AK Sheep, Population Observations

[mtwarden]

Look up "Alaska snowpack map", the divy the state up into regions and will show a % of normal snowpack for each region

 

[Roofer1]

Look up "Alaska snowpack map", the divy the state up into regions and will show a % of normal snowpack for each region

Great idea! thanks. Don't think I like what I found.

 

[mdoolin]

For what it's worth the winter in Prudhoe has been much more mild compared to the past few. The temps have been warmer and there isn't as much snow. The brooks is a decent ways south so they might have a lot more snow but overall it seems like alaska had a more mild winter than usual.

Just my observations FYI I don't have any data highlighting that specifically.

 

[Roofer1]

For what it's worth the winter in Prudhoe has been much more mild compared to the past few. The temps have been warmer and there isn't as much snow. The brooks is a decent ways south so they might have a lot more snow but overall it seems like alaska had a more mild winter than usual.

Just my observations FYI I don't have any data highlighting that specifically.

Thanks. Since my last post I've seen various map/reports and I'm in no way smart enough to make any sense of it. Either way I'm headed up in August. Guess even if the sheep aren't there it'll be a bad ass camping trip.

 

[VernAK]

DCUA has had exposed vegetation all winter due to wind and minimal snow. Temperatures have also been mild. We're hoping for a great lamb crop. Predators are still numerous.

 

[ColeyG]

Southcentral (Chugach, Talkeetnas, Southern slope of the AK Range) was unusually warm all winter with the least amount of snow at low elevations that I can remember in the last 25-ish years. There was still significant precip and it did fall as snow at middle and high elevations. We have numerous inversions and warming events that definitely touched winter sheep habitat and this tends to be the worst combination of conditions for sheep. Rain on snow icing events.

To top it all off, there is a very significant avalanche cycle persisting in southcentral that will no doubt knock some animals out as we move from winter snowpack into the annual spring shedding avalanche cycle. Very large natural avalanches are stepping down deep into the snowpack and running 3+K plus down to sea level in the Chugach including one that killed 3 heli skiers last week.

I am definitely worried about southcentral sheep based on the weather this winter. I will be very curious to see what happens with surveys this July.

 

[FAAFO]

No need to wait for surveys in July. Can’t get much worse in SC for sheep. But what do you expect when nothing has been done to address our failing sheep populations locally or statewide?

I’m not concerned because clearly ADFG isn’t concerned.

 

[Alder_]

PM Sent.