The never ending winter!!!

[headgear]

The deer are taking a beating right now, the winter severity index for northern MN was very mild through most of the winter but the scores are shooting up the longer this snow and cold hang around.

[186buck]

I have a scouting trip planned for this weekend up in Bayfield and Douglas county. Can anybody give me an idea of how much snow is on the ground right now. Is it possible to cover many miles in a day with the snow that is on the ground.

[PLB]

Never seen a winter like this......ever. We honestly have some lakes with 30" of ice yet....24" on a lot of lakes. Snowed Friday, Saturday and now again today. More in the forcast for next Wed, Thurs and Fri.

Snow in late April or early May isn't that uncommon.....snow staying on the ground in the quantity and the weather staying consistantly cold like it has been is unheard of here.

Scouting is a few weeks off......

Getting the boat out is weeks away.....

Starting to get nervous for the deer. Seeing more and more showing in broad daylight along the less traveled roads. We need trees to bud and grass to show soon.

According to the DNR, the northern herd is in great shape. The WSI is not even a factor!!!

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[Dewey]

Back in the winter of 95-96 there was still some snow on the ground in shaded areas on June 1st in northern WI. That was the last really bad winter for the deer herd and while scouting that spring dead deer were everwhere especially in the UP. Were not even close to how bad that winter was.

So far this year the deer herd is not doing too bad even though the snow depth is pretty high because the number of below zero days are well under the severe level. The combination of 18"+ of snow and below zero temps are what really kills the deer. Luckily when all of the snow came later in winter the temps were higher and up till then they actually had another fairly mild winter.

[fishlips]

We need a break in the rain in Southern WI. Feel bad for you guys up north with all the snow still. At least we can get around now pretty easily, minus the water in some areas.

I would love a few nice days to get out and scout!

[Redman232]

Yeah this global warming thing is terrible, stupid hippies

[headgear]

Sweet another storm on the way, sounds like another 5-6 inches.

I agree with Dewey, there have been far worse winters as far as WSI go. However I would keep an eye on things, the MN numbers shots up in the last month so give them some time to get the final numbers out. Most of the harsher stuff I am seeing is in far northern MN so most of WI should be in the clear.

On a side note there is still 2 feet of ice on a lot of lakes and the MN opener is 4 weeks out, pretty good odds a lot of people will be fishing from their couches come May 11th. Not sure when the last time we were iced out on fishing opener.

[Dewey]

Looks like in far northern WI it will be tip ups in place of boats on the opener!

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[headgear]

Another 8+ inches expected today/tonight. Not kidding the last 6 times I had to plow I thought it was the last time, now I think I might be plowing in June.

[Rutnstrut]

Another 8+ inches expected today/tonight. Not kidding the last 6 times I had to plow I thought it was the last time, now I think I might be plowing in June.

I took the plow off four plowings ago and said NO MORE!!! That worked real well, I'm so sick of plowing that I could care less if I never see snow again.