Deer Science Archives - Page 28 of 44

13 05, 2016

Deer Habitat: Best Food and Cover

admin2020-06-10T09:16:48-04:00May 13th, 2016|Big Deer Stories, Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Deer Science|1 Comment

My favorite science blog, Deer Forest Study, posted on the ideal habitat for whitetails, and from that post here are important things you need to know about deer food and cover. BEST DEER FOOD: Early successional forest (regenerating stands of woods less than 6-8 years old) provides 1,000-2,000 pounds per acre of woody browse, forbs and soft mast. This type woods habitat can support about 60 deer/square mile during the winter, far surpassing other forest age classes. Do you hunt a woods like that? Is that where you find deer feeding? Biologist Jeannine Fleegle points out that the list of food for deer is long and varied and includes browse, forbs, grasses, mast, fungi, algae and even mosses. It is no [...]

24 03, 2016

Anilogics Science and Deer Mineral Licks

admin2020-06-10T09:16:49-04:00March 24th, 2016|Big Deer Stories, BigDeer, Deer Management, Deer Science|1 Comment

Right now is the time to establish a few mineral licks on your hunting land. Licks are easy and relatively inexpensive to make and maintain, and they serve two purposes: 1) provide vitamins for all the deer, from bucks growing new antlers to pregnant does getting ready to have fawns; and 2) they are top spots for you to set trail cameras and monitor bucks all summer. Science of Minerals “As land managers and hunters, we supply minerals for similar results in deer that we see in livestock that share the same environment,” says Dr. Brian Dorcey, a lifelong deer hunter who received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at Iowa State. “Some of the well documented benefits of supplying supplemental [...]

8 03, 2016

Antler Injuries & Non-Typical Deer Racks

admin2020-06-10T09:16:49-04:00March 8th, 2016|Big Deer Stories, Deer Science|Comments Off on Antler Injuries & Non-Typical Deer Racks

According to Penn State’s Deer Forest Blog, a lot of things can go wrong during the 160- to 170- day growing season when bucks put on their new racks in spring and summer. Biologist Jeannine Fleegle notes that antler injuries are fairly common with wild deer. When a growing antler is damaged or broken, it bleeds profusely, and blood can fill the inside of a velvet beam or tine. When the antler starts to harden and mineralize later this summer, a heavy, swollen, club-like antler can appear. Common question I get: How long will a buck carry that abnormal rack after the injury year? Fleegle points out that the deformity could persist for several sets of antlers or for the [...]

18 02, 2016

Southeast Deer Study Group 2016

admin2020-06-10T09:16:59-04:00February 18th, 2016|Big Deer Stories, BigDeer, Deer Science|1 Comment

This respected group holds an annual conference at which biologists and researchers present their latest findings on whitetail biology and management. The 2016 meetings just wrapped in Charlotte, NC. I followed Tweets from the conference #SEDSG. Some of the most interesting new science: Elizabeth Cooney @UGAWarnell studied fawning sites and found that does often choose igloo-like domes of vines/shrubs in which to drop and hide their young. (I found that fascinating.) Rebecca Shuman @UGAWarnell reported that fawns are at most risk during their first week of life. In a study, 51 of 70 fawns perished, half of those in the first 7 days of life. Of the 51 fawn deaths, 45 were killed by predators, mostly coyotes. Bobcats and black [...]

12 10, 2015

Hunt The October “Mini Rut”

admin2020-06-10T09:17:02-04:00October 12th, 2015|Big Deer TV, Bowhunting, Deer Science|Comments Off on Hunt The October “Mini Rut”

Mike: I've read about an October “mini rut,” and I'm a believer. I've always had good luck seeing bucks on either side of Oct 15. A few years ago on October 11th, bucks were chasing everything that came into a field. A nice 3-year-old got in on the action. He actually did a lip curl for several minutes where one of the does had stopped to pee. Later, a second buck came along, trailing that same doe's path and stopping at the same spot for several minutes before continuing on the scent trail. Makes one wonder if maybe a few does do cycle a month early. Are you aware of any proof of this? Bob from WI Bob: Yes, every scientific rut chart/bar graph you’ll see will show that some [...]