With this unusual weather...

I was thinking today on my walk back from class in the 45 degree weather, if the deer will benefit from this lack of snow were having in MN. The food must be more readily available and with this abnormal weather morality rates must have gone way down. Will we be able to see a change in our deer herd or do you think it wont have any influence on the deer herd.

I cant remember a winter like this ever. Do you guys and gals believe the deer will benefit from this lack of winter?

 

Good question I was wondering the same thing. It seamed like the deer have thinned out around here. Maybe there will be a bounce back this year. Hopefully we'll be able to get at least 2 deer. It was only one this last year here and I wasnt able to do that.

 

Ya I mean you would think that it would do nothing but benefit the herd, but now I'm wondering if there will be a rise in predation because now the deer don't have the deep snow to there advantage when running away from predators.

 

Its the deeper snow with a late freeze that hurts the deer and helps the yotes and wolves...that crust allows the dogs to run on top while the deer break through...If we don't get hit really hard here this next month to month and 1/2, I think the spring is going to show a good healthy herd with a lot of fawns, but there's still a lot of time left to our winter.

 

I don't knew what it is going to do. Seems like activity has picked up during the day again but I still have does on cam at night some. Thats not good. It was 71 here today. What I am really worried about is it staying warm and getting hot as blazes out there during early season next year. Not sure if that will keep them nocturnal or not.

 

Hopefully we get some enough rain this year and no drought.

 

I am not worried about the winter weather....It the spring weather that matters most to fawn survival.

 

After the last 3 winters the deer and turkeys needed this :D

 

It will be interesting to see if it does benifit the herd. I hope it does, because the last two winters were harsh and the numbers were down this year.

 

Not gonna be good for the crops this year if mother nature keeps this up.

 

I agree, our winter wheat has no cover whats so ever, I hope we don't lose it.

 

Man, we could use some snow up here. The lake is already low from last summer, and if this winter keeps up, there will be virtually no melt. That'll make for a scary dry summer.

 

I would assume it would help the deer as for food availability. Dr. grant woods, shared on one of his shows about how not having the cold temperatures can actually cuase more stress on the deer because they will not feed as much as when its cold. I found that interesting. I would naturally think a mild winter would help the herd. especially in agricultural areas, so much more grain is available without snow cover.

 

I don't know how this weather wouldn't benefit most wildlife for the winter months. Most of the midwest have had big winters the past few years and food sources weren't readily available as they are now. Past couple years deer would be moving into towns or anywhere they could find a food source. I think it helps.