20 02, 2014

New Buck Science: Southeast Deer Study Group 2014

2020-06-10T09:23:04-04:00February 20th, 2014|BigDeer, Deer Science|5 Comments

This respected group holds an annual conference whereby biologists, managers and researchers present their recent findings on deer biology and management. The 2014 meetings just wrapped in Georgia. I followed QDMA Tweets from the conference, #SEDSG. Some science hot off the press: • Researchers at Auburn University found that bucks both young and old react negatively to hunting pressure in the same way. They also found that bucks are 4 times more likely to come to a food plot in daylight on opening day as later in the season. • Troubling finding #1: EHD disease continues to expand northward in the U.S. and further outbreaks are expected. Furthermore, new strains of EHD are showing up and problematic because individual deer [...]

18 02, 2014

Winter 2014: How Will It Impact Whitetails?

2020-06-10T09:23:04-04:00February 18th, 2014|BigDeer, Deer Science|7 Comments

As I blog this, I look out the window at 10 inches of snow on the ground. It’s 19 degrees…and this is Virginia. I saw where snow is on the ground in 40 of 50 states. In the Midwest and Northeast it’s particularly cold and snowy, and has been for months. No doubt the whitetails there are under tremendous stress, having trouble finding food under deep snow, and fighting to maintain body heat that is critical to their survival. We hunters wonder and worry: How are the herds doing? Two scientists from frozen regions weigh in. "After a tough winter that had a (negative) impact on deer numbers in 2013, this certainly isn't what any of us had hoped for," [...]

14 02, 2014

Deer Q&A: Why Do Bucks Shed Antlers?

2020-06-10T09:23:04-04:00February 14th, 2014|BigDeer, Deer Science|2 Comments

Mike, just why do bucks shed their antlers every year?—Joan, Missouri Scientists have 2 theories. Bucks shed racks annually so they’ll have the ability to replace damaged antlers the next year. If a buck had to live his entire life with snapped tines or a broken main beam he couldn’t posture for does or dominance, or spar with rival bucks. A second theory suggests that bucks shed and grow new racks 10 to 20 inches larger in following years to keep pace with their increasing body size and weight as they mature from 2 ½ years of age to 3½ to 4 ½, and so on. Some more interesting shed facts: --Some weeks after the post-rut (December or January) bucks’ [...]

30 01, 2014

Why Was 2013 Deer Season Lousy?

2020-06-10T09:23:05-04:00January 30th, 2014|BigDeer, Deer Science, Hunting News|19 Comments

Last season was one of my toughest ever. I was in the woods for some 70 days across the country, and nothing came easy. I saw fewer deer—and fewer mature bucks—than in years past. In some places we saw way fewer deer. The camera guys and I hunted hard as hell and we shot some good bucks. But we had to scratch and claw for every one we got.   It was tough hunting for many of you too, especially if you live in the Midwest. Some preliminary figures show the deer kill was down 7 percent in Wisconsin and Minnesota; down a whopping 25 percent in Illinois; down 10-20 percent in Michigan (depending on region, from south to north); [...]

24 01, 2014

Alabama Unicorn Buck

2020-06-10T09:23:05-04:00January 24th, 2014|BigDeer, Deer Science|3 Comments

Brian Wallace shot this unique buck in central Alabama last January. The uni was trailing a doe. Just what causes a unicorn tine? How rare is a unicorn buck? Check out one of our newest YouTube video to understand more about these rare bucks!

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