Wsi Report.

[leech~~]

This winter is not looking good to me for the Deer and other Wildlife, but maybe Wolves! I wonder if this is like the Body mass index (BMI) which no one ever could met?

 

https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/wildlife/deer/reports/wsi/WSI_DPA_Map.pdf

 

[delcecchi]

You can look up the WSI for various areas for previous years....

A big contributor is whether on not there is a bunch of snow early in the season.    It is a point for every day with snow deeper than 15 inches, so if there is a bunch of snow in December, that nearly guarantees being around a hundred for the year all by itself.    Not clear what "ambient temp below zero" means...  average?  Low?  High?  

[bobbymalone]

Low temp according to the WI DNR 

 

https://dnr.wi.gov/wideermetrics/DeerStats.aspx?R=WSI

 

[ANYFISH2]

I have scientific basis, this just seems under represented, IMO.

 

Luckily, the deer had a fairly mild start to winter, up until Mid January.

 

However, 1 point for last night -2 is not the same as 1 point each day of -25 to -40, for 4 days like earlier this year.

[leech~~]

On 3/2/2019 at 8:37 AM, bobbymalone said:

Low temp according to the WI DNR 

 

https://dnr.wi.gov/wideermetrics/DeerStats.aspx?R=WSI

 

 

As compared to MN most of Wis is longitudinally lower when comparing winter weather as it affects Deer-Wolf predation.

[bobbymalone]

...OK.  Well the WSI is just a metric to gauge, umm, winter severity.  Florida's winter is always mild.

 

Not sure what your point is other than you're mad about wolves.  It's not a map of wolf predation.  Hate to break the news to you, but a mountain of snow gives them an advantage but long stretches of minus whatever temps aren't exactly ideal for anything that lives outside.  It is what it is.   Nature happens.  

Edited March 5, 2019 by bobbymalone

[leech~~]

1 hour ago, bobbymalone said:

...OK.  Well the WSI is just a metric to gauge, umm, winter severity.  Florida's winter is always mild.

 

Not sure what your point is other than you're mad about wolves.  It's not a map of wolf predation.  Hate to break the news to you, but a mountain of snow gives them an advantage but long stretches of minus whatever temps aren't exactly ideal for anything that lives outside.  It is what it is.   Nature happens.  

 

[delcecchi]

Cold and snowy winters are hard on the deer population even if there are no wolves around.    Cold makes them burn more calories to stay warm, and deep snow makes it hard for them to get around to find food.   So if it is bad enough, fawns aren't born or deer starve to death.   

 

WSI was a gauge from before computers to quantify how hard a winter is on deer.   These days, with more information and more data a better measure could be developed, but might not actually add much to understanding.   

 

Factors affecting wolf predation on deer are probably more complicated than just winter severity.  

 

For those interested, here is a link to WSI maps going back to the winter of 81-82.   Interesting to look at the differences from year to year.   

https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/recreation/hunting/deer/maps_wsi_statewide_counties_winters198182_8990.pdf

is the 80's

https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/hunting/deer/maps_stats_archive.html

is all of them along with other statistical deer data. 

Very interesting stuff.