Really poor deer

[12thman]

Just checked the game cam from the lease in Mason and the deer are really poor. Several doe look like skeletons with skin on. The drought has really been hard on them. Several deer just lay down at the feeder and wait for it to go off because there is nothing else to eat. I am afraid we will have a bog die off in the winter if the conditions don't change in a hurry.

[shark79]

If you can afford it you need to feed protein. Been feeding tons of protein in Mills Co and all the deer look healthy. They're not even eating alfalfa I put out very fast.

[texas1]

WOW I have a friend who is hunting the core land at lake Georgetown and his pics look really bad. Same thing.

[txtimetravler]

Reduce the number of mouths on your place. This might help with your thought of a die off.

[cricman]

We pulled a card out of one of the cameras this last weekend in Lampasas County, and we were surprised to see two does with their fawns and several young healthy bucks, and they all looked great! I was actually shocked and amazed how good they all looked. We have been lucky enough to still have one tank with water. I guess it also paid off to feed all summer this year. We even have a pretty good group of turkeys again this year. Having said that, we are in dire need of a lot of rain.


cricman

[12thman]

Our problem is our landowner allows two bucks and one doe per spot for five spots on 400 acres. So we get 10 bucks and only five does. We usually don't take all of our bucks unless we take culls but we aren't taking near enough does. My guess is we could take 20 does this year and not hurt our ratio or population at all.

[bigrack]

On a year like this you are gonna have to keep feed out free choice whenever they want it. It will be the difference in fat deer and possibly a die off. I know it hurts and it's expensive but that is all they have!

[southpaw]

I was at deer camp in Halletsville this weekend and was surprised to see 1/2 dozen or so does with 1/2 dozen yearlings. They all came by within 30 yards of me and all looked relatively healthy. 4 of the 6 yearlings still had spots but they weren't fawn small.

[txdukklr]

We pulled a card out of one of the cameras this last weekend in Lampasas County, and we were surprised to see two does with their fawns and several young healthy bucks, and they all looked great! I was actually shocked and amazed how good they all looked. We have been lucky enough to still have one tank with water. I guess it also paid off to feed all summer this year. We even have a pretty good group of turkeys again this year. Having said that, we are in dire need of a lot of rain.


cricman

same as my results, my deer look great and we have plenty of fawns. But we fed protein and corn all year long.

I also threw roasted soy bean from a couple of my feeders and it appears thats helped them maintain body weight.

[native_texan]

My buddy and I were in Rock Springs where it's so dry that the cedars are dying. The deer we saw (bucks, does and fawns) looked very healthy and were coming to corn a lot.

My buddy is feeding some protein as well. He has two 250 gallon water guzzler tanks which we fill every two months. Of course, there has been no rain to refill the tanks but the tanks are in pens where the cows can't get to them.

Deer and pigs are coming to the pens for water and protein. There are three corn feeders on his property. I was amazed at how well the deer looked.

Lord, have mercy on us and your animals of the field, and grant us your holy grace. Send the rain to quench the thirst of this parched land and heal it with the blessed rain. Thank you, Lord. Amen

[Speedgoat]

WOW I have a friend who is hunting the core land at lake Georgetown and his pics look really bad. Same thing.

The deer I have on camera at Lake Georgetown look fairly healthy. Of course, I am near to Russell Park