|
|
Identity Crisis
By Bob Humphrey
You’ve heard of bucks that stay in velvet, but what about a buck that’s just off schedule? QUESTION: There is a buck on our hunting lease that has been visiting our feeders for three years. He stays in velvet at least a month to a month and a half later than all the other bucks on the lease. What would cause him to shed his velvet so la... READ MORE
Play the Numbers
By Bob Humphrey
Doe groups will always draw bucks during the rut. QUESTION: They say you should hunt does during the rut because that’s where the bucks will be, but that doesn’t seem to work for me. My experience has been that does nearing estrus want to get away from other does. Am I on to something, and if so, where should I focus my rut hunt efforts... READ MORE
All in the Family
By Bob Humphrey
Don’t be surprised to see several generations of does together. QUESTION: Last fall while hunting over my food plot, I saw what I believe were the same does almost every night. There was obviously a big doe with three fawns, but there was also another doe that was smaller than the big one but bigger than the fawns. Could these deer be related... READ MORE
The Early Bird
By Bob Humphrey
Be on the lookout for deer sign while you're in the turkey woods this spring. QUESTION: While turkey hunting this spring, are there things I can watch for that will help me in deer season, or will the sign be meaningless by the fall? – Tom J. ANSWER: Any time you're in the woods, there's a chance you can find helpful deer sign, no matter wha... READ MORE
Another Rasputin Myth
By Bob Humphrey
It’s time to get rid of all those crazy stories about turkeys driving out deer. QUESTION: Turkeys are fairly new where I live, but I’ve noticed more every year. A friend says they’ll drive the deer away and eat their food. Is there any truth to this? ANSWER: I wish we could do away with this misconception once and for all, but lik... READ MORE
Kickin’ It with the Bucks
By Bob Humphrey
You can sometimes tell a lot about a shot by the way a deer reacts. QUESTION: Recently I shot a deer, I thought, in the chest. Immediately after the shot, the deer bucked and kicked out both rear legs and ran off, seemingly hit hard and with its tail down. I took another shot while it was running off. I waited about 15 minutes and went to the site ... READ MORE
The Hole Thing
By Bob Humphrey
We might think of deer as peaceful, but they can be tough on one another. QUESTION: These pictures are from a deer before and after I skinned it. It had this hole on its inner thigh. There was no smell of rotting flesh, but I have never seen anything like it my 15 years of hunting. Any idea what it is? — Robert M. ANSWER: One can never be sur... READ MORE
Saltaholic
By Bob Humphrey
Just like us, deer love salt, but it’s not really beneficial. QUESTION: CWD just expanded into where I live in south-central Pennsylvania. Is it okay to continue offering salt? I don’t want CWD to spread, but feel the deer still need it. I was wondering if offering salt might bring deer together and increase the chances of spreading the... READ MORE
On Their Own
By Bob Humphrey
What is the fate of most fawns whose mothers are taken during hunting season? QUESTION: If you take the mother during hunting season, will her fawns survive the winter? — Matthew N. ANSWER: Maybe. A lot depends on the age of the fawns. The older they are, the better their chances of survival. In most cases, fawns should be old enough to fend ... READ MORE
Cold Spell
By Bob Humphrey
Temperature definitely affects deer movement, but how it does so is determined by location. QUESTION: I have heard that deer will lay up until temperatures get above freezing. Is this true, and at what temperature will they start moving? — Glenn E. ANSWER: How temperature affects deer depends, to a certain extent, on location. Ask any Saskatc... READ MORE
No Plow? No Worries
By Bob Humphrey
No-till food plots can be effective, but they require a little elbow grease. QUESTION: Several friends and I recently purchased a hunting property that is 4 hours from where we live. We plan to go out before season to scout and put up stands, and were also considering establishing a couple quick, no-till food plots. Can you make any recommendations... READ MORE
Find the Food
By Bob Humphrey
This hunter might be new, but he’s asking the right kind of questions. QUESTION: I am new to hunting (my second year) although I'm 52 years old and a disabled veteran. I’m limited to hunting public land in Rhode Island and nearby Massachusetts. While scouting, I have found wild grape vines on some of the public lands and was wondering i... READ MORE
How Many Does?
By Bob Humphrey
Habitat is the biggest determiner of how many deer your land can hold. QUESTION: How many does per acre should a west-central Alabama lease hold, and how do you count/identify the number of does per acre on your property? ANSWER: We often get questions that apply to a specific region, state or locality, and the answer sometimes has much broader app... READ MORE
How Old?
By Bob Humphrey
How old must a fawn be to survive without its mother?
Question: In late July a mature doe was killed on the highway near my property. Since then I have observed a doe fawn alone around my house. I saw it in mid-September, and it runs from our movement and the dog and seems skittish. How old must a fawn be to survive without its mother? &mdas... READ MORE
Bug Problems
By Bob Humphrey
QUESTION: I live in the middle of the coast range in Oregon. I have always given my dogs brewers yeast with garlic and never had fleas or ticks. This year we have had both deer and elk in our yard almost every night. My dog now has fleas. Is this from the deer and elk? Both my dog and I have had deer ticks on us that we have removed. What can I do ... READ MORE
How Long Should You Wait?
By Bob Humphrey
QUESTION: Last fall I arrowed a deer in the paunch. We waited about four hours before looking for it, then we jumped it and it ran off. We returned the following day with a dog, and after about six hours eventually found my deer about a half mile away in a creek bed. My question is, how long should you wait before following up on a gut shot? &mdash... READ MORE
It’s a Game of Percentages
By Bob Humphrey
Deer might be curious, but caution trumps curiosity in most cases. QUESTION: I read in a Buckmasters article recently that deer were drawn to scrapes doctored with new car scent just as much as they were to scrapes freshened with doe pee. If that’s the case, does it matter what kind of scent I use? –Brad F. ANSWER: I’m aware of se... READ MORE
A Twofer for Triplets
By Bob Humphrey
Combine exceptional nutrition with good genes and you’ve got the ideal mix to see a doe produce fawn triplets more than once.
Question: I saw a doe with three fawns last year around the farm, and now again this summer I’ve noticed a doe with three fawns. I would guess it is the same doe, and she’s had triplets two years in ... READ MORE
A Little Help from my Friends
By Bob Humphrey
Your buddies might be right about food plots, but they might not be. QUESTION: I have a small 20-acre tract on the Edwards Plateau around Harper, Texas. I would like to create a food plot but don’t know what to use, where to buy it, and if everything I’ve heard about food plots is accurate. I know where feed stores are, but I would appr... READ MORE
Burned by Brassicas?
By Bob Humphrey
Food plots can be frustrating, especially if your crop looks great and the deer don’t seem to be interested. Have patience. It takes time for deer to learn a new food source, and brassicas also require some freezing temperatures.
QUESTION: I planted winter turnips last September and they grew nicely. As we began to get cold temperatures, the... READ MORE