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Post by Deleted on Feb 13, 2010 16:31:22 GMT -5
Just came back from my first scouting walk since hunting season ended. Franklin County is still under at least a foot or more of snow. Deer tracks everywhere. I didn't find any sheds, but in that deep snow, I was highly unlikely to. I did see 7 deer on my short walk. It was tough walking too.
I noticed that the deer are really tearing up the cedar trees. They are eating them up as high as they can reach. That is not a good sign. This is a hard winter on the deer and I fear it will be even harder on the turkeys. Might have to put out some supplemental feed if it doesn't thaw for a while...and it doesn't look like it is supposed to for the forseeable future. Dang this global warming!
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Post by BOBinIN on Feb 13, 2010 17:07:26 GMT -5
Same here in the south. In Perry county, my buddy and I put out several acres in corn for the deer/turkey this year. We just drove the 4-wheeler through the fields and it's ALL gone, nothing there but tracks! Looks like they will be eating cobs from here on out. It's gonna be hard to survive out there.
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Post by scrub-buster on Feb 14, 2010 2:55:01 GMT -5
I went for a walk last Sunday and saw where it looked like they were eating the bark on a big cedar tree. I have been throwing out about 2 pounds of corn a day behind the house. A doe, a yearling, and a fawn usually clean it up fast. I think they bed down nearby and listen because sometimes they are eating it within 5 minutes of me leaving.  |
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Post by raporter on Feb 14, 2010 8:35:20 GMT -5
Had 11 in last evening. Usually have some bucks in but this year I have only seen one small buck.
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Post by danf on Feb 14, 2010 10:29:14 GMT -5
By all accounts, this is an easy winter up here.  Regardless, I will bet there will still be much higher deer densities in IN than there is in NH. I honestly wouldn't worry about the turkeys much- the last two winters up here have had over 100" of snow, and the turkeys are THICK. Deer on the other hand..... The turkeys will eat ANYTHING, deer won't. It's all in what they are used to- transplant some deer from up here to IN and it would be an easy, easy time for them right now. |
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Post by freedomhunter on Feb 14, 2010 13:11:47 GMT -5
Brown County SP is the only place I've seen deer starving in the winter around here. They usually have it easy unless the population is way too high. Same thing for the turkeys, also, the main problem for them is predation.
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Post by Hoosier Hunter on Feb 14, 2010 20:08:44 GMT -5
Brown County SP is the only place I've seen deer starving in the winter around here. They usually have it easy unless the population is way too high. Same thing for the turkeys, also, the main problem for them is predation. I agree with that as well. I could see trouble if we had 5 feet of snow on the ground. One book I have states that most of what deer eat in the winter has no nutritional valves and that most eating is more habit than necessity. If you put food then keep it going. Once they find it you'll have every deer in the area wanting to fill it's belly daily. Nibbling on trees and others things is normal winter behavior. I just don't see Indiana's winters harsh enough to hurt the deer. Maybe other game but not deer. Minn., Wis., Mich, New England...yes. Just my 2 cents |
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Post by Woody Williams on Feb 14, 2010 21:16:55 GMT -5
Well, let's see...the deer in Southern Indiana surived the blizzards of 1977 and 1978 just fine. It beat the quail population down something fierce, but the deer were fine. They are browsers. Lots of browse out here.
Indiana deer really do not need supplemental feeding. That includes any feeders, food plots or mineral licks.
They will do just fine..
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Post by Decatur on Feb 14, 2010 22:23:27 GMT -5
Yep. Northern Michigan, for example gets way more snow than us every year, and their deer do fine. The bad things about feeding them are that it makes them more likely to transfer diseases to one another, and it makes them easier prey for predators if a bunch of deer are staying in a small area because of food.
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Post by scrub-buster on Feb 14, 2010 22:44:54 GMT -5
Yep. Northern Michigan, for example gets way more snow than us every year, and their deer do fine. The bad things about feeding them are that it makes them more likely to transfer diseases to one another, [glow=red,2,300]and it makes them easier prey for predators if a bunch of deer are staying in a small area because of food[/glow]. Are you talking about something like this.    |
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Post by Decatur on Feb 14, 2010 23:47:18 GMT -5
Yep, exactly like that! |
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Post by jgrimm on Feb 15, 2010 8:51:35 GMT -5
The guy up the road from me has alot of cattle, I have seen the deer out there eating off the round bails of hay with the cows.
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Post by trapperdave on Feb 15, 2010 11:29:56 GMT -5
a deer needs considerably LESS food this time of year than at any other. Natures way of takin care of em |
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Post by duff on Feb 15, 2010 17:40:10 GMT -5
That is if they are not moving much. If they are using their calories on moving muscles from lets say four wheelers, tree cutters, ect on a regular basis they are going to have to eat more to stay warm. But if they can hang tight and have a normal condition that is right.
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Post by huxbux on Feb 15, 2010 17:43:17 GMT -5
Nibbling on trees is normal behavior for a deer at any time of the year. On the other hand, stripping all the growth as high as they can reach indicates an overpopulation. metamorahunter, you need me to come to your hunting spot and help you get the numbers under control. ;D
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Post by crazybuck on Feb 15, 2010 18:02:40 GMT -5
Well, let's see...the deer in Southern Indiana surived the blizzards of 1977 and 1978 just fine. It beat the quail population down something fierce, but the deer were fine. They are browsers. Lots of browse out here. Indiana deer really do not need supplemental feeding. That includes any feeders, food plots or mineral licks. They will do just fine..  . They know how to conserve energy and when to expend it. |
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Post by taximan on Feb 17, 2010 19:50:11 GMT -5
they are tough critters, I think they'll be ok.... the deer on the farm i hunt seem to be following their normal routine. I do put out corn just so i can get pics of what it out there roaming around, but all of lasts weeks pics shows the deer look good.
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Post by parrothead on Feb 18, 2010 7:04:17 GMT -5
I am going through 200lbs of corn a week right now and it is gone 3-4 days after I put it out. If I lived closer to my hunting ground it would be around 400lbs a week. I like to put my camera over it to see what made it and it gives me something to do.
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Post by dead-eye on Feb 22, 2010 18:58:50 GMT -5
up in minesota some people have been seeing blue deer pee. its a result of deer eating buckhorn wich is a sign the popualation is about to crash. and they arent alowed to sup. feed. not a good situation!
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Post by diehard on Feb 23, 2010 22:28:38 GMT -5
they are tough critters, I think they'll be ok.... the deer on the farm i hunt seem to be following their normal routine. I do put out corn just so i can get pics of what it out there roaming around, but all of lasts weeks pics shows the deer look good. i just put my cameras back out a few days ago over some shelled corn and the deer are looking good here also. i hope the turkeys are doing as well ! |
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Regardless, I will bet there will still be much higher deer densities in IN than there is in NH.
