Another Heavy Snow Year Leaving Officials And Hunters Concerned

With reports of areas in Northern Idaho seeing in excess of 100 inches of snow already this winter, many are becoming concerned that a back to back season of severe snow levels and cold will further cause high mortality of the deer, moose and elk herds.

The Coeur d’Alene Press reports that Jim Hayden, Fish and Game’s regional wildlife manager, is concerned deer kill will mirror last season.

“We don’t expect to see too many losses now because they have enough body fat to carry them over,” he said. “Last year a lot of our losses were in April. In many areas we lost two-thirds of our doe (deer) populations, and we’re seeing similar snow this winter.”

A 2/3 loss of doe deer last season is devastating and the Idaho Department of Fish and Game countered that loss with a reduction in doe deer hunting days from 53 down to 30. Some are wondering if that is enough considering the severity of the loss. Officials are already discussing further reductions for next year depending upon what winter brings over the next couple of months.

The same officials seem less concerned about elk and moose survival.

Hayden said deer are the biggest wildlife concern as moose and elk are larger so they retain fat more efficiently and don’t expend as much energy in deep snow.

This assessment is contrary to field reports from hunters and others who frequent the woods, saying that last spring there were heavy losses of elk due to weather. Recently Hayden reported that wolves were responsible for the majority of elk deaths in portions of northern Idaho (Lolo region), bringing population numbers there down below critical sustaining levels.

With last season’s toll taken on deer and elk in Northern Idaho from wolves and severe winter weather and this year’s beginning a troubling concern, officials can ill afford to not keep abreast of the situation and do what is necessary to reduce mortality and hasten a strong recovery.

Tom Remington