How many ....

Game animals are going to perish from this weather in the next 4 days?

My guess is a lot

In Texas ?
Probably none. This will all be gone in a few days.
Farther north and in the far north states and Canada?
Probably a bunch since this cold stays a long time there.
Animals are outside 24/7 and fish are wet all day long.
They're not like us at all. They'll burrow up in leaves
and brush and huddle up close and use each other's
body heat. Deer have hollow hair that insulates
them like a good jacket

Exotics are going to take biggest hit.

Yep, animals were created to be in the elements. Sometimes the elements do take their toll though.

It never ceases to amaze me how I can be sitting in a deer blind in my coveralls freezing my rear end off ice all over and see a tiny bird bopping around out the window that cant weigh more than a few ounces weathering the storm with nothing but what it has all day every day all year. I'd freeze to death in it if I had to be naked as a jay bird out in it, yet this frail bird keeps on a trucking.

Mother nature is a harsh b$&% and wild critters are use to dealing with her.

Makes you wonder if humans really have a handle on this thing called life?!

Very true

Yessir

I filled the bird feeder a few hours ago 'cause I swear, they were bitching at me. (Okay, I may already be getting "buggy"
out here in this weather.) As soon as I walked away, they descended on that thing like a duck on a junebug.

Probably the only exotic that does not fare well will be Blackbuck. I lucked out and got rid of 18 before this storm.

Not good for the lesser kudu.

i think most still have a good winter coat. If we'd had a warming trend and then this hit I'd be more concerned.

You bring that rare of an animal in, you're rolling the dice for sure. Some folks got more money than sense.

Heard of a lady during the last cold snap lost two water buck.

My prediction:

Lots of blackbuck will die, lots of scimitar oryx and some Axis if they cannot find cover.

I think it will kill some whitetail as well but hopefully not kill many

We could stand to lose a few WT where we are. The axis will be fine, them boys thicc.

Some of the younger yearling have issues. Buddy lost a gemsbok bull last bad snap back around Christmas. Kerrville to North TX is big climate change especially if you haven’t made it through a winter yet.


He has been lucky with his kudu. I think they are big enough they can handle most anything like just like adult gemsbok

Nilgai are going to take a serious hit.

Salt water trout are going to get hit hard as well. Also sea turtles.

Cold will take out the weaker of any species and we are overrun with whitetail here so a reduction is in order. Saw a few of the ranches around here that raise exotics and also the goat people put out stock trailers with a door open to give them cover.

Whatever is left will be stronger and will result in a better future.

Those big sows are probably just starting to move in to spawning

We can only hope that it wipes out the hog population.

It is amazing, isn’t it? All manner of birds were especially active today feeding in preparation for what they know is coming. Aldo Leopold was a close watcher of every chickadee on his place - identified each one. He came to know them so well that he learned the biggest mortality events came when the wind shifted in the night combined with wet precipitation and sub-freezing temperatures. Otherwise, they knew how to roost and protect themselves even in subzero temperatures.

Jays, cardinals, chickadees, nuthatches and many other birds never migrate and survive northern winters year after year. That said, extreme winter weather for days on end will kill many, many birds and animals even up north. Temps in Montana are tens of degrees below zero right now and will be for over a week. It’s going to be rough. I suspect many will die here also. It’s the low temps and moisture combined with no letup for a week that will do it.

We were talking about this other day for our north Texas deer

I bet it does get a few, this is a rare brutal cold front we’re in for soon

When you look at how long we've been around and the environments we not just lived in but thrived, I'd say we have a better handle on it than any other species.

That is probably true to a certain extent. But what happens when the electricity stops? When the gas stops? Then we shall see who has the better handle on life.

We’ve only had electricity and gas for the last 100 or so years.

A lot of people still don’t have electricity and gas.

So true brother

But it's amazing just how hot the small wood stove can get our house with just a few small pieces of dried mesquite!

As far as the animals go, I think most of the native species here will be just fine for the most part. Sure, some of the old and or sick will certainly die from temps in the single digits but it will not be many.

My app is showing Corpus to be 20 Monday morning with a high of 33. I don't see that being an issue for the trout because there is no way 20 is going to freeze anything over in the bays.

I don’t know, I’ve seen a few winter die offs with less, if they can’t find a deep hole it’s seems like they don’t fare well

Many will be weakened for lack of food and drinkable water, near single digits may be the coup de grâce

That is true but folks back then had a better handle on how to do without. What do you think would happen now if all of a sudden electricity quit. Gas both natural and at the pump stopped? for the vast majority it would not be very good. People, especially in the cities have no idea how to take care of themselves if things got to that point and the government was not there to help them.

You build a fire and you walk, just like we did for thousands of years. It's amazing just how little a person needs to simply survive, native Americans didn't even have horses until the 1500's. Their ancestors crossed continents on foot.

Calling for a low of 5 degrees here Monday!

And how many you think could do that now? What percentage do you think would make one year?

People are a lot more adaptable than you think. Most wouldn't just roll over and die. Some would have a hard time for awhile but then they would figure it out.

You are not giving the Human race near enough credit

Tide pods? Bath salts? Antifa?

haha, but what percentage of people are doing that, really? maybe .001% of american kids?


Its no better than your generation that was smoking the marijuana cigarettes and putting babies in the oven......

People today could not walk across America, because they would not have their phones GPS to tell them where to go.

Obviously far more than you do, there are things within out DNA many will never know until they're in the situation that calls for it. We are not the dominate species on this rock because we lack survival instincts.

Intercity will go cannibalisitic with in 60days of lights going off.

What percentage of Americans can even use a compass and map to find where they are much less where they are going. Survival and staying human are two different things.

It’s 50/50, but the large cities will become slaves to their stomachs instead of humanity and rational thought. It will become Darwinism by force


I just read an article about National Forests being racist.....

How did this go from animal die off's due to really cold weather, to humans being fat, lazy, inept, unable to survive cold. The only one's that are outside are the homeless, and some of those want to be outside instead of in a shelter. I just hope the jumbo 747 sized mosquitos get taken out from the cold wet weather.

Actually I think you are giving them too much credit. I have been all over the world. I think the US and probably most of Eastern Europe would have the roughest time. Africa, India and some of the Mid Eastern Countries would probably come out alright.

The weak will have a difficult time for the next week. Those most effected will be the young or the really old of any species. Areas that had rain in early Jan and had a green up of winter growth will do better than those dry areas. The first week of March in 1996 we had an ice storm for 3 days straight in the Hill Country. We had all kinds of exotics and native wildlife on the ranch. Kudu, Addax, Scimitar Horn Oryx, Gemsbok, Pere David Deer, Red Sheep, Ellipsis Water Buck, Black Buck, Axis and Fallow for exotics. The Pere David would swim to pond instead of walking around it. The only two species that had a difficult time were the younger Black Bucks and Axis fawns(fawning season for that herd was Jan-end of March). I remember finding one younger Black Buck and a lot of new Axis fawns dead or close to it. We were able to save about 15-20 Axis fawns but lost way more. None of the other species, native or exotic had death losses that I know of. The key was winter thermal cover for the animals in the pasture and same in breeding pastures(along with sheds). I put out extra corn along with protein and hay for those days. The animals all used round bales as bedding, food and cover from the weather. Most hunters and landowners have some type of feeder going year round and the animals will use it more at this time. Corn is a great source of energy, but protein or hay can help keep them full which is a huge benefit.

True
But the last big fish kill along our coast I remember was in 1989 and if memory serves me right Houston had single digit lows when that happened.
I am pretty sure Corpus got down in the mid teens as well in that freeze.
Hopefully we will not see a bad freeze kill along the coast with this one.

'Gotta go with the flow Baby. Excuse me, I have to go cut some firewood with a chainsaw that sometimes runs and some old gas, in case PEC lets me down. I'll try to dry it out in the barn. I do have my Mr. Heater and four 1lb. bottles. 'Hope the fireplace works, haven't tried it yet, but I did have it swept/cleaned. The Lord takes care of fools and drunks. Lately, I just might qualify in both categories.

Very key points here about the feed I think stxrm!

I plan on dumping 2-3 bags of corn on the ground Sunday as well as a bale of alfalfa. I have 2 protein feeders for them as well with 20% in them. If it doesn't get eaten I can live with wasting a few dollars. Hopefully it may save an older or younger deer or 2 and maybe even some other animals. I also plan on making sure at least one of my tanks has the ice broken so that they can water at will.

Hell, I am going to put out fresh round bales for my cows and give them 5-10 lbs each of 40% cubes on Sat, Sun, & Mon.
Gotta baby those girls! lol

Don't worry, soon Biden will pass a low stopping the production of those nasty, pollution producing 2-stroke chainsaws as well.
Might as well go get you a 166V cordless rechargeable one now!

I was eyeing a kolbolt 12” one for my truck


I feel like me and 166v would be a bad idea

I think im guilty of comparing my fat weak human azz to a finch that did it

Yes, it is redchevy's fault.

You keep using that same picture and people gonna call you Oxner

My friend who raises lesser kudu also raises bongo, Arabian oryx, markhor, dama gazelle, western caucasian tur, bushbuck, and anoa cattle. I'm pretty sure his sense far out weighs his money. That expression, in my experience applies to those who didn't earn the money they have which is rare, in most cases the money one has is directly proportional to the sense they have.

I like that one better... and ive got some XX in the fridge... come on 5

I don't think it will effect whitetail much all all. Any quail we had left will probably get wiped out though.
Wish it would wipe out a bunch of pigs but they dont even notice the cold much with their fat layers.

I tell ya what BOBO, I have just a ton of 18v Milwaukee tools and I bought the weed eater and pole saw about 6 months ago and am still amazed at the power both have!
I can cut 6" mesquite limbs with the pole saw with ease.
I don't weed eat much anymore except basically around the house because I typically herbicide all fencelines and around my barns and such. Hell, I'd do it around the house but momma pitched a tiny fit when I got a little on one of here rose bushes a couple years ago. lmao

I decided to just to split the little bit of cured oak here at the house. Worked up a nice sweat and broke the welds on each side of the wedge that rides on pipe rails. Oh well, the thing is probably 45 years old and I got enough split to be enough, if PEC can't keep the juice coming.

As far as rose bushes, at the last place, my wife pruned a rose bush that was there when we bought the place. It died. 'Pretty sure it was an antique rose bush that was probably over 50 years old. Not too green of a thumb, but, that's not why I married her.

What were we talkin' about again?

Favorite malt shops

Mines the malt shop in Pagosa springs. Been there As long as I can remember, 30-40 year's

I like a good chocolate malt. 'Been years. The Liberty Bar in San Antonio makes a Coconut Custard that's out of this world; now there's a dessert. They occasionally have some wild game on their menu. You think the price for those wild game dishes will go up after this weather? Wait, how many game animals are going to perish in this weather the next four days?

Dont know about malt shops but my Dad hunted Pagosa Springs forever back in the day. 8 mile mesa was his go to.

I bought an elk tag in Pagosa Springs once

I took my kids to Hot Springs once, in Big Bend. Every time they'd dip in that nasty Rio Grande, I'd make 'em rinse in the hot springs. I think I remember going to Hot Springs, Arksansas too, as a kid. They clog up there.

Took my kids there too. I swam across to Mexico 3 or 4 times & walked around, then swam back and jumped into the hot spring. I'm a dark complected gringo and my buddies said I better quit doing that or they're not gonna let me back in if La Migra comes.

Deer hadn't taken to protein before this week. They are eating it like it's going out of style. Should be 600# left in the feeder which will hold them over through next week.

I grew up splitting time in pagosa, starting in the 70’s. I still remember when the last grizz was killed, south of our cabin a few miles

During the summer, I drive the back roads looking for deer and elk, but make sure I get back to the maltshope before 9 every night for ice cream. I gain so much weight during the summer. Lol.