only Elk I have seen dead, in months, have been hit by trucks and cars along the roads.
I have absolutely NO idea how the Elk have survived at all, this never ending bitter, windy, cold winter - only thing I can surmise is the deep cold allowed for only very dry snow all winter and it either blew off of the grass or was easy for the Elk to "paw" through?
And since the re-introduction of the Wolves to Idaho and Montana the Elk are "choosing" to spend more and more time on private land/ranches as opposed to their former traditional haunts on forest service and BLM lands and traditional winter ranges.
Good luck on that Hunt in 2,025 - maybe look into a private ranch trespass fee.
Our Whitetailed Deer numbers are way down in this sector of Montana but that is due to a couple of "Deer diseases" - and our Mule Deer numbers are spectacularly low due to long time predation (by Grizzly Bears, unchecked numbers of Mt. Lions, hordes of Coyotes, Black Bears and of course the ever hungry Wolves!).
Only patches of healthy Mule Deer around here are found on private ranches/lands.
I would recommend diverting your destination to Colorado but they are BURIED in many places under record snows.
Maybe New Mexico/Arizona?
Best of luck where ever you decide to Hunt.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I went to Montana this November and was successful, we saw hundred of elk, going back to the same area