Alaska Winter Kill

[Mykolaivka887]

How are things looking around the Knik area in 14?

Depends on how far up the river bottom you go. Between Palmer and the glacier there's about a foot or so. Beyond the glacier it gets deep quick.

 

[Poncho88]

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.

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Hey JHM, I've been looking to get some more info on the Charley River, as my father and I are planned to fly into 3 finger Charley this fall with 40 mile air. Would love to chat with you and/or your friends that spend time in that area. Looking like it might be more of a wolf hunt than a caribou/ moose hunt. Which is fine with us, we want to do our part and would love to help lower the wolf numbers. If you guys have any tips and tricks to get them in close, would love to hear from you. I am a newbie here, so I can't PM yet.

 

[AK_Skeeter]

We live at 1000 feet elevation and there is a 2 inch thick ice lens in the snowpack.
At our house 42 inches of snow in early April...
Looks like a cold first half of April with no substantial melting forecasted....

 

[VernAK]

Yesterday I talked with a friend from Cantwell and he showed me pics of his snow pack.......incredible. South of the Alaska Range they didn't get the rain/ice that we got. Denali Park just north of Cantwell also received a huge snow.

 

[AK Troutbum]

Yesterday I talked with a friend from Cantwell and he showed me pics of his snow pack.......incredible. South of the Alaska Range they didn't get the rain/ice that we got. Denali Park just north of Cantwell also received a huge snow.

A buddy of mine was up snow machining on the Denali Hwy. in mid Feb. and took this picture. The 09 on the sign represents 9'. I suspect there's probably a fair amount more now though.

 

[Kevin Dill]

Does anyone know if ADFG or another entity surveys for winter kill, or issues any type of report? Is such information mostly anecdotal based on various inputs from residents, trappers, pilots, and so on?

 

[VernAK]

Does anyone know if ADFG or another entity surveys for winter kill, or issues any type of report? Is such information mostly anecdotal based on various inputs from residents, trappers, pilots, and so on?

I'd have to say that much is anecdotal from trappers etc. Delta and Fairbanks bios have been up but it is difficult to ascertain loss as some carcasses are snow covered or cleaned up by wolves. Bios will make a serious calving survey in the last week of May and this should tell the story. Twinning rates are a reliable indicator of herd health but I suspect even single calves will be rare this spring. Many of the short yearlings are already gone.

The effect of the rain/ice at Christmas was immediately recognized as critical as the calves in town were suffering within ten days.

The annual moose herd composition surveys are done in November when there is snow on the ground but the bulls haven't dropped antlers yet.

Wolves have probably had a serious impact this winter.

 

[Mykolaivka887]

It's anecdotal information. ADF&G does not fly winter mortality surveys for any specie. They fly moose composition surveys in November and moose population surveys in February.

However, state money is tight and aerial surveys are limited to a few of the predator management areas and/or where resident hunters heavily rely on ungulate species.

In terms of the USF&WS, their budget is obviously unlimited, but they don't fly winter mortality surveys, either.

In reference to the Dept of Agriculture (USFS) they do not conduct any moose surveys.

 

[Chumsnagger]

A buddy of mine was up snow machining on the Denali Hwy. in mid Feb. and took this picture. The 09 on the sign represents 9'. I suspect there's probably a fair amount more now though.

X

A buddy of mine was up snow machining on the Denali Hwy. in mid Feb. and took this picture. The 09 on the sign represents 9'. I suspect there's probably a fair amount more now though.

Just to set the record straight, the 09 is the year the sign was installed. DOT mile post signs are placed 6 foot above grade. Attached is 2 miles closer to Paxson in the fall. Still a lot of snow!

 

[AKDoc]

I'd have to say that much is anecdotal from trappers etc. Delta and Fairbanks bios have been up but it is difficult to ascertain loss as some carcasses are snow covered or cleaned up by wolves. Bios will make a serious calving survey in the last week of May and this should tell the story. Twinning rates are a reliable indicator of herd health but I suspect even single calves will be rare this spring. Many of the short yearlings are already gone.

The effect of the rain/ice at Christmas was immediately recognized as critical as the calves in town were suffering within ten days.

The annual moose herd composition surveys are done in November when there is snow on the ground but the bulls haven't dropped antlers yet.

Wolves have probably had a serious impact this winter.

Very unusual and intense rain/ice in your part of the state in midwinter this year, Vern...truly atypical! The images I saw of your area midwinter were very concerning!

I'm in agreement with your position, it's not a question of whether or not there was an impact on the moose population, but rather a question of the extent of the impact...and as you said, those determining variables will be incoming and ongoing for many months into the future.

 

[AK Troutbum]

X

Just to set the record straight, the 09 is the year the sign was installed. DOT mile post signs are placed 6 foot above grade. Attached is 2 miles closer to Paxson in the fall. Still a lot of snow!View attachment 397898

Right on and thanks, good to know.


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[AK_Skeeter]

The snowpack/ice may effect all ungulates in interior AK, moose, sheep, caribou.
We may have a late spring which could mean another month of heavy snowpack and no budburst/green-up.

When we do have a late spring, moose start eating the photosynthetic bark of aspen trees
and even browse on alders as much of the winter browse that is accessible has been consumed.

 

[mtnbiker208]

I was at alpine creek lodge on the denali highway, last week.
moose everywhere, and i do mean everywhere. probably saw 50 moose in a couple of days.

 

[VernAK]

The domestic bison herds here have just started calving. If the wild herd follows suit, most will not be on the Delta River calving area where snow is much less and pea vine is available for food.

It may not make a difference as I think the calving rate will be minimal.

The thaw has not arrived in Delta and the 10 day forecast doesn't look any better.

 

[Mykolaivka887]

It's 20 degrees this morning, southwest of the Alphabet Hills, and about 3 feet of snow on the ground. Southern exposures, especially winblown exposures in the Talkeetnas and Chugach Range are receiving a little bit of solar induced melting. But, it's still winter in the Nelchina Basin.

 

[Buck1972]

not good

 

[Sourdough]

This is unbelievable, but while removing five feet of snow to access the doors to some connexs (shipping containers) I discovered (3") Three inches of ice at the bottom. That would be very bad for Sheep, Caribou, Goats. And confirmed the 3" of ice on different part of the property.

 

[AK_Skeeter]

This is unbelievable, but while removing five feet of snow to access the doors to some connexs (shipping containers) I discovered (3") Three inches of ice at the bottom. That would be very bad for Sheep, Caribou, Goats. And confirmed the 3" of ice on different part of the property.

At our place there is about 2 feet of snow, then a thick layer of ice, then another 1-2 feet of snow, then ice. The neighborhood roads all are plowed but covered with 3 inches of ice so driving is tricky until you get to the main roads. Usually the graders start "hard pack removal" this time of year but that thick layer of ice is delaying that spring breakup operation.

 

[VernAK]

At our place there is about 2 feet of snow, then a thick layer of ice, then another 1-2 feet of snow, then ice. The neighborhood roads all are plowed but covered with 3 inches of ice so driving is tricky until you get to the main roads. Usually the graders start "hard pack removal" this time of year but that thick layer of ice is delaying that spring breakup operation.

Conditions are quite similar here in Delta. That 3" of ice on the Richardson Highway made travel to Fairbanks incredibly rough. Ball joints and shocks took a beating. After our IGA collapsed from snow load, some Deltoids drove to 3 Bears in Tok for groceries rather than endure the drive to Fairbanks.

The perished bison tally was 37 as of yesterday and those are only counted on/by roads. The number of dead critters in the bush will be indicated in later surveys.

 

[Yellowknife]

This starving moose was standing on my porch earlier this winter to get out of the crusty snow.

I finally had to drive her off, but felt pretty bad about it. I’m sure she didn’t make it.

There are some pockets where the moose did ok, but overall it’s been a rough winter for many animals.