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If deer could wish for a “good winter” then this would be it. With relatively warm winter temperatures and only a foot of snow in the woods, deer are doing very well this winter. DNR Area Wildlife Manager Tom Rusch likens deer survival to the heating oil tanks in our homes. All last summer and fall, deer have been eating and putting on fat. In the same way, we fill our oil tanks in October in preparation for winter. If those deer can get through January and not use up most of that fat, because they don’t need to shiver as much to stay warm or use a lot of energy to plod through deep snow, they have a good chance of making it through the winter. In the same way, if you filled your heating oil tank in October and you still have half of your tank left in January, you know that you you might make it through winter without buying a lot more oil.

“It is still early in the game, but generally, if January isn’t a tough month (for deer) they it won’t be a bad winter for deer,” said Rusch.

The DNR winter severity index, a measure of temperature and snow impacts on deer is near the bottom of the scale for this winter. On Monday, the index sat at 19. In a severe winter, that scale will be up over 100.

Those most susceptible to severe winter weather are old, young, sick and weak deer. So milder weather means more deer will survive the winter.

“If we get another month of this weather, fawn production will be up,” said Rusch.

According to Rusch, the last two winters were hard on deer, so even if this winter is mild, it won’t necessarily cause a bump in the local deer population. It would take several mild winters for that to happen.

At this point, the fluffy snow isn’t restricting deer to trails in the woods. So it is easier for the deer to get around and reach their food sources.

But if the deer are having a good winter, that will probably mean a tougher winter for wolves, ravens, foxes and other animals that feed on deer or deer carcasses.

“It’s tougher to catch deer this year,” said Rusch.

So while a milder winter can lead to more deer production, it may also lead to lower reproduction for those who feed on deer. It is all just part of the cycles in nature.

Keep that in mind the next time you are out for a walk on one of our mild winter days.

Source: Timberjay - www.timberjay.com