Deer and Flooded Property

[CastAndBlast]

Our hunting property is very much flooded. Well, most of it at least. In my 25 years of hunting, I can't remember this happening. Or at least remember how it affected the deer.

Our lease is off the Trinity river. Does anyone have any insight on what it will do to our deer herd?

I am sure they will move out of the area for now. However, in your experience, do they return to their normal patterns, bedding areas, scrape lines, etc.?

[SwampRabbit]

tagged.

I've heard they just move back in and are not bothered much by the flooding. Waiting to see what others say.

[bowhuntntxn]

They will be back shortly after the water recedes. There will be easier travel corridors where the water has washed away the undergrowth and deadfall. There will also be insane amounts of new growth with the moist soil and cleared out debris.

Personally I think there will be some huge deer killed this year because of all the flooding.

[SFAbowhunter]

I have a feeling the guys that have property that are not flooded will be very disappointed when all of the pics they are getting of deer right now disappear and they go back to the property they are familiar with.

[CastAndBlast]

That is good to hear. I was getting worried. I have spent the last 2 years narrowing down a few well traveled areas, and had some nice up and comers for this season that I had passed on this past year. Our deer will rarely hit a feeder, so most of our deer hunting is on trails, scrape lines, etc. I was getting worried that I was going to have to start over from scratch.

[SolocamShooter]

I have a feeling the guys that have property that are not flooded will be very disappointed when all of the pics they are getting of deer right now disappear and they go back to the property they are familiar with.

Yep. Our property is high ground bout a mile from the Neches. We have a ton of deer right now... More than normal. I'm expecting them to be all back down in the river bottom by huntin season.

[Razrbk89]

High, long term flooding isn't good for deer. I'm not familiar with the conditions in your area, but deer that haven't dealt with high water before can suffer. Deer will sometimes stick around on humps until the water gets too high, then try to swim out. Fawns won't make it in that situation, and quite a few adult deer will drown as well. I'm not sure if the Texas rivers are spilled out wide enough to create conditions like that, but I know quite a few deer have been drowning around Texarkana on the Red.

[hoythitman]

Where I hunted in Arkansas it flooded 2 times, really bad. The deer were back as soon as the water backed off. All of my bucks I had been watching came back both times, nothing was different other than the amount of mud.

[Chew]

Andy, I was out there Saturday with Charlie. Saw several deer including some bucks on the high ground. I think they will be fine unless they get too close to the 12' gator by the lake. =)

[dbaio1]

Once hunting season is in full gear and the pressure is up our deer flock to the high water and flooded timber areas. We also have to deal with having a dog season. The deer always run to water when the dogs are on their trail.

[unclefish]

I would not count on individual bucks to go back to their original haunts....50/50 deal I think. They may have had to move many many miles and may never come back....especially in a massive river flood situation. Alot depends on how long it was flooded.

But certainly some deer will always fill the void left by the flood.....they just may not be the same ones you had your eye on for 2 years.

I will let you know because half my place is flooded right now.

[Diamond07]

Personally I think there will be some huge deer killed this year because of all the flooding.

I agree. All those high fences are getting washed out!

[Chew]

I'm worried about the fawn population but I'm betting that everything works out.

[Razrbk89]

Once hunting season is in full gear and the pressure is up our deer flock to the high water and flooded timber areas. We also have to deal with having a dog season. The deer always run to water when the dogs are on their trail.

One of my favorite stands back home is in our duck woods. No dry ground for hundreds of yards. Bucks love water because nothing can sneak up on them, just not 8 feet of it.

[CastAndBlast]

I'm worried about the fawn population but I'm betting that everything works out.

I agree! I was expecting a pretty big fawn crop this year, but I guess we will see.

Charlie did tell me that he saw a pretty big group of bachelor bucks on a high spot. Hopefully they hang around until the water recedes. I think there are enough high areas out there that they shouldn't push too far out of the area.

I will be anxious to see what happens this coming year…

It should be interesting too to see where all of the gators move to! I will be keeping Piper away from the water for a while!