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Looking for a Cure
By Bob Humphrey
Even your friendly deer biologist is susceptible to buck fever. QUESTION: This question is more about human biology than deer biology. How can I control my buck fever, and in my case, deer fever? I’ve been hunting for over 30 years now and have harvested hundreds of deer (mostly does, with one buck per year in Indiana), but I still get deer f... READ MORE
Okay To Be Different
By Bob Humphrey
Whatever the cause, irregular antlers can be awesome! QUESTION: When I was a kid and through all the years of my life, I have been told by folks that non-typical bucks are a result of inbreeding among the deer population. Does that hold water? ANSWER: There are many possible reasons for bucks having irregular antlers. According to Kip Adams of the ... READ MORE
The Energizer Camera
By Bob Humphrey
Does it make sense to put out food if deer are already coming to an area? QUESTION: I been hunting a 100-acre lease for several years. Last December, I turned my game camera on, filled my 6-gallon feeder up and hunted it for the last time that year. A couple days ago, my wife and I revisited the treestand and pulled the camera I had left behind to ... READ MORE
Down But Not Out
By Bob Humphrey
Deer are tough – there’s just no other way to put it. QUESTION: This winter, I shot a buck and knocked it right down, but then it got up and ran away. We tracked it for a long way and found two large puddles of blood but did not find the deer. Then we brought in tracking dogs and jumped the deer, but it ran away and we did not recover i... READ MORE
The Answer My Friend...
By Bob Humphrey
Geography plays a role in how whitetails react to wind. QUESTION: I recently read somewhere that according to research, high winds don’t affect deer movement. How can this be true? — David W. ANSWER: I can’t answer directly without knowing the source, but I suspect the author might be over generalizing. I’ve read several stu... READ MORE
Thin Is NOT In
By Bob Humphrey
Reclaimed mining property offers challenges for food plot growers. QUESTION: I have a 155-acre farm leased. It was previously mining property, and the soil is very poor with a very thin top layer. I am trying to get food plots started, but don’t have the equipment or the time and money to prepare the soil properly. I have read about throw-and... READ MORE
Ticked Off
By Bob Humphrey
With all the blood available in velvet antlers, why aren’t they covered in ticks? QUESTION: How come you see deer with ticks on the back of there ears and face but never on velvet antlers? With all the blood, I would think they should be covered. — Duane F. ANSWER: I really don’t know and have been unable to find a clear and... READ MORE
The Night Owls
By Bob Humphrey
Is there anything you can do to get deer to visit a feeder during daylight? QUESTION: I have a Deer lease in Montague County, Texas. This past fall, I got numerous photos of many different deer, all at night. Not a single deer showed up at my corn feeder during daylight hours during the entire season. I am thinking perhaps a fall food plot might ch... READ MORE
Blind Ambition
By Bob Humphrey
There are several reasons deer might be spotting you when you’re in a ground blind. 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? — Tony L. ANSWER... READ MORE
True Blood
By Bob Humphrey
Exactly how much blood can a deer lose before it succumbs to its wounds? QUESTION: How much blood must a deer lose after being shot with a broadhead before it dies? — Joe R. ANSWER: I found several unscientific sources that claimed deer will die after losing between 2 ½ to 2 ¾ pints of blood. The Texas Bowhunter Ed course notes:... READ MORE
18 Wheels and a Dozen Theories
By Bob Humphrey
The best time to be in the woods is whenever you can get out there. QUESTION: As a Life Member of Buckmasters, I constantly read articles about lunar effect on deer movement and behavior. I have seen articles that emphasize the Lunar Wheel to hit the nail on the head in predicting the best times, the worst times, and the don’t-get-out-of-bed ... READ MORE
You Can’t Get There from Here
By Bob Humphrey
If you want to know how many does to harvest, you have to know how many deer you have. QUESTION: How many does should you harvest per 100 acres to increase your total deer population? Also to decrease or keep the population the same? — Eugene W. ANSWER: I’m afraid you might not like my answer, but a friend of mine once said, “You ... READ MORE
It’s Complicated
By Bob Humphrey
Whitetail digestion isn’t rocket science, but it’s close. QUESTION: Someone recently told me that deer have four stomachs. Is this true? ANSWER: No. Like all mammals, deer have one stomach. However, like all ruminants, theirs consists of four chambers: rumen, reticulum, omasum and abomasum. A large portion of a whitetail’s diet is... READ MORE
What Does the Future Look Like After HD Disease?
By Bob Humphrey
Question: We in Virginia are going through what some say is hemorrhagic disease. We had suffered a decrease in deer population and see sickly deer with split, fallen-off hoofs and so forth. I was wondering if you could shed any light as to what we can expect in our future. The VDGIF website has given us some information.
Answer: The VDGIF we... READ MORE
Pee Brain
By Bob Humphrey
We still don’t know exactly how much information whitetails get from urine scents. QUESTION: There are so many brands and types of doe in heat scent. Does one work better than others? Do deer smell different from region to region? For example, will an off-the-shelf doe in estrus scent work the same in Wyoming as it would in Illinois? Do you h... READ MORE
The Rut Marches On
By Bob Humphrey
Does will be bred no matter how long it takes. QUESTION: I live just outside of Cincinnati, Ohio, and about an hour ago, which was 5:30 (Feb. 10), I looked out back in my yard and watched a big buck grunting and chasing a smaller doe. What’s up with that? – Mike W. ANSWER: Most, but not all does are bred sometime during the initial rut,... READ MORE
Hang ‘em High
By Bob Humphrey
The debate continues on whether it’s best to process a deer immediately or to wait. QUESTION: I’m hoping you can settle a debate. How long should I hang my deer? Some people I know say I should skin it and process it right away. Others say the longer it hangs the better. What’s the right answer? — Glenn W. ANSWER: The debate, like what’s the ... READ MORE
Where Have The Ears Gone?
By Bob Humphrey
Do you have any idea what happened to its ears?
Question: This doe has been coming into a guy’s yard in the DuBois area. Do you have any idea what happened to its ears? Maybe the buck flies just ate the heck out of them this past summer. I’ve seen deer with their ears bleeding terribly from buck fly bites. — Ken M.
Answer:... READ MORE
Where the Girls Are
By Bob Humphrey
Should you find a new place to hunt if all you see are does? QUESTION: My trail camera is loaded with doe pictures, and the area I hunt is filled with does. I have seen a few trophy bucks, but at random and never consistent. Should I look elsewhere for a hunting spot if the bucks aren’t showing themselves? — Chris W. ANSWER: If your goa... READ MORE
Drop that Fur!
By Bob Humphrey
Piles of deer hair leave turkey hunter wondering about predators. QUESTION: While turkey hunting this spring, I’ve been finding a lot of clumps of deer hair in the woods. I’ve heard that coyotes have become a bigger problem in my area and I’m wondering if this could be the reason. — Carroll D., Edgefield, S.C. ANSWER: Coyote... READ MORE