Winter Severity Index (WSI) now on DNR website

[hookset]

Lou Cornicelli just posted the current(updated bi-weekly) WSI for the different areas of the state.

I new this winter is tough but already 2 1/2 times worse then last year(Park Rapids Area).

Check it out.

www.dnr.state.mn.us/hunting/deer/index.html

Deer hunting main page at the bottom.

Joe

[sticknstring]

Much of the state will be into the 100's for the first time in quite awhile. A good ol' fashioned MN winter thus far.

[UdeLakeTom]

A letter from DNR in the Aitkin Age

Deer feeding? Not recommended

Dave Dickey

Wildlife Words Columnist

There seems to be a perception out there that the winter is worse than last year but the Winter Severity Index (WSI) says not really.

Guessing that this past weekend was below zero again, there would be a couple of points added to the index and the WSI would then be the same as last year (28) and about average for the winter.

The snow depth is a bit more than it was at this time last year but still below the 15 inch threshold that adds to the index. In the northern part of the county it probably is 15 inches or more. People see that deer are wandering around and nibbling on this and that, something they always do but not as obvious when there is no snow on the ground. This gives the perception that the deer are hungry and need to be fed.

Deer eat heavily during late summer and into the fall putting on fat reserves that enable them to coast through most winters as their metabolism decreases at the same time.

People who are "over weight" and go on a diet, still eat but much less and this is what deer are doing, they are on a diet to lose weight.

Supplemental feeding of deer can disrupt this method of getting through winter and may also congregate deer and lead to disease problems. Another problem is that starting to feed a few deer can eventually lead to feeding many deer.

You might consider making donations to your local food shelf instead.

[kr8r.tom]

winter severity isn't really known till march and april. when they have exhausted their food sources for the winter and are waiting for the fresh green up in april. this is when/if they go hungry/malnutrition and start tipping over. supplamental feeding is just that, a supplament to their normal diet not something they should be counting on to survive. deer are like the stray cat you feed once and they adopt you as their owner, they'll keep coming back. if you really have starving deer on your property, the best thing to do to feed them is to cut down a tree so they can eat the buds on the limbs they can't/haven't eaten.

[hookset]

I have a 2 acre corn feild on my 150 acre farm(75 of which is wooded) that is full of corn and not a single deer track to be found. When we had a 12 inches I had deer every where, now nothing. I think the deer are more concerned with cover and comfort then food with this tough weather.

[Wanderer]

Hopefully the worst is already over for this winter. Lots of bare ground in my area but I haven't been further North for a few weeks.

I saw a conservative estimate of 50 deer on my way home tonight. Large herds in a couple fields and some small family groups in others.

I see our WSI is about the lowest in the state this season, so maybe that explains it.

I hope they were cut a good break further North too.

[WaitForIt]

From my observations in the metro area and a little further north the herd appears to be in decent shape.

[maros91]

They just updated it on the 15th of March.

http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/outdoor_activities/hunting/deer/wsi_map09.pdf