Buck Manager | Buck Manager

Managing Deer Competition at Feeders

A big part of white-tailed deer management is food. Getting adequate nutrition to animals is the best way to ensure all deer live up to their potential, whether it be bucks growing exceptional antlers or does producing and raising fawns year after year. It takes food to make that happen. Habitat management helps promote the right plants for deer, but it still takes rain to make them grow. Spring is typically the best time of the year for deer because of the availability of high protein forbs. This year, although not stellar, is far from bad. I’ve seen only a few deer over the past month; they just don’t have to move because the good stuff is literally at their feet.

The foods that grow in good deer habitat are the very best for whitetail, but the problem is that they do not always grow. With the Summer season and its mercury-busting temperatures just around the corner, it’s safe to assume that those protein-rich forbs will be going bye-bye here shortly. It is during that time of year when bucks will still be actively growing antler and the energy demands of does will be high due to hungry, rapidly-growing fawns that will be in tow. When soils dry up, the supplemental feeding of deer can help fill the void on the landscape as well as in the bellies of the deer that live there.

Whitetail Hunting and Deer Management

Free-choice protein feeders are an efficient way to supplement the diets of deer, but have you ever noticed that most of the time you will get a lot more photos of bucks than does? Many hunters have been “misled” by buck use of feeders during the summer months only to realize come hunting season that they have many more does than they thought — and all those bucks that were “living” at the feeder are gone. What gives?

TAMUK: “It’s a proven fact that supplemental feed improves antler growth and body size. Numerous scientific research projects have shown this. However, one question that hasn’t been addressed extensively is feed site use. It’s commonly accepted that all deer are accessing these feeders. But, are they?

Are all age classes and both genders of deer getting ample opportunity to access this high-powered feed? Chase Currie, a Ph.D. candidate at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, has been working for two years on a research project that, in part, addresses that very question. What he’s found are some interesting and significant patterns relative to white-tailed deer use of feed sites.

Specifically, Currie assessed feed site visitation between sexes and among age classes seasonally. Seasons were categorized according to the physiology of deer in South Texas. For example, spring was designated as the recovery period following the rut; summer, the production period when males were growing antlers and females were nearing parturition and entering lactation; autumn, the recovery period for females following lactation and the pre-rut period for males when they were bulking up; and winter, the rut.

In March, September and November of 2010 and February, March and April of 2011, 240 deer were captured in South Texas using the helicopter net gun method. Each captured deer was tagged with two uniquely colored and numbered ear tags, one in each ear.

To assess feed site visitation, motion-triggered cameras were strategically located to survey feed sites. Cameras were set with a one minute delay and deployed at each feed site for one week each month throughout the two years. Over the course of the study, Currie accumulated 8,000 camera nights and just over 90,000 photos.

During the first year of the study, feed site density was 1/130 acres, and in the second year, feeder density was nearly doubled to 1/75 acres. Also, during the first week of the first year, it became immediately evident that feed sites needed to be fenced due to the excessive use by non-target species such as feral hogs. Thus, from the second week forward, data collected was from fenced feed sites.

To assess feed site visitation, Currie looked at the proportion of the male, female and fawn population that visited feed sites. Furthermore, he assessed intensity of feed site use for those deer that visited a feed site at least once during the sampling period (one-week). He did so by assessing the number of photos per individually marked deer on a weekly basis, the number of nights per week individually marked deer visited feed sites, and he also looked at the number of feed sites individually marked deer visited per night during the week.

Results indicated that bucks visited the feed sites more often and at a higher intensity than does. Furthermore, buck visitation was highest during spring and autumn. Only about 20 percent of marked does visited feed sites each month.

Fawn visitation was low across the board, so much so, that Currie was only able to assess the proportion of fawns that visited feed sites and not their intensity of feeder use. Photo evidence indicated one reason fawn visitation was low was that fawns had difficulty accessing the feeders. Recall that all feeders were fenced during the second week of the first year of the study, and doing so apparently excluded the fawns.

Despite doubling feed site density in the second year of the study, there was no difference in feed site visitation between bucks and does between the two years. Thus, in presenting the feed site visitation data, he averaged data across the years by season. The data revealed that feed site visitation for bucks was highest during spring and summer and lowest in winter, particularly in December, most likely because of the rut. Does, however, visited the feed sites most intensively during the winter from about November to December, with the highest visitation occurring in December. Researchers attributed this to the fact that buck visitation dropped off during this time period, thus, the does had an easier time accessing feeders.

Looking at the number of nights per week deer visited feed sites, data showed that in spring and autumn, bucks were visiting feed sites roughly four nights per week, and in summer, it dropped down to around three nights per week. However, again when winter came around, the number of nights per week that bucks visited feed sites dropped off significantly. Also during the winter, there was very little difference in the number of nights per week does and bucks visited feed sites. However, during December, the number of nights per week does visited feed sites exceeded that of bucks, which again implies that does were taking advantage of the time that the bucks were not utilizing feed sites.

In terms of the number of feeders per night deer visited during the week, in 2010, only 5 percent of the males visited more than one feed site per night, whereas in 2011, only 9 percent visited more than one feed site per night. For the most part, females only visited one feed site per night.

As is often the case in South Texas, 2010 and 2011 were totally different years in terms of precipitation. In 2010, plentiful rains made for really good range conditions, but 2011 was one for the record books. It was the driest one-year period in over 100 years in most parts of the state, and South Texas was no exception. Given this, one might assume that visitation rates at feed sites would be higher in 2011, compared to 2010, when range conditions were much better. However, that was not the case. Furthermore, in 2011 when feeder density was doubled to 1/75 acres, an excessive amount by most standards, and with the drought raging, feed site visitation did not increase. In fact, there was no difference in feed site visitation or intensity of feed site use between the two study years. In particular, a very low proportion of females and fawns visited feed sites, irrespective of range conditions and feeder density.

Researchers hypothesized that something else must be going on. Thus, to investigate further, researchers assessed movements of whitetails relative to feed sites. To do so, during both of the study years, 45 of the 240 deer captured were also equipped with a GPS collar. Collars were designed to pinpoint a location of individual deer every 30 minutes from March through January the following year, which resulted in 15,000 to 16,000 locations per deer over the course of the year.

What they discovered was that though the does had ample opportunity to access feeders, there were only a few actual locations pinpointed around the feeders. In fact, 13 females were collared in 2010, and eight of those 13 females didn’t have a single location within 55 yards of a feed site.’It was almost as if there was a buffer around these feed sites,’ remarks Currie. The collared bucks, however, during the same time, had clusters of locations pinpointed all around the feed sites.

Currie and others involved in the research hypothesize that social interactions, perhaps a form of social dominance or social hierarchy, are keeping does from regularly accessing feed sites. Thus, fellow graduate student Robin Donohue further investigated the role of aggressive behavior at feeder sites.

Specifically, Donohue investigated whether population density or season affected aggressive interactions between genders and among age groups of white-tailed deer. Also, he was interested in determining the severity of interactions at feed sites. Support for this project was provided by T. Dan Friedkin, the Comanche Ranch, the Stedman West Foundation, and the Faith Ranch.

This project was conducted in the northwestern portion of South Texas in Dimmit and Maverick counties in 6,200-acre enclosures on the Faith and Comanche Ranches. Again, trail cameras, set to take one photo every second for 10 seconds, were used during a two-week period in March, August, October and December.

Donohue established a scoring system to evaluate the severity of interactions among deer. At the bottom of that scoring system, defined as ‘less severe,’ included actions like non-aggressive dominance, ear drop, hard look, the head low threat or the head high threat, and then the sidle, whereby a deer turns to the side and then walks toward the opponent. Some of the more severe interactions including strike, chase, or the antler threat, the rear – where the animal rears up on its hind legs – then the flail, in which the deer flails its front legs in a peddling motion towards the opponent, or the rush.

Not surprising, researchers found again that bucks two years of age and older were dominant over yearling bucks, does and fawns in over 95 percent of the interactions, with one exception. During summer, does won about half of the interactions with bucks in low density pastures, whereas, in high-density pastures, does only won 5 percent of interactions. Low density, in this case, was a deer for every 20 acres; high density was a deer to every five acres.

When bucks were not present, does dominated fawns 100 percent of the time. Breaking it down further, Donohue found that during the summer, does actually dominated yearling bucks roughly 60 percent of the time. However, as the year progressed and those same yearling bucks approached the 2-year-old cohort, they begin to act more like mature bucks, dominating does roughly 80 percent of the time.

The rate of interactions is a measure of how likely two deer are to have an aggressive interaction when at least two deer are present at a feed site. The rate of aggressive interactions increased as deer density increased, suggesting increased tensions at feed sites at higher deer density. Although deer were more likely to interact at feed sites with increasing deer density, the severity of interactions did not increase. About 10 percent of interactions were severe (that is involved physical contact) at all deer densities.

The data suggests there is some form of sexual segregation occurring at these supplemental feed sites. Researchers point out that those feeders may not be the only areas where these kinds of social dominant interactions are occurring. It’s possible that whitetails may exhibit similar patterns at water sites and in areas where palatable nativevegetation is most abundant.

In general, though, with respect to feed sites, bucks dominate, irrespective of season; the social relationship between does and yearling bucks is affected by season, and fawns are typically subordinate, regardless of age and season. Also, as population increases, the rate of aggressive interaction increases, and the degree to which does avoid bucks decreases.

The take home message is that all deer are clearly not accessing feeders. In fact, based on Currie’s research, only 20 percent of the doe population visited feed sites, with the fawn population exhibiting even lower visitation rates. There are some obvious management implications. Exclusive of the social interaction issue, managers may be able to increase fawn visitation by improving accessibility to feeders. Fencing out non-target animals is essential, particularly in areas where feral hogs and javelinas are a problem, but doing so often excludes the fawns, as well. Thus, managers may want to make the fences more fawn friendly by raising or reducing the height of the fence.

It is beneficial for does to have access to supplemental feed in order to produce healthy fawns, but at this point, there are not good options for increasing doe use of feed sites.”

Rice Bran for Attracting, Hunting Deer

Rice Bran for Deer

Question: “What’s the deal with rice bran? I hunt on 40 acres in Northeast Texas with heavy deer hunting pressure on all sides and I usually just throw corn on the ground to attract deer. I am very low budget and cannot afford the feeding of minerals and protein pellets. I have tried salt blocks, livestock blocks and wildlife blocks. The deer in my area seem to like flavored rice bran like apple or peanut butter but it is hard to find.

Does rice bran have any nutritional value to deer? Any suggestions and recommendations on how to attract deer in this situation would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.”

Response: Stabilized rice bran is a common ingredient used in many commercial feeds for whitetail deer. Many of the products that contain rice bran in high percentage are better described as deer baits or attractants. For example, it is the main ingredient in the commercial deer attractant “Buck Bran” which is produced by Wildgame Innovations and “Buck Grub” that is sold by Evolved Habitats.

Rice bran can also found in lower quantities in truly supplemental feeds (protein pellets). In short, rice bran is a good source of easily digested vegetable fat, but that is about it.

Rice Bran: A Great Attractant

If you just want something to use as an attractant for deer hunting then don’t turn up your nose at it. The deer will not. Whitetail deer absolutely love rice bran and it can be used to attract and pattern deer before and during the deer hunting season. Bucks readily respond to additional foods in the areas where they live, and they especially take a liking to rice bran.

It can be purchased in the smaller prepared bags or some feed stores carry straight rice bran in 50 pound bags. Costs will vary based on location and it is cheaper in the Southern US. If bought in bulk it will not be “enhanced” with things that make it smell good. Deer will still eat it, but they may not take to rice bran right away. Bulk bran can be mixed with the commercial attractants or with something like molasses to add some smell and sweetness.

Comparing Rice Bran

Remember, rice bran is not the best stand-alone supplement for deer. The thing to keep in mind is that rice bran offers a high fat content, about 20 percent, and little else in terms of macro- or micro-nutrients. It can also be used somewhat like cottonseed, for increasing body condition in post-rut deer during the late fall and winter.

Cottonseed, however, offers high protein and phosphorus levels in addition to high fat content. Neither will work by themselves, but when provided free-choice on properties providing good deer habitat these supplements can whip run-down-deer back into shape rather quickly. The good thing about high fat foods is that deer can increase energy intake without having to increasing total feed consumption.

Rice Bran for Deer Hunting

A friend of mine hunts a property located in the Post Oak Savannah region of Texas and he swears that rice bran is the best whitetail deer attractant he has ever seen. He has found that if he switches from rice bran to corn the deer visits to his feed stations will decline. Will it work this great for everyone?

Can’t say for sure because a lot depends on what is already available on your property for white-tailed deer to eat. A lot depends on available habitat as well as overall habitat conditions. Most of the calories in corn are carbohydrates whereas most of the calories in rice bran are fat. Deer, like people, like fat. We like our carbs too.

With regard to hunting on 40 acres, there is no doubt that deer can be successfully attracted to and harvested on small acreage. Deer management options are admittedly more limited in terms of size, but the plant communities on the property can still be managed to offer good natural habitat, quality deer foods.

In fact, landowners can pay more attention to the details of habitat enhancement on small properties because of the smaller scale of projects. You can afford to use higher quality seeds when planting plots and better foods (such as rice bran) when feeding because less is needed. It’s expensive to do high quality projects at large scale. Micro-management can be very attractive, and deadly, to deer.

Deer hunting a small tract of land takes more restraint than anything else. The urge to shoot middle-aged bucks only because you think your neighbors will do so should be avoided, if you goal is to harvest older and bigger bucks. Let them go so they can grow.

The best advice for deer hunting on smaller properties is to keep it quiet and offer something that deer can not find within other parts of their home range. That could be refuge, water or other supplements and attractants such as rice bran. Rice bran is a good choice for attracting and holding deer. It has some good nutritional elements and it’s uncommon on the landscape, which means once deer get a taste for it they should seek it out.

Texas Deer Study Group: Management & More

In today’s world it seems that successful white-tailed deer management programs are just like everything else; they never sleep. There are always things for managers to do out on the land, be it checking feeders, developing food plots or “sculpting” brush or forest openings. It never really stops.

There are also opportunities available to hunters and land managers to gain additional, helpful information about deer, their habitat and the methods to improve the overall deer hunting and herd quality on a piece of property. There is always something new to be learned about whitetail, whether it be from university research or a salty ole ranch hand. Learning should never sleep.

Deer Hunting & Management - 2 1/2 Year Old Spike
For those looking to spend a day or two off the ranch (or out of the office), The Texas Deer Study Group is slated to meet in mid-April. The presenters at these annual forums are typically well-versed in wildlife management and offer the latest details on what’s happening in the world of whitetail.

Attendees this year can expect to hear about genetics, nutrition, and diseases, as well as talks on the social and economic factors impacting deer hunting in Texas. There is also a ranch tour on the second day that allows folks to see on-the-ground deer habitat management.

Source: “This year’s theme is Navigating the Deer Management Continuum, which reflects the spectrum of deer management intensity and technologies,” said Dr. Dale Rollins, AgriLife Extension wildlife specialist at San Angelo and steering committee member. “A growing trend towards more intensive deer management, including deer breeding, illustrates some managers’ goals, while others believe such intensive management diminishes the overall value of deer in the eyes of the hunter and the public.

“The slate of speakers assembled for this year’s meeting is a who’s who among deer biologists. Topics will range from biology to ethics. Several veterinarians will lead the group in a hands-on deer dissection which will help set the stage for the other presentations. The hands-on teaching method will continue during the second day’s tour of the Quail Ridge Ranch where participants will be trained on proper habitat management.”

Texas Deer Study Group - Deer Hunting and Management Information

If you’ve not attended a Texas Deer Study Group meeting in the past, let me just say that they can be quite interesting. In fact, anytime you get a group of experts together, regardless of the subject, you are going to have the opportunity learn a lot, and from many different takes.

Spoiler alert: You will also find that the experts do not always agree. You should, however, leave with more information about the management of the deer and the habitat found on your property. You can get more information and register at the Texas Wildlife Association web site for the 2013 Texas Deer Study Group meeting.

Deer Hunting Season Ends, Starts All Over

The last of the 2012-13 Texas deer hunting seasons officially ended as the month of February came to an end. Many hunters put deer season behind them months ago when the General Season ended, but properties enrolled in Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Managed Lands Deer Permit (MLDP) Program under Levels 2 and 3 just wrapped up their hunting. Now that the month of March has blown in (literally) it appears a new crop of fawns will be hitting the ground in just a couple of months. Where does the time go?

But as one season ends, another is about to bloom. Hopefully. Chalk up another drier than average winter for almost every corner of the state. Things have been green as of late, but soil moisture is low and everyone is going to need more rain when the temperatures increase. There just is not much in the tank and it’s going to get ripped out of the soil as plants use it for both growth and evaporative cooling. Deer and their habitat need rain from time to time. As research out of Texas A&M University-Kingsville, where they were investigating antler growth in both fed and unfed bucks, recently stated:

Deer Hunting and Management in Texas

“Average antler size of males in both treatments decreased noticeably during drought in 2009 and 20011. Antler size decreased during drought even with pelleted feed; we interpret this result to imply that maintaining quality natural forage is important and deer depend on vegetation even when pelleted feed is available.”

Amen, brother.

High quality forbs and browse will always be the gold standard when it comes to whitetail deer foods. That’s the primarily reason I am a big believer in deer habitat management. Food availability can be manipulated through habitat enhancement and deer population management, but it’s hard to grow good habitat when Mother Nature does not lend a helping hand. Fortunately, whitetail deer are a hardy species that can make do when times are tough. Things are looking okay so far.

There are more than just deer in them there woods though. Improving deer habitat benefits many other wildlife species too. Most habitat management practices for whitetail deer fall right in line with turkey management techniques, creating better habitat for those animals as well as other game and non-game species. Habitat enhancement is a large part of developing better deer and turkey hunting, but it must start with action on the ground.

It ends with happier land managers, hunters and wildlife, including rabbits, quail (if you still have some) and dove. Unfortunately, healthy plant communities attract everything, including feral hogs.

The next deer hunting season starts in about 6 months, so no better time to get cracking on all the projects you planned during the last one. Hey, there’s only a couple of months left before it gets really hot. Take advantage of it. I’ve been meaning to get out and get a few more things done myself, as well as get some exercise while searching for shed antlers.

Although bucks have already started dropping antlers there are still quite a few holding on to their headgear. The 2012-13 deer season is definitely in the books, but my shed hunting season is about to be in full swing.

Mid-Winter Deer Management Practices

The white-tailed deer hunting season has closed on most hunters, but there is a new season among us, something I have termed “mid-winter deer habitat management season.” Admittedly, it’s kind of a long name and unfortunately it’s not a hunting season, but the deer and other wildlife found on your property will definitely benefit from it. It’s during this mid- to late-winter time that many landowners and hunters put whitetail deer out sight and out of mind, but the animals that you will be hunting next year are still out there, right now. If you have ever needed a reason to stay out in the field during late January and February this is it.

The time from late January through the month of February is one of the best periods to perform on-the-ground deer habitat management. The practices performed during this time will positively impact the deer on your property throughout the year. These practices include prescribed burning, brush control and tree thinning, and protecting bottomland areas. These management practices will not only improve the health of the plant communities found on your property, but also increase the quantity and quality of deer foods for the whitetail that live there. Other deer management activities that can be performed during this period include spring food plot preparation and predator control. When combined, all of these practices will lead to improve deer hunting on your land.

Habitat Management Practices for Whitetail Deer

Prescribed Burning – This is one of the least expensive deer habitat management practices out there on a per acre basis, but it’s also one of the least used. The benefit of prescribed burning and well-applied fire on habitat for deer and other critters had been well documented. The time to burn for increased cool-season forb production was months ago, but you still have time to pull off a late winter burn that will promote native grasses. Grass comprises very little of a whitetail’s diet, but they will readily utilize nutrient-rich grasses following post-fire green-up. Native grasses also provide valuable fawning cover later in year. Burning as a habitat management practice should be completed before mid-February.

Brush Control & Forest Thinning – This is one of the more popular deer management practices, but sometimes the word “brush” is over-applied. Make sure that the brush being removed is not a browse plant that the whitetail in your area rely on. Most of the brush species out there do provide some benefit, whether it be from leaf or fruit, but not all. These undesirables should be the target of removal, making space for forbs and better browse plants and to decrease competition for water. Complete removal of brush can occur in small patches, but avoid the desire to open up huge blocks of land (i.e. 100 contiguous acres) in the name of deer management. Smaller clearings take more work, but they also provide more edge. Whitetail deer are edge species, so limit patch clearings to 5 to 25 acres in size, do not clear more than 50 percent of your property, and think ahead. Make sure to leave a network of wooded corridors so that deer feel secure traveling within your property.

Brush management or even forest thinning is not a one-and-done management practice. Brush management not only includes the removal of “old-growth” plants, but also the removal of those trying to establish or re-establish. Open and recently-cleared areas must be monitored at least every two to three years so that unwanted regrowth can be removed.

Riparian Fencing – It’s always a good idea to keep livestock at proper numbers for a property, but it’s especially important to limit their access to riparian areas. The term “riparian” is just a fancy word for the area immediately adjacent and around a drainage such as a creek, stream or river. Riparian areas typically have the richest soils and the highest plant diversity on a property, so fencing livestock out of these areas for the majority of the year means the high quality browse and forbs found in these areas ends up in the mouths of antler-growing bucks and fawn-rearing does. Help deer and the plants they eat on your place, take advantage of the cooler temps, and build riparian-protecting fences during late winter.

More Management Practices for Deer

Food Plot Prep – Food plots are not the be-all, end-all cure for deer management, but they can help substantially in areas where they will grow. Deer located in more arid areas are out of luck, unless irrigation and the money to do so are in place. Late winter is a great time to start prepping deer food plot sites for spring planting. Food plots are not necessarily habitat, but they can supplement it. Avoid the urge to plow under fall and winter food plots. Many will continue to grow into May or June, providing leafy forage and seeds for deer and many other wildlife species.

Predator Control – It’s tough sledding when it comes to finding food in late winter. This is true for whitetail and all other wildlife, including predators. Animals that are hungry tend to move more often, cover more ground and increase their daylight activity. All of this makes predators more susceptible to shooting and trapping during mid- and late-winter. Clean up on coyotes and feral wildlife, especially wild hogs, to minimize their impact on native animals and the habitat they need. This will not only help white-tailed deer, but also help all ground-nesting birds such as quail and turkey.