CO Snowpack and early season water availability

[TheCougar]

I think I’m going to use my points and go archery mule deer hunting in CO this year. I’m paying attention to the winter moisture, which looks to be below average. I seem to remember 2-3 years back, CO had a really dry winter and it caused serious problems in early September when guys couldn’t find water above tree line - streams and seeps were dry, and there wasn’t any residual snow in the shade. Looking at the snowpack maps, most of the state is sitting around 70% of median annual snowpack. Obviously, that can change I the next two months, but right now it’s looking like a below average winter. At what point do you start to worry about this? Is 70% just fine and I’ll be able to find water up high? Obviously it’s area dependent, so I’m talking in genera. I want to avoid hunting on a year where there’s no water to be found, since all the hunters will congregate around the scarce resource.

 

[robby denning]

I think I’m going to use my points and go archery mule deer hunting in CO this year. I’m paying attention to the winter moisture, which looks to be below average. I seem to remember 2-3 years back, CO had a really dry winter and it caused serious problems in early September when guys couldn’t find water above tree line - streams and seeps were dry, and there wasn’t any residual snow in the shade. Looking at the snowpack maps, most of the state is sitting around 70% of median annual snowpack. Obviously, that can change I the next two months, but right now it’s looking like a below average winter. At what point do you start to worry about this? Is 70% just fine and I’ll be able to find water up high? Obviously it’s area dependent, so I’m talking in genera. I want to avoid hunting on a year where there’s no water to be found, since all the hunters will congregate around the scarce resource.

@Josh Boyd


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[Nickofthewoods]

From what I've seen I wouldn't worry that much. Even when it's dry up that high in elevation there is always water somewhere in the form of a lake, pond, spring, or headwater stream. Last winter there was a dismal snowpack in the San Juans and on a late August backpacking trip I had water available everywhere, and it hadn't rained a significant amount in over a week prior to my trip. Considering the distance a Mule Deer can travel daily for water, they wouldn't have had to try that hard from what I saw.

Yes we still have two months of winter but a lot of the snowpack can come in spring during March, April, and even May, so it's way too early to predict the final percentages.

 

[street]

I gotta agree with nick. Too early to tell. See how the rest of Jan and Feb go.

 

[ColoradoV]

Actually you will not know until April or so as there is a reason most all the water planning in Colorado is pretty much based off the April 1 date.

This year the snowpack is low so far but on the flip side of that coin is that many places are feeling the full brunt of the winter of 2016 or there is a noticeable gap in the age class of bucks in places that got hit hard in 2016 winterkill.

Overall in the high country there will be enough water even on a drought year that hunters are more likely to be crowded over the scarce source of a 180" buck than concentrating on water.. Or last year the Colorado Bowhunters Ass lobbied the CPW very very hard to have the deer seasons pushed back and archery basically lost the best week of hunting. So now muzzy and rifle hunters are scouting/hunting right on top of archery and this or overcrowding is more of a issue now than finding water.

Not a good thing going on for archery deer in Colorado. Honestly after the CBA's attack on high country archery deer I think it might be better to use points later in the rifle seasons that in archery as you might have a better chance at a buck.

Good luck and dont worry about water too much as it is at the bottom of what will effect your hunt in the field.

 

[5MilesBack]

I really wish the state would have moved the deer season to start Aug 15th, then I'd probably be hunting deer every year. Having the same as elk season, that makes my choice for me.

As for water, there was one year maybe 10 years or so ago I went elk hunting opening weekend to an area I've hunted many times. There wasn't a drop of water in any pond, seep, or creek that year.........worst I had ever seen.

 

[TheCougar]

Actually you will not know until April or so as there is a reason most all the water planning in Colorado is pretty much based off the April 1 date.

This year the snowpack is low so far but on the flip side of that coin is that many places are feeling the full brunt of the winter of 2016 or there is a noticeable gap in the age class of bucks in places that got hit hard in 2016 winterkill.

Overall in the high country there will be enough water even on a drought year that hunters are more likely to be crowded over the scarce source of a 180" buck than concentrating on water.. Or last year the Colorado Bowhunters Ass lobbied the CPW very very hard to have the deer seasons pushed back and archery basically lost the best week of hunting. So now muzzy and rifle hunters are scouting/hunting right on top of archery and this or overcrowding is more of a issue now than finding water.

Not a good thing going on for archery deer in Colorado. Honestly after the CBA's attack on high country archery deer I think it might be better to use points later in the rifle seasons that in archery as you might have a better chance at a buck.

Good luck and dont worry about water too much as it is at the bottom of what will effect your hunt in the field.

This is really depressing. I have always wanted to do your cliche alpine archery deer hunt. I’d rather be alone up high than in an army of orange down low fighting over bucks.

 

[TheCougar]

I really wish the state would have moved the deer season to start Aug 15th, then I'd probably be hunting deer every year. Having the same as elk season, that makes my choice for me.

As for water, there was one year maybe 10 years or so ago I went elk hunting opening weekend to an area I've hunted many times. There wasn't a drop of water in any pond, seep, or creek that year.........worst I had ever seen.

Maybe I’ll just hold off for another 5 years and see if they change the seasons. I’ve only got 5 points, and I don’t think I can get anything in the late season hunts with what’s about to happen... maybe I’m wrong.

 

[5MilesBack]

I have 16 points and I just want to get rid of them at this point. Sure wish I could trade them in for elk points. I'd even be willing to trade in at a 2 for 1 ratio........maybe even a 4 for 1 or 8 for 1.

 

[Montero]

I hunted the early Sept. season last year in the Colorado high country and my usual water supply creek was not flowing and mostly dry. I had to hike up a few hundred yards to find a small pool of water. The forecast is only a forecast but it's showing below normal precip. for the winter. If this plays out compounded with last years drought year it will be mighty dry. We would need to see a very strong monsoon to help things for the better.

 

[Josh Boyd]

I think I’m going to use my points and go archery mule deer hunting in CO this year. I’m paying attention to the winter moisture, which looks to be below average. I seem to remember 2-3 years back, CO had a really dry winter and it caused serious problems in early September when guys couldn’t find water above tree line - streams and seeps were dry, and there wasn’t any residual snow in the shade. Looking at the snowpack maps, most of the state is sitting around 70% of median annual snowpack. Obviously, that can change I the next two months, but right now it’s looking like a below average winter. At what point do you start to worry about this? Is 70% just fine and I’ll be able to find water up high? Obviously it’s area dependent, so I’m talking in genera. I want to avoid hunting on a year where there’s no water to be found, since all the hunters will congregate around the scarce resource.

You really can’t predict how stream flows will end up in August with so much of the snow building season left. One giant dump (of snow) could set things up for a normal or above normal water year. With over 20 years of measuring snowpack and subsequent stream flows trust me when I say just go hunt and adjust to the conditions handed to you. You’ll only have so many hunting seasons in this life so plan on utilizing all of them regardless of the conditions.

That’s my $1.05....


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[Marble]

You really can’t predict how stream flows will end up in August with so much of the snow building season left. One giant dump (of snow) could set things up for a normal or above normal water year. With over 20 years of measuring snowpack and subsequent stream flows trust me when I say just go hunt and adjust to the conditions handed to you. You’ll only have so many hunting seasons in this life so plan on utilizing all of them regardless of the conditions.

That’s my $1.05....


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Well said Sir!

I used to be a point chaser until 2014 when I was diagnosed with cancer. There isn't always a next time. I would rather hunt a mediocre unit I know well and kill decent to big bucks, than wait for the one hunt.



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[def90]

I think I’m going to use my points and go archery mule deer hunting in CO this year. I’m paying attention to the winter moisture, which looks to be below average. I seem to remember 2-3 years back, CO had a really dry winter and it caused serious problems in early September when guys couldn’t find water above tree line - streams and seeps were dry, and there wasn’t any residual snow in the shade. Looking at the snowpack maps, most of the state is sitting around 70% of median annual snowpack. Obviously, that can change I the next two months, but right now it’s looking like a below average winter. At what point do you start to worry about this? Is 70% just fine and I’ll be able to find water up high? Obviously it’s area dependent, so I’m talking in genera. I want to avoid hunting on a year where there’s no water to be found, since all the hunters will congregate around the scarce resource.

We get most of out winter moisture in March and April, you can’t tell anything from looking at the current levels, way too early.

Another factor is how warm and how fast it gets warm in the spring. There have been a few seasons with above average snowpack where it went from temps in the 40s to temps in the 80’s overnight and all of the snow melted so fast that most of it went downstream vs seeping in to the countryside along with the snowpack being gone by June vs snowfields that hang out through the summer.