Deer have disappeared

Inigoes · Sep 20, 2014

Squirrels are plenty in SoMD. I had to put up with them this morning. :mad54:

j_h_smith · Sep 20, 2014

We have a huge Fox population, so we don't see too many squirrels or rabbits.

Jim Smith

outrider58 · Sep 20, 2014

Sat over a water hole tonight. Had two nice bucks come in just before dark. A 3 1/2 yr. old 8 point and a 2 1/2 yr. old 7 point. Both inside 20 yards. I let them walk. Not what I was looking for. Water is the key right now I think.

E.Shell · Sep 20, 2014

outrider58 said:
Bucks are breaking up, going to their fall ranges? Acorns are starting to drop=change in feeding habits?...

Yup, I agree and raise you one:

1) Bachelor groups breaking up, subordinate bucks being pushed around. The big guy is taking prime breeding territory and the little guys are trying to stay out of his way.

2) Acorn crops are dropping here too. Food crops change, both with mast production, seasonal changes and weather. As warm as it's been most places, they might be eating more grass than acorns. You'll probably see them back on the acorns, beans and corn when it gets cool again.

3) Cover is changing. Weeds and low annual growth is dying back, going brown, exposing areas that were formerly secure. This changes both browse and cover and deer will move to feel safe.

Water might be a good draw until it rains. I had tried to hunt waterholes that were beaten down in August but deserted with the first of the mid-September rains. That's how I know it's finally bow season: it starts to rain every Saturday.

Mooseman · Sep 20, 2014

I am seeing more and more deer along the side of the road on my 600 mile nightly drives.

E.Shell · Sep 20, 2014

Mooseman said:
I am seeing more and more deer along the side of the road on my 600 mile nightly drives.

Eating grass on the warmer nights?

johnnyb2 · Sep 21, 2014

I hear they have been moving to upscale neighbor hoods. Where there is an abundance of big screen T.V.'s as they are in disbelief of the Orioles progress and attempting to see them on TV before its too late :-)

E.Shell · Sep 21, 2014

johnnyb2 said:
I hear they have been moving to upscale neighbor hoods. Where there is an abundance of big screen T.V.'s as they are in disbelief of the Orioles progress and attempting to see them on TV before its too late :-)

I think this is at least partly true. I took a nice 8 pointer just outside Annapolis a couple years ago and he had a belly full of azalea leaves. Probably watching TV as he browsed.

outrider58 · Sep 21, 2014

Mooseman said:
I am seeing more and more deer along the side of the road on my 600 mile nightly drives.

A big increase in fawn vs auto deaths aside from the usual deer vs auto mortalities. They are no longer glued to their mother's hips. They 're learning their E&E tactics. Doing a lot of running around. I always notice this, this time of year. Only good thing, if you can say good thing, about that is fawns do less damage.

Re Mooseman: I took that as in no longer eating...anything.

lsw · Sep 21, 2014

johnnyb2 said:
I hear they have been moving to upscale neighbor hoods. Where there is an abundance of big screen T.V.'s as they are in disbelief of the Orioles progress and attempting to see them on TV before its too late :-)

They are moving to the less opulent neighborhoods as well. A few weeks ago I saw one on 28th street just west of I-83.

BUFF7MM · Sep 21, 2014

outrider58 said:
A 3 1/2 yr. old 8 point and a 2 1/2 yr. old 7 point.

I'm kind of curious as to how you're aging them on the hoof?
Just figured I'd ask how so I can try it out. :thumbsup:

outrider58 · Sep 21, 2014

Buff7mm said:
I'm kind of curious as to how you're aging them on the hoof?
Just figured I'd ask how so I can try it out.

Body size(and shape specifically) and general antler size and mass. I said that backwards. I first look at antlers, if they're good sized then I take a longer look at the body. 2 1/2 year olds are pretty easy to spot. It gets harder deciding between a 3 1/2 an a 4 1/2. I generally won't kill anything younger than 4 1/2(see my thread on "too many deer mounts"). Trail cams make a lot of this easier but sometimes you have to do it on the fly. Main thing is, once they're dead, that's as big as they'll ever get.

Jimdick2949 · Sep 21, 2014

Plenty in my back yard.

Mooseman · Sep 21, 2014

E.Shell said:
Eating grass on the warmer nights?

outrider58 said:
A big increase in fawn vs auto deaths aside from the usual deer vs auto mortalities. They are no longer glued to their mother's hips. They 're learning their E&E tactics. Doing a lot of running around. I always notice this, this time of year. Only good thing, if you can say good thing, about that is fawns do less damage.

Re Mooseman: I took that as in no longer eating...anything.

Yes, they are eating along the roadside. There are plenty that have not made it to the other side of the road as well.

outrider58 · Sep 21, 2014

Rule of thumb concerning deer grub. When it's warm, they eat greens. when it's cold, they eat grains.

iH8DemLibz · Sep 21, 2014

johnnyb2 said:
I hear they have been moving to upscale neighbor hoods. Where there is an abundance of big screen T.V.'s as they are in disbelief of the Orioles progress and attempting to see them on TV before its too late :-)

I see them in front of a lot of homes known to occupy dwellers of the non-hunting variety.

Bambi be smart.

Mark75H · Sep 21, 2014

gotta put out my salt lick. Squirrels will eat all my corn

jimbobborg · Sep 22, 2014

Have you seen any coyotes?

mark71211 · Sep 22, 2014

Mark75H said:
gotta put out my salt lick. Squirrels will eat all my corn

Stick with corn, it's cheap this year. I found it at $10 for hundred pound bag,

E.Shell · Sep 22, 2014

jimbobborg said:
Have you seen any coyotes?

Who are you asking?

I shot a 32# male from the back porch here in Louisa County in May. We now have a group of 6 that run the farm at night and howl within 1/2 mile at least 4-5 nights a week. They were 200 yards from the house at 10:30 night before last. Used to keep the 6.5-284 bolt gun by the kitchen door, but keep a scoped/Streamlight equipped AR-15 with a mag full of 40 grain BTs these days.

I train on another farm about 6 miles from home and there are fresh tracks in the sandy road every morning. Killed a mangy half-grown pup over there last summer.

I'd just trap them, but everybody around here seems to have at least 3-4 rabbit/deer/coon dogs and they run everywhere.

Deer have disappeared

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