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The Light in Their Eyes
By Bob Humphrey
Eye shine has a rational explanation. QUESTION: Why do deer’s eyes shine at night, and can you tell an animal species by the color of the reflection? ANSWER: White-tailed deer have several adaptations that give them much better night vision than humans, all of which are important for a prey species. One is called a tapetum lucidum. It is a reflecti... READ MORE
Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow
By Bob Humphrey
Clumps of deer hair in the spring might not mean what you think. QUESTION: This spring during turkey season I found quite a few patches of deer hair on the ground. I looked around but didn’t find any bones or carcass. What do you think could have killed a deer then dragged it off whole? ANSWER: You neglected to mention where you live, which could l... READ MORE
Timing Is Everything
By Bob Humphrey
There’s a good reason for hunters to pay attention to when deer do what they do. QUESTION: What are the feeding times of white-tailed deer, and how does knowing these times lead to hunting success? ANSWER: Whitetails can feed 24/7, which is one of several reasons why they can easily out-compete turkeys for food. However, as most hunters will attest... READ MORE
Here and There
By Bob Humphrey
Deer, both here and in Europe, can find their family units with no worries. QUESTION: Hello from Slovakia, Europe. While walking in the forest with my dog, we met roe does right in front of us. My dog started chasing one doe maybe 50 meters up the hill and then came back to me. Meanwhile, I heard another doe (maybe more), which was left behind and ... READ MORE
Food Shy
By Bob Humphrey
It’s common for big bucks to avoid feeders and bait sites. QUESTION: I live in Texas, and we run several corn feeders on our lease. We’ve gotten pictures of several nice bucks on the property, but we never see them around the feeders. Are they avoiding them on purpose? Why? ANSWER: It’s impossible to say for certain, but it is possible, and possibl... READ MORE
Light the Way
By Bob Humphrey
If daylight triggers deer behavior, it’s no wonder they sometimes get confused. QUESTION: While turkey hunting this spring, I found several patches of bare ground that looked like scrapes. I know turkeys scratch the ground to feed, but these were single bare patches in places where I’ve found scrapes in the fall, but looked like they were recent. D... READ MORE
My Pronouns Are ...
By Bob Humphrey
You might need to tell a buck from a doe, especially in late seasons. QUESTION: Last fall I had around five does 20 yards from my ground blind but was not sure if one of them was a buck that had lost his antlers. Can you help me determine this in the future? ANSWER: There are no certainties, but you can reduce the odds of misidentification with som... READ MORE
Luke, I am Your Father
By Bob Humphrey
It’s entirely possible that localized genetics influence antler characteristics. QUESTION: The photo on the left is a buck I shot in WMU 4C in Pennsylvania on Dec. 1, 2014. The second photo is a buck I shot in the same WMU on Nov. 27, 2022, roughly 40 yards from the other one. When comparing the photos, I noticed how very similar the P2s seem to be... READ MORE
Slugs vs. Buckshot
By Bob Humphrey
Which shotgun load is best for deer is somewhat a question of application. QUESTION: I’m hoping you can help a group of us that shares a hunting camp settle a debate about which is better for deer hunting, slugs or buckshot. ANSWER: It’s impossible to say outright that one is superior to the other since much depends on circumstances and. to some ex... READ MORE
Who Needs Weight Watchers?
By Bob Humphrey
White-tailed bucks have the most successful weight-loss program in existence. QUESTION: Our firearms season doesn’t start until December. It seems like the bowhunters kill more big deer, and I think it’s because the bucks get run down during the rut and lose a lot of weight before gun season. Is there a way to tell how much a buck would have weighe... READ MORE
Ladies First
By Bob Humphrey
It’s good to be a gentleman in the woods, too. QUESTION: We are currently culling deer in a national park. From you’re experience, do you remove bucks or does first? Is it true if you remove the bucks, the does will leave the area and go find the bucks, or is it the bucks that move into an area where the does are? ANSWER: Circumstance often determi... READ MORE
Forget the Script
By Bob Humphrey
Whitetails don’t always follow our neat little timetables. QUESTION: I was on a turkey hunt in central Florida last spring, and I swear I saw a hard-antlered buck chasing does. I thought the rut was in the fall. Is this possible, or was something else going on? And why didn’t this buck shed its antlers? ANSWER: Timing of the rut tends to be more sy... READ MORE
Putting a Hoof Down
By Bob Humphrey
Why do does stomp at danger? QUESTION: I’ve seen this several times where a doe gets nervous and stomps its front foot. I’ve always wondered what purpose this serves. ANSWER: Deer most often stamp when they sense a potential threat but have not identified it. Otherwise, they would simply flee. This behavior likely serves several purposes. First, it... READ MORE
Weak Side
By Bob Humphrey
Antlers can be affected by both genetics and nutrition. It’s just tough to figure out which. QUESTION: This is my first year hunting a new property and I am seeing bucks with their left side weaker than the right, or the left side is broke up. Is this genetic or lack of protein or minerals? ANSWER: It could be either or both. Yearling bucks especia... READ MORE
Non-Binary Buck
By Bob Humphrey
It’s not likely antlered does are a result of genetics. QUESTION: I harvested this antlered doe in southern Alabama. I didn’t realize what I had until my processor called a few minutes later. I’m curious to know if this deer could have possibly let other deer breed her or if she had such high testosterone levels that she socialized more like a buck... READ MORE
Blind Not-So-Much Luck
By Bob Humphrey
Hunting from a ground blind is no guarantee of concealment. QUESTION: I just started to hunt out of a ground blind, but every time I’m in there the deer seem to know I’m there. Do I have too many windows open? The inside of my tent is black, so I wear black. What could they be seeing? ANSWER: There are several possibilities. A deer’s pupil is elong... READ MORE
Pass the Salt
By Bob Humphrey
Mineral supplements can help when nature is lacking. QUESTION: What are the best deer minerals and when should you put them out? ANSWER: In most cases, deer get the minerals they need for body growth and maintenance from their environment, with calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and sodium being among the most important and abundant. Plants take up the... READ MORE
Holy Rack
By Bob Humphrey
Damage to velvet racks manifests after the antler hardens, too. QUESTION: I shot this amazing buck two years ago. I always assumed the two indentations where made by some type of insect. Is that true? If so, what is it? ANSWER: There are several possibilities as to what might cause holes or indentations in antlers. During the growth stage, antlers ... READ MORE
Get a Saddle!
By Bob Humphrey
Whitetails with manes are an oddity you don’t see every day. QUESTION: What exactly is a mane on a deer? The photos I’ve seen on Google were no help. On a Lion or even an Elk, I get it, but on a whitetail I’m at a loss. ANSWER: While rare, white-tailed deer with a mane on the back of their neck do occasionally show up. I harvested one in 2020. This... READ MORE
Fox Trot
By Bob Humphrey
Foxes are not a threat to adult whitetails, but they’re still predators. QUESTION:I was a hunting piece of property and had a doe run to me full speed. I could hear something coming behind her, so I got ready thinking it was a buck, but it was a red fox chasing her. I’m not quite sure he would’ve been able to take her down, but he was giving it a g... READ MORE