Survey/Deer Density

[Muddy Bud]

We'll take it.

[Chuckfu]

LO said it hasn’t rained in 2 months

Farm logs says .16” is what we got.
We were green through spring.
Could it be they just don’t like this particular type of feed?
We added a feed station as mentioned before.

[kyle1974]

Sometimes I wonder if it’s just a matter of what particular deer like to eat. I have seen really good jumps in drought years on deer that I’m assuming are protein hogs. I watched a 9 that was dubbed “friendly 9” go from a slick 140” 9 to a split brow 168” 9 in a drought year several years back. He was a total feeder hog and was suck on pellets constantly.

Or, maybe on drought years they’re forced to eat different plants they don’t actually prefer when other browse is plentiful in a wet year which are higher in protein?

I know we had more mesquite beans this summer than I’ve seen in a while. The winter and early spring was very wet and probably provided a good start for the browse before this hellacious summer started.

I’ve seen a few young deer that went down hill too chuck. I’m not too worried because they’re 3-4 year olds, but I was expecting more deer to go up across the board coming off the wet early part of the year.

[Encinal]

Deer eat more feed when they have less natural forage, period...

HALF is so far out of line, that it is highly unlikely that it's not something to do with supply.

Did you switch feeds? Did you put up new feed pens? New ranch hands? New type of feeders? Something changed.

[kyle1974]

Survey/Deer Density

I don’t know exactly how far chucks place is from mine but I think we’re pretty close. Until June or so, there was plenty of forage. Our deer barely touched protein from feb-may. That could be a reason for less consumption.

2018-2019 was dry all year so it was a different scenario.

[Encinal]

I don’t know exactly how far chucks place is from mine but I think we’re pretty close. Until June or so, there was plenty of forage. Our deer barely touched protein from feb-may. That could be a reason for less consumption.

2018-2019 was dry all year so it was a different scenario.

We were a little lower in the spring but man they came on fast when it got dry.

[Chuckfu]

Deer eat more feed when they have less natural forage, period...

HALF is so far out of line, that it is highly unlikely that it's not something to do with supply.

Did you switch feeds? Did you put up new feed pens? New ranch hands? New type of feeders? Something changed.

It’s our 3rd year and there are no new variables. With the exception of a new added feed station on the north end of the ranch.
We have fed bee county all 3 years.
Year 1 - about 26 tons
Year 2 - 45 tons
Year 3 - 20 tons to date
The drought our first year was worse in my opinion deer were hungry.
I should add that the year prior to our arrival only corn was fed. And that first year is was L&E.

[webb09]

We are at 1 deer / 39 acres. I was your neighbor at your previous lease

[UrbanBuck]

Rich people problems......

[Chuckfu]

We are at 1 deer / 39 acres. I was your neighbor at your previous lease

In encinal?

[webb09]

In encinal?

Yes

[webb09]

We are trying to back to 1/30

[Encinal]

1 to 39?

Wow.

[webb09]

1 to 39?

Wow.

Yea, I could see that if we didn’t feed, but we feed year round

[Chuckfu]

Deer eat more feed when they have less natural forage, period...

HALF is so far out of line, that it is highly unlikely that it's not something to do with supply.

Did you switch feeds? Did you put up new feed pens? New ranch hands? New type of feeders? Something changed.

I remember last year you said either they don’t like the feed or the numbers were way off.
You still consider that to be a possibility?