WI winter severity index???

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Dewey
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Re: WI winter severity index???

Unread postby Dewey » Tue Feb 12, 2019 8:06 am

greenhorndave wrote:
Dewey wrote:Been a fairly easy winter so far even in the northwoods. Nothing out of the ordinary at this point. Gonna take a whole lot more to stress them out. Deer are tough animals. December and most of January was very mild. They got a heck of a boost starting out the winter.

https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/wildlifehabita ... siest2.pdf


Very true on December. Actually probably made it easier on the local fish populations as well with ice being ready so late!

I think the real extreme cold is winding down as we head into mid-February. Deer do OK in deep snow. It’s when combined with sub zero temps for extended periods that really takes a toll on them.

A lot of people point to the so called “polar vortex” as being tough on deer. In reality that wasn’t out of the ordinary and actually quite short lived as far as cold snaps go.


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greenhorndave
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Re: WI winter severity index???

Unread postby greenhorndave » Tue Feb 12, 2019 8:24 am

Yeah, I remember the days when we would get a week or 10 days of solid subzero temps for highs. That year Lake Michigan froze over not that long ago had to have been tough on them.
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Re: WI winter severity index???

Unread postby Jonny » Wed Feb 13, 2019 2:51 am

Image

Pretty good year so far
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Re: WI winter severity index???

Unread postby headgear » Wed Feb 13, 2019 3:41 am

Jonny wrote:Image

Pretty good year so far


Northern MN and WI will start to skyrocket soon enough, a lot of WSI is based on snow depth and time, we are really piling up the snow and as time moves on the number will get worse and worse save for an early spring which has bene rare. Any UP guys have any reports?
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Re: WI winter severity index???

Unread postby Jonny » Wed Feb 13, 2019 3:47 am

headgear wrote:
Jonny wrote:Image

Pretty good year so far


Northern MN and WI will start to skyrocket soon enough, a lot of WSI is based on snow depth and time, we are really piling up the snow and as time moves on the number will get worse and worse save for an early spring which has bene rare. Any UP guys have any reports?


Yeah this is just to this point. Still another solid 1-2 months to go before its over
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Re: WI winter severity index???

Unread postby Dewey » Wed Feb 13, 2019 4:16 am

Here is a good snow report site.

https://www.nohrsc.noaa.gov/nsa/
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Re: WI winter severity index???

Unread postby Dewey » Tue Feb 26, 2019 10:51 am

The snowcover is getting to be a big concern as things have rapidly gone downhill the last few weeks. Many areas in the north got another foot of snow again this weekend adding to the 3-4 feet that is already on the ground in some areas. Cold temps are only going to add to the problem.

http://www.weatherstreet.com/weather-fo ... -cover.htm

I’m headed up snowmobiling in a few weeks and will check on the situation. Been hearing of reports of deer walking the snowmobile trails and roads because they are having such a hard time getting around.
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Re: WI winter severity index???

Unread postby greenhorndave » Tue Feb 26, 2019 11:42 am

It's not as bad in SE WI, but still not great. But I saw something kind of nice on the way home.

You know those circular hay feeders like you'd see in a cow pen or on a cattle range? Well on the way home I saw a local farmer who put one of those out in a cut bean field for the deer. And there was a conga line of deer coming out of the adjacent small marsh to the feeder about an hour and a half before dark. Nice to see someone taking care of their herd because nobody else has access to hunt that land. The deer could use it due to the layers of ice and snow on the ground. Nothing big, but a nice touch.
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Re: WI winter severity index???

Unread postby Net Guy » Tue Feb 26, 2019 2:33 pm

My brother-in-law and father-in-law were up at the cabin this weekend for the Berkie. Brother-in-law skied in the event. They said the same thing, snow is very deep and that was before the additional foot they got Saturday night.

He did mention they had quite a few deer and turkeys come to their feeder. One buck we saw over New Years was wounded from something was skin and bones but accordingly to my father-in-law is looking much better.
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Re: WI winter severity index???

Unread postby JAK » Tue Feb 26, 2019 11:35 pm

Dewey wrote:The snowcover is getting to be a big concern as things have rapidly gone downhill the last few weeks. Many areas in the north got another foot of snow again this weekend adding to the 3-4 feet that is already on the ground in some areas. Cold temps are only going to add to the problem.

http://www.weatherstreet.com/weather-fo ... -cover.htm

I’m headed up snowmobiling in a few weeks and will check on the situation. Been hearing of reports of deer walking the snowmobile trails and roads because they are having such a hard time getting around.

Ive seen allot of deer on the snow mobile trails yhe last week. Im in central wisconsin. Another thing i was thinking when snow gets this deep is it easier for predators to pick the deer off ?
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Re: WI winter severity index???

Unread postby greenhorndave » Wed Feb 27, 2019 12:19 am

JAK wrote:
Dewey wrote:The snowcover is getting to be a big concern as things have rapidly gone downhill the last few weeks. Many areas in the north got another foot of snow again this weekend adding to the 3-4 feet that is already on the ground in some areas. Cold temps are only going to add to the problem.

http://www.weatherstreet.com/weather-fo ... -cover.htm

I’m headed up snowmobiling in a few weeks and will check on the situation. Been hearing of reports of deer walking the snowmobile trails and roads because they are having such a hard time getting around.

Ive seen allot of deer on the snow mobile trails yhe last week. Im in central wisconsin. Another thing i was thinking when snow gets this deep is it easier for predators to pick the deer off ?


In the far north, I would say yes. A wolf’s feet are humongous for their size. They’re not going to go in as deep as a deer’s. Same with a lynx or something like that. They ride higher in the snow column.

Ugh... amd the long-range forecast has highs in the low double digits with lows below zero again. Come on spring!

(on a semi-serious note, there are astrophysicists who say a Maunder Minimum is coming, which is lack of sunspot activity. Leads to things like a mini ice age. I never thought I’d say this, but I hope the global warming alarmists are right and not these chaps, because I’ll take warmer over extended cold any day)
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Re: WI winter severity index???

Unread postby Chuck B » Wed Feb 27, 2019 12:55 am

Yep more snow predicted this week for central/northern WI and no highs above freezing in the extended forecast. The deer herd has got to be struggling at this point. Praying for some sun.
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Re: WI winter severity index???

Unread postby Net Guy » Wed Feb 27, 2019 4:25 am

Here's a picture of the snow at the cabin in Sawyer Co. This is before they got an additional foot of snow Saturday evening.

Image
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Re: WI winter severity index???

Unread postby greenhorndave » Wed Feb 27, 2019 5:24 am

Net, got say it's beautiful, but no doubt a pain in the neck.
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Sometimes when things get tough, weird or both, you just need to remember this...
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Re: WI winter severity index???

Unread postby Wetfoot » Wed Feb 27, 2019 6:28 am

Only very southern UP has less than 30 inches on the ground. 40-50 for 70 percent and the rest, yikes. At least the temps have been relatively normal. Expecting another 6" tonight and more over the weekend. :doh:


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