Why do we play winter as a "lean time"?

[Barrett]

Mm, I don't think we need any kind of disease/extraneous circumstance to precipitate a lean period -- it would occur naturally in summer when the prey regain their strength and get harder to catch. It's the same thing we've always played, except it occurs during the summer instead of winter. Likewise, they'd be more likely to make food stores during winter, not before it.

Waaay back in the day, a drought did cause something similar to what you suggested, though -- the prey failed and some wolves (including my own Adreon *tear*) went with them. :c