Deep snows just won't melt around Gunnison, which means the DOW is still feeding about 8,600 deer at 131 different sites, and about 440 pronghorn at 12 sites. In addition, hay is being provided to about 3,300 elk to bait the animals away from ranchers' hay stacks and major roads.

Snow depths are above 30 inches at many of the feeding sites and most available food sources remain covered north of Highway 50. Total snow accumulation in the low elevation areas near Gunnison for this winter is 86 inches, which puts this season in the top five since records started being kept in 1899. Temperatures remain cold and little melting has occurred at the feed sites.