January 13, 2008

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
A new year has arrived and so has a ton-and-a-half of snow!
For the Gunnison Valley, there hasn't been this much snow since 1983-84.
The deer and elk are hit really hard by this much snow at the higher elevations and
move to lower elevations to seek food.


Here is a herd of elk north of Almont, and considering the slim pickings the hunters had during the hunting seasons
one would wonder where these does and bucks were camping out.

There were at least a hundred total in this group heading up the slope.

Here's a mule deer buck, he's also wishing there wasn't quite so much snow to trod through.

This herd of elk were only a few miles north of Gunnison. They're feeding on a rancher's supply of
livestock hay. There were probably 30 or so down by the road and another hundred working their way down the hill
toward the food.
The State of Colorado Wildlife Division plans to haul in hay for the elk and another food source for the deer.
They hope to keep the herds strong through the winter, and hopefully away from the rancher's stores.