Managing White Tail Deer 12-11-13

 

We shot a great HD Television Show in December of 2013, in Tilden Texas with Megan Gillett. Tim Teal is a great friend of mine and Megan is his daughter. Megan is an avid hunter and she wanted to“Spot and Stalk” a Management deer they had picked out. They really did not want this deer breading in the population on the ranch since he was old and not a superior animal. They are interested in growing bigger deer on the ranch. We were targeting a mature White Tail that was estimated to be over 5.5 years old. We stalked him over two days and finally made the kill. He was a really nice 8 point that weighted 135 lbs field dressed. This was a Pre-Rut hunt and we had a great time making it happen. This was Megan’s best buck to date but she said she is ready to move the bar up and get a 10 point next.


Let’s talk about Managing White Tail populations:

Over the past 30 years, especially the past decade, populations of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) have increased dramatically throughout all of the United States. This includes the Northeast and in many Midwestern and western states. Fact---not commonly known---White Tail deer are in New York as well. And, in the 1900s New York’s deer population rebounded from about 20,000 to more than 1 million. There are over 15 million white tail today in the US.

Increases in deer abundance can be attributed to changes in habitat, including reversion of abandoned farm fields to forest, and shifts in human population to rural and suburban areas. Both of these trends have opened forested habitat preferred by deer. Another fact is that, decisions by landowners to prevent hunting have made many areas off limits to hunters, have allowed deer populations to increase.

This growth has had US residents to have mixed feelings. The white-tailed deer is the most widespread and abundant member of the deer family and one of the best recognized large mammals in North America. Whitetailed deer are an amazing component of our wildlife heritage.



They are avidly sought by hunters, photographers, and nature observers.

The buck, or male deer, stands 3 to 3 1/2 feet tall at the shoulder, weighs 125 to 200 pounds, and grows antlers that are shed annually. Does are females and they are smaller and lighter than males and lack antlers.

White-tailed deer breed from mid-September through late February, and the peak of the breeding season, or rut, occurs in November.
Fawns are born in the early summer after a 200-day gestation period. In their first pregnancy, does usually give birth to a single fawn, though twins are common in later years if food is abundant. Bucks begin to develop antlers in April, and the antlers grow until August or early September. The size of the antlers depends primarily on age and nutrition; older bucks typically have larger antlers. Growing antlers are covered with a skin called “velvet.” This skin is covered with soft hairs and contains blood vessels that supply nutrients to the growing antlers. When the antlers stop growing the velvet dries and is shed or rubbed off by the buck as he polishes his antlers on saplings, shrubs, or rocks. Bucks shed their polished antlers each winter in preparation for the
growth of a new set.

High populations of deer may result in numerous deer-vehicle collisions and pose a serious threat to motorists. It is estimated that each year in the United States 29,000 people are injured and more than 200 lose their lives in deer-vehicle collisions.

Wildlife management is important to keep deer population numbers in order. Deer can overpopulate and cause the entire herd to have problems in breeding and in maintaining good health. Shortage in food and shortage in enough terrain per animal can lead to serious issues like disease or malnutrition. The goal in taking animals out is to maintain a healthy population of animals on the ranch.

South Texas ranchers often need to take over 50 does and 20 bucks off their ranch each year to maintain healthy populations. Often the meat is donated to the homeless and other types of shelters where food is a shortage. The meat is excellent.

The night pictures here are of a lesser Management 8 that we harvested on the ranch on an evening hunt.

Thanks for your time and I’ll see you in a “Wide Open Outdoor Adventure”


Dave