Washington Winter Reports

LEMONDOG · Mar 6, 2006

How about a report from you guys over there on the east side, How is the winter treating our Mule Deer??? Seems like we are getting a lot of snow but most of it up high. Can't wait to get back to scouting!!!

ridgerunner · Mar 6, 2006

I think its ok from what I've heard.

Looks like we made it another year......

golfguy0912 · Mar 6, 2006

i think that they are gonna come out well this year. there has been a lot of snow, however it has mainly been above 4000' and it seems that the majority of deer are below that level. seems like they should be doing good though

kirkl · Mar 7, 2006

My father in law in Twisp said theyve gotten alot of snow this winter, most he had in his yard was 3ft he said and as of a couple weekends ago he still had a couple feet, said some roads around there you cant see over the plowed snow on the side of the roads, said lots of car kills.

JACKELOPE · Mar 7, 2006

southeast is fine...in-laws are at 3400' in the blues...not too much snow over there..

muleracks2 · Mar 7, 2006

We are not having a repeat of last winter but it has been warm with little snow in most of the winter range. The over harvested, easy to hunt, southeastern part of the State has been easy on the deer but most of us are interested in the big migratory mule deer. Those from the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, like the big road kill near Dryden,have had an easy winter in the Cashmere/Wenatchee area. The Entiat/Chelan migrators found plenty of winter range in the lower elevations. The Okanogan herd did well except for those that tried to sickout the winter in the upper half of the Methow (too much snow above 2500'). Some dead deer are being found up there. Overall, it has been an easy winter with most of the areas having green open hill faces by early January. Good to see some moisture for the spring green up at higher elevations.

ansonlynn · Mar 7, 2006

So far, seeing good news/bad news in Chelan Co. Adults look good, fawn mortality has been pretty high in some areas; a combination of fawn starvation due to constrained range (upper limit of wintering elevation is lower this year due to snow, so more deer on available winter range), and high vulnerability to predation due to crusted snow. Deer have totally depleted browse in some parts of the Entiat.

This is a really critical time, if you're out on the winter ranges shed hunting, be extra careful not to push deer. The 2005 fawns are the 2007 and 2008 2-3 year old bucks.