Originally posted by Hawkpuppy 1
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Deer Ecology 101
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Originally posted by Ten Ring View PostI have been hearing about this on the GS for a little while. Three weeks ago I came up on a scrape and peed in it, as my wife laughed at me and told me that cant be a good idea. I explained why I think it might work. Last week I go up there to to put some corn out and guess what that scrape was bigger and the licking branch was even more beat up. Then about 20 feet away was another scrape. So I peed in the same scrape I did last time. Then hunted that Sunday and the scrape was even larger, so I peed in both of them and put a camera on them. Can't wait for Friday to see what the scrapes looks like and what the camera got pictures of. My question is why the scrapes so late in the season?... they were not there in November.
You should start a thread on this!!!!!
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Depending on your area of the state, sex ratio of your herd and habitat, the breeding season will vary greatly. You will also see what a lot of people call the "second rut" which is and it isn't. Does will cycle every 21 days if not bred the first time they come into estrous. If not bred, 21 days later they will cycle again and you can see some rutting activity. You will also see a late rut in January as this years fawns that are born early enough will cycle then and can be bred.
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Originally posted by Hawkpuppy 1 View PostDepending on your area of the state, sex ratio of your herd and habitat, the breeding season will vary greatly. You will also see what a lot of people call the "second rut" which is and it isn't. Does will cycle every 21 days if not bred the first time they come into estrous. If not bred, 21 days later they will cycle again and you can see some rutting activity. You will also see a late rut in January as this years fawns that are born early enough will cycle then and can be bred.
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Originally posted by tony185 View PostAwesome thread! If you feed protein in a area that has some good pressure do you think it's a waste or will you still get some positive out of it?
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Originally posted by Hawkpuppy 1 View PostOk, all caught up, now on to more info....
Since there seems to be a good interest in deer foods, lets continue on there. Deer are selective feeders, meaning that they eat a huge variety of things. They don't just sit in one area eating the same thing every day like a cow does grass in a field. Typically you will see deer feeding along and almost always moving while doing so. They get a little bite here, and one there. That is why most people like to use seed varieties in food plots for greater utilization. Simply put, deer like to eat a lot of different things. A lot of it is based on what is available in a given area and time of year.
Deer are also curious animals when it comes to food items. That's why a lot of the fly-by-night feed attractants seem to work. Deer see/smell something different, they take a look and see what's up. Most of the ones in my experience that are used repeatedly are the sweet style attractants. Everybody like something sweet now and then. I always laugh at the marketing on these items when they are telling of the scents and smells that deer go crazy for. Do you really think a deer in central Texas has any idea what an apple is? Or an orange? Nope, just something they smell is sweet and not a threat to them....
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Originally posted by texashunter View PostI threw out a bag of apples that I had cut in half last year, just to see if the deer would show any interest in them. All the deer did was sniff them and kept on going. I figured it was something they had never seen, eaten or smelled before so they weren't sure what they were.
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Originally posted by TKK View PostMany feed cottonseed and protein - what about mineral supplements? I know protein has some but is there value in also feeding additional minerals during the year? I have heard it can have a big impact on horn growth
I will add to that by saying that sodium requirements for deer are easily met in in most parts of Texas, typically just through the water they drink. Read the info at the link above, and my statement about sodium will make sense.
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After seeing all the posts about cull bucks, I wanted to make a general recommendation on buck harvest.
In a free range situation, the best approach in buck harvest, to maximize quality antlers, is to only shoot bucks that are 6.5 years old or older, regardless of what's on their head.
Not confident in field judging age? Check the poster at the link below, and let bucks walk until they match the "Post Mature" criteria on this poster.
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