Winter kill? Them deer should be more afraid of that fall kill I am going to be brining Looks like I am gonna have to shoot that tough bastard that survives the winter.
X8 or x9b
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stikbrandon
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Thanks Taft!
Tough winter on the heard, smokes the weak, leaves tons of water and feed which means less predation on them young and old.
Not a bad deal you ask me
Tough winter on the heard, smokes the weak, leaves tons of water and feed which means less predation on them young and old.
Not a bad deal you ask me
Let me throw another wrench in the equation for you guys...
A big precip year does not necessarily mean a big winter kill. It’s all about the snow level. Unusually cold storms that drop a lot of snow at low elevations really impact the winter range. But here in California we get a lot of relatively warm winter storms. For example this year we’ve had a number of atmospheric river events that bring us warm moisture off of the pacific.
I’m not saying what’s what about this year. I haven’t been up on the east side since October so I really don’t know how it looks. But big precip does not always equate to poor range conditions in the winter.
A big precip year does not necessarily mean a big winter kill. It’s all about the snow level. Unusually cold storms that drop a lot of snow at low elevations really impact the winter range. But here in California we get a lot of relatively warm winter storms. For example this year we’ve had a number of atmospheric river events that bring us warm moisture off of the pacific.
I’m not saying what’s what about this year. I haven’t been up on the east side since October so I really don’t know how it looks. But big precip does not always equate to poor range conditions in the winter.
Snow Totals for the Current Storm in Mammoth Lakes. So far, snow totals for the 2018/19 season have reached 562 inches (that's more than 46 feet!), with snow both on the mountain and at lower elevations in town.....Feb 25, 2019
That's a lot of snow.....lol
That's a lot of snow.....lol
The total for 16/17 hit over 700" at a couple places. Year isn't over yet though. Places like Mammoth and Kirkwood could get there again.
I think one of the things that hurt the deer in 17 was the the second week of January was an extremely heavy week that hit down into lower elevations. I drove down from Tahoe at the start to get out of there before I couldn't and I didn't hit pavement until around Manzanar. The two days after that some places had over 100".
I think one of the things that hurt the deer in 17 was the the second week of January was an extremely heavy week that hit down into lower elevations. I drove down from Tahoe at the start to get out of there before I couldn't and I didn't hit pavement until around Manzanar. The two days after that some places had over 100".
Yep that’s exactly what I was talking about. There’s a big difference between a snow level of 3500-4000 feet (manzanar) and 5500-6000 feet (round valley). Mammoth is all the way up at 8000.
Are our deer just a bunch of pansies? Does anyone ever wonder how deer survive in states like MT ID WY or CO. It would seem to me like they have a lot of snow every year and they still produce way more deer than we do. Do you think it’s a pacific hybrid vs mule deer thing? Or maybe they just manage a lot better in those states. I know they do have bad die off years but it would seem like a bad year for us is a normal year for some of them.
The big storms coming off the pacific loaded with moisture slamming into mountain ranges along the west coast produce some of the heaviest snowfall totals in the lower 48. But I think those states have worse die off than CA because they’re generally much colder.
Habitat loss is the number one challenge for these animals... we have 40 million people in CA.
This is from one week ago- top 7 all from CA
Top 10 Biggest Snowfall Totals In North America
#7. Kirkwood Mountain, CA: 481″
#6. Northstar Resort, CA: 504″
#5. Sugar Bowl Resort, CA: 510″
#4. Boreal Mountain Resort, CA: 516″
#3. Homewood Mountain Resort, CA: 533″
#2. Squaw Valley, CA: 570″
#1. Mammoth Mountain, CA: 574″
Top 10 Biggest Snowfall Totals In North America
#7. Kirkwood Mountain, CA: 481″
#6. Northstar Resort, CA: 504″
#5. Sugar Bowl Resort, CA: 510″
#4. Boreal Mountain Resort, CA: 516″
#3. Homewood Mountain Resort, CA: 533″
#2. Squaw Valley, CA: 570″
#1. Mammoth Mountain, CA: 574″
I always go to the actual sites for the different snow totals as they update every day. For example.
Kirkwood is 522"
Northstar is 547"
And Mammoth is cool in that they give you the number for the summit and main lodge.
Main Lodge 420"
Summit 626"
Kirkwood is 522"
Northstar is 547"
And Mammoth is cool in that they give you the number for the summit and main lodge.
Main Lodge 420"
Summit 626"
I doubt it. They will probably raise the rates since no one is running sprinklers due to all the rain. Those water managers need to get paid $$$$
Totally agree and that is why I made my original statement to the original post that if I was him I would suggest passing on applying and trying to draw x9a or x9b for at least this year. The sierras should get more snow this year then the 16/17 winter. Last time I checked it was only about a 25 inche difference in the amount of snow.
Doubt it on a year with as much rain and snow pack most of it ends up going into the ocean because there is no where to store the amount of melt off they will have.
So if there is a die off what good will a year do? It takes 3-5 years for a buck to become a good mature bucks correct. So if I can draw 9b with 3 points why not hunt it this year take my chances with the 60-70% that do survive and then go back in 3 years again? I just don’t see what a year is going to do, what am I missing?
My thought process is I can hunt the eastern Sierra’s every 3 years if I hunt 9b instead of waiting 6 for 9a. I always have the mindset that if you have a tag you have a chance.
This year there will be increase of feed. Acorns, berries, fresh growth.
Deer population will increase.
The bucks that made it will have better feed thus better antler growth.
Deer population will increase.
The bucks that made it will have better feed thus better antler growth.
I don’t think you’re missing anything. It’s not like X9B is a super premium tag. You can draw it every 3 years. Just go hunt and get your tag draw cycle started. The Southern Sierra on average gets much less snow than farther north, and the winter range on average is at lower elevation as the entire valley floor progressively drops in elevation from north to south. I wouldn’t hold off on the assumption that it isn’t going to be good. You’re going to have a steep learning curve the first year you hunt it anyway. If there is a significant die off I don’t think waiting one year is going to do anything except introduce a bunch of youngsters to the herd. And LBH is correct, the feed will be really good giving deer an opportunity to put energy into their antlers. Do it!
Is it legal to pack in though a zone you do NOT have a tag for to hunt a zone you do have a tag for?