Lack of Snowfall out West = Smaller Elk, Deer, and Moose Racks for 2026?

[Laelkhunter]

Wolf Creek Pass got 1 foot since yesterday. Some other places also got about a foot. We are still expecting more but they have reduced the estimates some.

I hope they get all they need. I hunt 2nd rifle Bull elk in the Chromo, Chama Peak area.

 

[HilltopHitman]

Wondering where you’re seeing that at? USDA has snow water equivalent maps updated and Boise and Payette systems are at 70%. Owyhees and eastern oregon are hurting bad (30%). Reservoirs are cooked out there with not much chance of filling. Will likely be a short irrigation season for irrigators in eastern oregon unless they are a water user of owyhee reservoir.

If you average it and look at currently, we’re close to 100. Same with SWE in WY. It’s literally Feb 18, winter isn’t even close to over. Some of yall should work for CNN, cause man you over exaggerate.

Edit: Look out your front door, it’s plenty white out now. Should help fill all these reservoirs.

 

[Serrano]

If you average it and look at currently, we’re close to 100. Same with SWE in WY. It’s literally Feb 18, winter isn’t even close to over. Some of yall should work for CNN, cause man you over exaggerate.

Edit: Look out your front door, it’s plenty white out now. Should help fill all these reservoirs.

West Snowpack



Red, Orange and yellow are below average. Green is near average. Blue is above average.

This is comparing current snow totals with the average of the last 30 years. And those 30 years have been dryer than the years before that.
Plenty of winter left but it's a bad start.

 

[Stache Attack]

Year to date we are at half of normal. Antelope look happy and fat hope good horn growth. Elk are still way up high hitting exposed ridges, have seen some random bulls going through the bottoms while running cats. All our wet big snows that make snow pack come from now until mid April.

 

[mt terry d]

Sorry, but this is a fundamental misunderstanding of the difference between rain and snow.

Rain is actually more immediate and flows to the drainages. Snow is more of a time released capsule that holds much of its water until spring, allowing the various damns and reservoirs to manage the flow. In terms of the higher elevation ecosysem, snowmelt is generally much more efficient at soaking into the ground than rain is.

Rain is like getting your entire yearly salary in cash on January 1st. If you aren't careful, you spend it all or lose it and once its gone, its gone. Snowpack is like getting a steady paycheck every two weeks throughout the year. It guarantees you have funds when you actually need to pay the bills in the summer.

It’s almost as if the Rocky Mountain West has an entire ecosystem evolved heavily around Winter snow pack. Deprive those mountain of that snowpack and the ecosystem starts to unwind. This is not going to benefit the animals that rely on that very ecosystem, whether that's up high or down stream. You start stacking year upon year of low snowpack and the effects will be entirely negative.

Im not saying that snowpack in the mountains isn’t good but that is absolutely the opposite of what actually occurs here.

 

[StupidLightweight]

In my part of Wyoming, this has been the best winter I've experienced! It has felt like permanent October since late October.

I get there may be ramifications if this delightful weather continues until spring, but what are we to do about it? Nothing. So we might as well enjoy it while it lasts.

 

[CarterHunt]

For most of the mountainous areas I have experience in (not talking deserts) I think the result of lighter snowpack is going to be creeks running dry earlier than usual, but shouldn't have too much of an impact on feed availability for most of the antler growing season. I think the earlier head start on green up from a lighter snow pack will benefit more than the late summer dry up will hurt.

 

[RockAndSage]

West Snowpack

View attachment 1023932

Red, Orange and yellow are below average. Green is near average. Blue is above average.

This is comparing current snow totals with the average of the last 30 years. And those 30 years have been dryer than the years before that.
Plenty of winter left but it's a bad start.

That's a great map, thanks for sharing the link. I clicked the radio button for overall precip, and was pretty surprised to see that most of the places in Nevada with dangerously low snowpack are actually 90% plus for overall precipitation. Must also just be a warmer than average winter around here...

 

[Baddog]

 

[ianpadron]

In my part of Wyoming, this has been the best winter I've experienced! It has felt like permanent October since late October.

I get there may be ramifications if this delightful weather continues until spring, but what are we to do about it? Nothing. So we might as well enjoy it while it lasts.

Yup

I've hiked more in February already than I typically do all winter, and actually in the mountains to boot!

I miss skiing but this winter is far from sucky