Colo unit 66 Gunnison winter kill

R

rocketman

Guest
Have been shedding in 66 for the last week and the
good news is have not found any dead elk(no deer winter
in this particular place). I started up where I usually
find sheds and the snow was unbelieveable.There was no
open ground at all and some drifts in the dark timber
was 6-10 feet deep. Last year I found sheds right
there at 9000 ft. So I worked way down and down and down
before I found where they wintered. The snow was 4 ft
deep most of the winter in that area but bare this week.
Temps hit -44 this winter. It was clear in the aspens how they
stripped them. never have I seen them strip in such wide
strips around the tree. Looking at the amount of droppings
at a place it was clear they preferred to use Douglas
firs for cover from the weather. The question now is
the calf crop. Theu usually do not abort but will give
live birth in a week. The lower the birthweight the
lower the survival. They will usually die in that first
week if a low birthweight.Wll shed in 66 for another 2 weeks
and hope to start seeing some calves. Roy in Montrose
 
We all love your pictures Roy so please post whatever you get, Good to hear some good news for a change.
 
I don't recall any concern for the elk this winter in Gunnison. The only reason they fed the elk was to keep them off private haystacks.

Deer...that's another story....
 

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