Bad Winter??

[Rank Amateur]

Ok, what are things looking like over East now? Upper elevations over here on the westside is getting deep. I go over a pass at about 1,100 feet elevation to work and it is pushing 20 inches. The forecast seems to continue looking like ground hog day. I'm starting to get concerned about winter kill.

[Lucky Guy]

I skied McKenzie Pass highway from the east late today. We skied over the east gate, you couldn't see the gate and could barely see the posts. Between 4 and 5 feet deep. I can only think of maybe one other time in the last 10 years there's been that much. And it was snowing hard for the two and a half hours we were up there. Not much moving.

[Ryan Pultz]

the deer and elk are down in the low stuff with about 8 to 12 inchs of snow last I heard rp

[Joe]

The elk in this area are acting pretty hungry lately. Hanging in fields all day that they usually leave at daylight etc. Over 5 feet of heavily packed snow on Mt Hebo (3,100') and building. Overall more days of low 40's and rain than I can remember since I was a kid. I think that the spring die off will be considerably worse than normal. Hope I'm wrong!

[bigjake_888]

I work outside. The weather this year has been rough.

[sliverpicker]

My hunting buddy in John Day said the deer (what few there are) are pruning the Juniper limbs over there. The elk seem to be doing okay. The snow is getting pretty deep up in the mountains, but the snow on the winter range is manageable and hasn't crusted over. There's snow in town which isn't all that common for it to hang around for very long.

Last I checked, Tollgate had 115" of roadside snow. I heard the town of Troy is getting overrun with elk, and more big bulls have come down to the feeding areas this winter then anyone can remember.

I'm going to try and get over Mt Hood this morning to White River and check things out. A friend of mine has been seeing big lion tracks in a number of places the last week. We have 6 inches of new snow here at the house this morning and still dumpin'. Thats on top of the 8-10 inches we still had from last weekend!

I don't think the little woodchuck will see his shadow this morning, so bring on spring!

[Ryan Pultz]

Originally Posted by sliverpicker

I don't think the little woodchuck will see his shadow this morning, so bring on spring!

if ya see him stick his head out pop the little bugger with a 22mag lol rp

[huntercgr]

Around town, the deer look fine. I've been seeing more deer than I ever thought were here. I haven't heard of any elk being seen close to town yet, but I wouldn't be surprised if they were close. Here's a couple right by the golf course. Plenty of alfalfa for them to eat, which is good.

[No Fences]

Let's hope it doesn't warm up too quick.

[Joe]

Originally Posted by Rob Kaiser

Let's hope it doesn't warm up too quick.

No kidding! Looks like we are up to 6' this morning. Sally's head is all that is sticking out.

http://www.ocrg.org/video_feed/mt_he...mt_hebo_04.jpg

[Rank Amateur]

Originally Posted by Rob Kaiser

Let's hope it doesn't warm up too quick.

Oh yes, I'm starting to get pretty nervous about that too. We are really getting set up for another flood, but it is all in the way it comes off. I have been watching the river level and it is not rising even though we are getting precipitation. Normally the river rises 2 foot for every 1" of rain in a 24 hour period. In the last couple of days it has raised .7 of a foot and we have had 2 inches of precipitation. Most of the rain was absorbed into the existing snow and the other was snow in the higher elevations. Currently its snowing again, nice big fluffy flakes. I don't know if this poor town will survive another flood.

[retaliate]

As long as the Snow dosn't get too Deep for too long where the Deer & Elk shelter up it'll be ok, the last time a big winter kill happened, there was 3' of Snow near Burns, for well over a Month, & the Deer couldn't reach their food, Elk fared better tho, aprox 75% of the Deer didn't make it that year in that area, the State reconized that sernario, & have been feeding Deer, & Elk in the trouble areas since than, so far there is only 8" of Snow in Burns.

[Rank Amateur]

I would think that the effects would vary due to the snow conditions. The snow over on the westside is usually wet and heavy, not the nice dry fluffy stuff of the eastside. Of coarse once you get a rain on top and it freezes you have a problem. The one thing that sticks in my mind was the Cedar Creek enclosure study conducted in the 60's out of Tillamook that suggested that Blacktailed deer suffer losses when snow cover exceeds 30 days. Remember, these were deer in one of the best forage habitats we have ever had. With the clearcut habitat on the westside, most all the forage is on the ground.

[fishinpoor]

I have over 3' in my front yard and still snowing as i type this,if it doesn't slow down some the critters will have a tough go of it this spring.

[traks44]

Snowin hard at meacham right now. Everything I have seen is still doing ok, the really good thing about over here is that are snow doesnt stay around pendleton for long. For example we had about 9 inches last week and there is only reminents of that left over. I got stuck feeding cows this morning in a place I wouldnt dreamed of getting stuck in the past. The river is still fishing good for steelhead and the ground is just saturated. Down around Butter creek, burch creek, mckay creek, etc plus many more of these foothill type drainages dont have alot of snow because it all gets blown away(just lots of snow up high). I think the deer and elk are doing just fine for the most part over here. I can look up into the mountains and see lots of bare winter range.

As far as flooding goes I think we have enough of a base in these parts to where there is no way its all common down at ounce. We have had way to much, thaw, freeze snow....thaw, freeze, snow... etc etc etc...

Trib springer fishing might be a bust, but I dont think you will hear many people complain about the water....

150 inches tollgate roadside
about 50-60inches around meacham/summit

Edit: anyone who watches the road cams much knows they adjust the road side numbers quite often. Its a good bet that there is alot more snow in the area and especially back in the trees than what the roadside says.


For whats its worth the deer in the haystack look real good

[Blackbeardown]

I would say average winter at mid elevations. Above average so far at the high elevations in NE Oregon. Traks is right...snow isn't all that bad below 4000'. Different story once you start gaining elevation.

[bigjake_888]

Floods!!!!

[ehunter]

The problem as I recall in the winter of 74 that killed so many deer around baker and Lagrand is the freese when the snow glazes over the coyotes can run on top and the deer can't move or get any food under the snow. Lets hope thats not the case any warm weather on the west side and we will have flood problems

[scottishsetter]

Can anyone give reports on resevoir levels on Hillcreek; Lookout; Trailbridge.Green Peter, Detroit, Clackamas?
Shouldn't they be empty?

[traks44]

6:00 A.M ---2-3-08

2" fresh snow in pendleton at my house and still comming down.

[huntercgr]

2" here also and still snowing.