Deer Behavior

CWD Found in Captive Missouri Deer

Online Editors — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 10:10:18 -0500

From St. Louis Fox2Now.com:
State officials say a captive white-tail deer in northern Missouri's Linn County has tested positive for chronic wasting disease ...

The farm-raised deer in Linn County had been inspected as part of Missouri's chronic wasting disease surveillance and testing program. The agriculture department said the state immediately initiated a contingency plan to limit spread of the disease among the deer population.

The Death Of An Old Mule Deer

Online Editors — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 10:11:41 -0500

Bestul: Winding Down the Rut

Online Editors — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 15:35:04 -0500

For practical purposes, this is the last rut report I’ll file for this hunting season (I do have an Alabama hunt scheduled for the end of next month, and I’ll file a report when I’m there). As I noted last week, the rut is a fading flower across much of whitetail range, and recent severe winter weather will put food at the top of the whitetail list of basic needs now.

That said, unbred does and a certain percentage of fawns will come into an estrous cycle this month. A few years back I noted a sudden spike in big buck kills around the 10th of December in my area. When I mentioned this to a hunting buddy he said “happens every year at this time. And if you do the math, it makes sense. We’re about one month past the peak breeding date.” Since does “cycle” about every 28 days, it did make sense and I was embarrassed I hadn’t figured it out on my own.

North Carolina Woman Trampled By Whitetail Does

Online Editors — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 09:24:32 -0500

From the Rocky Mount Telegram:
Michelle Brewer, the 46-year-old co-owner of Brewer’s Fine Jewelry in Tarboro, was flipped up in the air and trampled in front of her Main Street storefront last week by a group of renegade deer. . . .

Witnesses, including her husband, Kenny, later told Brewer the herd of seven to nine “good-sized does” must have been running at least 40 mph. . . .

Whitetail Deer and Deer Hunting Headlines: 11/12 - 11/19

Online Editors — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:01:21 -0500

Deer Hunter Kills College Student, Injures Two Others
(I hate posting stories like this, folks, but the news in the news. This is a heartbreaking tragedy that could have been avoided—and it serves as a sober reminder to us all to make safety the number one priority.)

10-Point Buck Attacks Upstate New York Man

Online Editors — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:22:17 -0500

And when I say upstate, I’m talking way upstate. Namely, Moira, NY—only a handful of miles from the Canadian border and just down the road from North Bangor, where I grew up. I can tell you, there is not a lot for the deer to do up there, so I’m not surprised to read about one getting into trouble, but this was uncalled for. From the Watertown Daily Times:

Chad Love: Trail Cams in the Classroom

Online Editors — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:36:04 -0500

Trail cameras are, for hunters, becoming so ubiquitous that we often don't think about their potential for other uses. I certainly never did until my son said he wanted one for Christmas, not for hunting, but to record all the various wildlife that travels through our rural back yard.

I thought it was a great idea, and in the broader context I thought it had real potential to get kids interested in the outdoors. But as I was perusing the excellent Southern Rockies Nature Blog recently I discovered a link to a teacher who had already figured that out.

Cover Close to Home: Five Oddball Hiding Spots for Late Season Bucks

Online Editors — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:02:02 -0500

Yes, pressured late-season bucks typically seek remote, nasty cover. But some of the biggest, savviest survivors hole up right under our noses, in oddball places we tend to overlook. By uncovering a buck’s secret lair, you can begin to formulate a plan for success. Your first step is to stop ignoring these five hidey holes:

How to Jump Shoot a Buck

Online Editors — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:46:20 -0500

Tired of waiting in a stand? Too cold to sit still for hours on end? Try jump-shooting a buck. This is one of my favorite tactics when I’m exploring new territory and want to cover a lot of ground, but it’s also great on a known hunting area late in the season, when you’ve pushed bucks around and don’t know exactly where they are. Here’s the skinny:

Deer Jumps Into Lion Pen at DC Zoo

Online Editors — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:10:40 -0500

From washingtonpost.com:
A deer that jumped a wall at the National Zoo was fatally injured by two lions Sunday as dozens of startled spectators looked on. Click here to read the full story.

And here's a video taken by an onlooker. The deer did escape the lions, but had to be euthanized because of a gut injury.