Game managers and ski-resort operators don't shop from the same wish list. For now, the only potential trouble spot exists in the extreme southwest, a ragged triangle from Durango to Pagosa Springs to Telluride. Recent storms added materially to the snow depth in the region, raising mild anxiety. Even in this relatively benign season, there are causes for concern. An obvious reason is last year's drought, which greatly reduced summer forage.
Fawns rank on the low end of the pecking order when it comes to foraging for food.
Since they spend much of their energy on growth, fawns typically have lower fat reserves as well. Ellenberger said the loss of prime winter range to development and other factors also bodes ill for game herds, particularly deer. The biologist finds little to worry about concerning elk, which continue to prosper in virtually every part of the state. With no general concern about winter survival, game managers have turned more toward fine-tuning elk herds. Such surveys, along with ongoing harvest data, help biologists develop models to calculate overall population density and management objectives.