Alaska Winter Kill

[VernAK]

Our winter here in Delta Jct [GMU 20D] started September 20th and hasn't subsided......currently snowing. I'm finding a bit of data:
Shaw Creek Flats north of town has snow pack/water content of 315% of average. Trappers have given up for the most part as their sno-go just can't handle conditions. The trappers that do get out, tell me that conditions in 20A are worse. Cow hunts have been cancelled in both 20a and 20D as well as the any bull hunt in 20A.

We seldom see a cow/calf combo anymore as the calves [short yearlings] are gone. I observed a skinny cow yesterday that had huge raw areas on back legs from the hock up to the crotch......all red and raw....no hair. This is from the two inch layer of solid ice received in a Christmas rain storm. There's two feet of snow on top of that. Calves started dropping out within two weeks of the rain.

A very ambitious, young trapper has made it into the upper Goodpaster River country and reports no ice layer but very deep snow. He's fished his sno-go out of the river twice....at least. This deep snow extends across the Forty Mile Country [20E] and up into the Steese Highway country.

Most of these areas didn't have an abundance of young stock as it was so the future may be in question.

 

[cod007]

I hear that.
Here on the Kenai peninsula we have 3 ft plus of snow with a couple diff thin layers of ice. I’m also seeing more lone calves than normal and have a thin one of them in my yard again this morning. It’s snowing again today and he’s standing in the middle of the yard for minutes on end in the same spot. Looking around like he’s completely bewildered.
I have not however come across much for carcasses on my snogo rounds. I think that will be coming very soon. I usually start to see them about the 3rd week of March.
I believe it will be an extremely rough spring for moose here.

 

[beachbunny]

sorry to hear that

 

[Panhandler80]

Dang.

Does AFAG publish any reports about what most recent winter conditions were for other regions?

 

[william schmaltz]

Dang.

Does AFAG publish any reports about what most recent winter conditions were for other regions?

Don't let it stress you out. It's a different story west of the western AK range. They're running the farewell section of the Iditarod on the western slop of the AK range right now on dirt. I know guys that hunt wolves/wolverine out of Bethel on snowmachine close to where you will be hunting. They haven't had enough snow all winter to go.

We typically have a dozen or so moose frequent the yard here in Wasilla each winter. I've seen one bull and a cow with second year twins and only seen each a couple times all winter. The thick willows that hold moose behind my house have 3-5 foot drifts throughout from the big wind storm we had during new years. Hopefully that's the reason and the moose here are hanging out somewhere else where the travel isn't such a PITA (likely most down on the wind blown hay flats). Not the situation in the interior. It will be interesting and likely borderline depressing once we get a better handle on inventory of all animals this spring.

 

[Arcticmanak]

I'm in Fairbanks and drove through Delta last week. There did not appear to be as much snow down past Delta anywhere near the depth that we have in the Fairbanks area. I know why the moose are grumpy and irritable. I snowshoed into an area near town and had a tough time getting around!

 

[jhm2023]

I was told by some friends that recently came off the Charley River area that there isn't any ice but the snow is considerably deeper than Fairbanks. Deep to the point they couldn't even pack the strip down with their snow machines to have a plane on skis pick them up. I guess that's better than ice/snow mix.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

 

[wildwilderness]

Are caribou as affected by winter kill as moose? The ice layers will be hard on sheep again

 

[VernAK]

Unit 20E [Forty Mile Country] has very deep snow minus the ice layer. The effect on the caribou has yet to be determined but part of the Forty Mile Herd has left the Steese area and in on upper Charley River.

Just south of Delta the snow is much less in the valley and the bison are trying to move that way. But.....just east of Donnelly Dome is Granite Creek with 280% of snow/moisture and that is prime sheep country. On the south side of the range, snow depth is less but still substantial.

We got another 10" yesterday. No thaw in the forecast.

 

[AK_Skeeter]

Toughest winter since 1992.

 

[Arctic_Beaver]

Our winter here in Delta Jct [GMU 20D] started September 20th and hasn't subsided......currently snowing. I'm finding a bit of data:
Shaw Creek Flats north of town has snow pack/water content of 315% of average. Trappers have given up for the most part as their sno-go just can't handle conditions. The trappers that do get out, tell me that conditions in 20A are worse. Cow hunts have been cancelled in both 20a and 20D as well as the any bull hunt in 20A.

We seldom see a cow/calf combo anymore as the calves [short yearlings] are gone. I observed a skinny cow yesterday that had huge raw areas on back legs from the hock up to the crotch......all red and raw....no hair. This is from the two inch layer of solid ice received in a Christmas rain storm. There's two feet of snow on top of that. Calves started dropping out within two weeks of the rain.

A very ambitious, young trapper has made it into the upper Goodpaster River country and reports no ice layer but very deep snow. He's fished his sno-go out of the river twice....at least. This deep snow extends across the Forty Mile Country [20E] and up into the Steese Highway country.

Most of these areas didn't have an abundance of young stock as it was so the future may be in question.

I don't see where DF&G has cancelled any of the 20A Any bull moose tags yet? Is that a rumor you heard that will be announced soon? You seem to be well connected to the DF&G in the Interior so I don't doubt that info, but I just haven't seen anything formally announced yet.

I do see the closure to the 20A antlerless hunts and draw application $ was refunded to those that applied. I drew a 20A Any Bull moose tag, as well as my parents. I'm trying to figure out my hunting plans this year; between these 20A Any bull moose tags, my wife drew the caribou tag for this area, sheep hunting, and goat hunting. Lots to consider with how the winter has been effecting everything!

 

[AlaskaMark]

The Region III Interior area bio isn't going to close the any-bull hunts. Much more concerned with loss of any breeding cows and future cow harvest next fall.

I have a local snowshoe trail here in Fairbanks I do every day and our local moose are using that even though they still punch through, guess it's better than no trail at all. They are now eating poplar bark, but that isn't uncommon this time of year even with adequate browse from what the bios tell me. I'm glad no moose were DLP-ed around my place, and that our local cow and calf are still doing okay. We have had some close encounters though, gotta make sure to peek out the window before opening the door!

 

[AK_Skeeter]

 

[Kevin Dill]

Of course we all know this is the way of nature and it's just life (or death) for a moose. It's still saddening to read, as none of us wants to see such valued wildlife killed by starvation or excess predation. I suspect the flyboys are going to spot a lot of kills this spring. I spoke to my pilot a month ago, and Vern's assessment confirms what I was told. Certain areas were experiencing major calf losses back then, and the adult population was showing signs of problems. I don't know what to expect in my particular region but I'm sure there will be fewer adult moose surviving. Nevertheless, I'm as much about going moose hunting as I am about moose killing. I have learned to love this animal and respect its tenacity. Being in moose country is enough satisfaction for this guy.

 

[VernAK]

I don't see where DF&G has cancelled any of the 20A Any bull moose tags yet? Is that a rumor you heard that will be announced soon? You seem to be well connected to the DF&G in the Interior so I don't doubt that info, but I just haven't seen anything formally announced yet.

I do see the closure to the 20A antlerless hunts and draw application $ was refunded to those that applied. I drew a 20A Any Bull moose tag, as well as my parents. I'm trying to figure out my hunting plans this year; between these 20A Any bull moose tags, my wife drew the caribou tag for this area, sheep hunting, and goat hunting. Lots to consider with how the winter has been effecting everything!

Beaver,
The biologist's original presentation to Delta AC was to close both cow and any antler bull seasons. Mark's comment makes me think he may have changed his mind on the any bull hunt when presented to BOG, but you can rest assured there will not be an abundance of spike/fork bulls.

I've heard nothing regarding the caribou in 20A and expect the worst for dall sheep.

 

[william schmaltz]

We’ve had a different cow and twins move in the last day or so. The calves looked great. Momma had likely been hit by a car and was in rough shape. Hard to watch her limping around on 3 legs. Other than that, the cow seemed well fed too. I don’t envy their diet of 100% sticks.

 

[Arcticmanak]

Lots of moose frequenting yards, roads, power lines and trails around Fairbanks.

 

[Arcticmanak]

I drew DS204 last year and spent some time chasing sheep but did not see a legal ram. In talking with Delta F&G post season they said it was one of the lowest success rates on record for both the early and late hunts. It will be interesting to see what kind of numbers they get during their aerial survey this summer.

 

[Mykolaivka887]

40 inches on the east slope of the Talkeetnas and 80 inches on the west slope. Chugach has quite a bit of exposed winblown. Saw 5 nice rams while flying some of that windblown.

 

[No Saint Thomas]

How are things looking around the Knik area in 14?