gemstatejake
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Chromer
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Reged: 02/14/05
Posts: 810
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This winter is gonna take a serious toll on mule deer herds throughout the west if the snow continues to pile up. We're entering the critical time of year and the deer are struggling. The animals I've seen this year on the Boise front are not looking healthy at all. I plan to call IDFG monday and start inquiring about possible feeding efforts. I encourage everyone who enjoys these animals to do the same with thier own game departments. I see potential for a terrible winter kill this year. Especially if temps fall after all this snow.........
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BorntoFish
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Team Old Phart
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Reged: 12/12/03
Posts: 7336
Loc: Boise, Idaho
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You're the 2nd person to bring this to my attention today. Denali called earlier - he's still snowed in at his ridgetop location near Spokane. Think he said he has around 6 feet of snow not counting the drift depths. He normally has alot of deer around the place but hasn't been seeing any. Hopefully they've moved down slope to better conditions. An unexpected visitor that he's been seeing lately has been a moose that's apparently been pushed in from it's normal haunts.
Gonna be tough times for our wildlife. Heard that Brundage Mtn. up by McCall received 6 feet of snow in this past week. Surprised there hasn't been any talk of emergency wildlife feeding in the news thus far.
-------------------- CCA Member
TEAM JACKSON BALDWIN
Team Moose Drool
Team Old Phart
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clucknmoan
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Team RamRod
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Reged: 01/07/05
Posts: 348
Loc: Garden Valley
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Hate to say this but F&G is not your best bet. They have a terrible track record for this. They always feed to little to late. We ran feeding stations every year when I was young. Then in '93 we asked about a feeding station and the F&G took their new stand of NOT feeding for the well being of the animals. They justified not feeding (or not feeding enough) because it was not natural and feeding would "tame" the population. I am assuming they still take the same stand. There are a few private wild game feeding programs that you can contribute to. My Uncle has ran one for years and I can find out if he still does if there are interests. He was the one at the Sports show in '94 after we took the horns off of 45 dead bulls that winter. Hate to see it, its a shame.
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