SNOW!!!

[kevjack6]

I don't know what everyone else is seeing, but here in the Northeast Kingdom the snow is getting deep! I saw 2 deer cross the road in front of me this morning and they were struggling...this isn't going to be good.

[ZEEK]

Yeah, if you thought last year was bad, unless we get some warm weather and get rid of this snow the herd is in real trouble. Above my knees here in Rutland County.

[BruceBruce1959]

when you consider how bad the winter severity is going to be combined with
the inexperience of Vermonts new Fish & Wildlife Commissioner, it all kind of
adds up to a total Disaster..
Vermont hunters could be heading into the worse possible herd conditions ever
without the comfort of knowing a guy like former commissioner Wayne Laroche
was on the job prepared to handle these type of disasters and don't get me wrong
wayne Laroche wasn't perfect but at least he was qualified to manage & maintain
Fish and Wildlife.
Personally, after 37 years of hunting Vermont woods this may be the year that
ends my hunting in Vermont and I've heard the same thing repeated by several
other veteran Vt. hunters..
Good Luck to all

[TJR]

The snow totals are certianly yarding the deer up nicely. From what I have observed snowshoeing around, the deer are all but forced to stay on well worn trails to and from their yarding/feeding areas. A few items to note:

a) Although the snow depths are high, the snow remains un"crusted", a feature that has likely saved many younger deer from the hungry mouths of coyotes (the dogs dont yet have the "on-top-of snow advantage")

b)With the exception of the brutally frigid week in january, temperatures have been tolerable. The absolute worst conditions for deer are when snow depths are high and crusty AND the temperatures plummet. These conditions require the maximum expenditure of calories and present the most opportunities for predation. The lack of the combination of these conditions has probably helped the deer herd regardless of the overall snow levels state-wide.

c) Although I havent found any yet, all signs seem to point to antlers being on the ground. I have seen quite a few large "doe" while walking through the woods, but none long enough to identify as bone-less bucks. Anyone found any fresh sheds/seen any bucks lacking their headgear?

Just under 8 months until bow season...

TJR

[ZEEK]

Here we are almost a month after this post was entered and another huge storm is landing on us.
If it was bad before this is possibly the knock out punch for the states deer herd.
I know they are a hardy bunch and have lived through winters like this before and the herd will go on.
But I have to believe if we had any hopes of good deer hunting again, it's just been knocked back a couple years.

[kevjack6]

The deer up here have had a little bit of a break. We got some rain a couple of weeks ago which made a very solid crust that they could walk around on; but, we just got nailed with 30" of snow so I tend to agree with you Zeek. I think if there hasn't been much of a winter-kill up until this point, it will soon get UGLY.

[ZEEK]

Some good news. I was driving through Brandon yesterday afternoon and saw 23 deer in two meadows a couple miles apart.
I also saw 10 earlier that day further south. Maybe it won't be that bad.

[kevjack6]

I've been seeing some deer as well. I think for the most part, the deer made it ok. There is no question that the winter kill will be a little more severe than the past couple because of stress inflicted by predators/house dogs etc. (if they get chased at all in the deep snow, it takes ALOT out of them).

Another thing to consider is that even though the deer made it through the winter, some of the does may be in poor shape causing them to abort their fawns or to only have one when they might normally have two. So, the repercussions of a severe winter can last longer than the next deer season.

We'll keep our fingers crossed. No meadows up here yet....everyone is still riding their sleds!

[DannyBouy]

TJR put it well.

Deep snow is actually good for deer as far as predation goes. it's much easier for them to run through deep snow with their long legs than it is for Coyotes, dog and other short legged predators.

Deep snow, however, saps their energy because it's much harder to walk/run through it, not to mention it buries under the snow what food they maight have been able to get to during light snow loads.

[kevjack6]

We need a thaw up here SOON! I'm seeing deer where I normally don't, mainly in towns on people's lawns eating shrubs and hedges and anything else they can.